Mario Götze On Defeating Messi, Teaming With Müller, and 2014 World Cup Memories! | Club & Country

Mario Götze, how's life right now? Where are you at in life right now? Family, football career, and obviously off the field, you've got a lot going on too.

Currently in the middle of the season with luckily a short break in a couple of weeks, at least 10 days off between the next games in January. And a couple of things outside the pitch. Yeah, I agree. So a couple of things to handle and balance, but all good. I'm happy about it and it's fun. Pretty, pretty happy about the current situation.

Yeah. Do you ever reflect thinking like these are the good old days in a way where you've got so much drive outside of the pitch, but you've also got young kids that are able to witness you play and enjoy seeing their dad on the pitch too?

Yeah, I mean, that's— I think that's probably one of the best things and also a very proud moment for me to see my little kids in the stands and bringing them onto the pitch and at the same time, like also preparing a couple of things Before, before the end of my career, because I'm 33 now, turning 34 next, next summer, and, and you can't play forever. So preparing a couple of things for that phase, I know it's, it's always different because that's what I'm used to, and I played since I'm a little kid. So will be, will be tough for sure, but I think it's good to think about it and to have my family and prepare, prepare different and different life after soccer. Yeah. Yeah.

So many people don't. I mean, I worked closely with— he's a friend of mine. Antoine Walker is a legendary NBA player, and he famously went into a spiral financially and didn't plan for the future beyond the game and lost so much money. And there's documentaries about him and everything. Do you see that within the game, that maybe there's players that just simply don't focus on the afterlife when talking about the beautiful game and financially making sure they're secure?

Yeah, I think there are two sides to it because in the end you want to make the maximum out of the current situation and enjoy it the best you can because in the end you can— luckily, if you can play 10, 15 years on the highest level, I think it's a good thing and it's a privilege to do that. And I think you should enjoy and be focused and use that situation. But at the same time, I mean, it's from my perspective. For me, it helped me to also understand the, not like the outside world, but everything else going on regarding family and to understand that soccer is just a phase in your life. And I think to have that perspective, it helped me a lot, especially when I got my kids. They helped me to develop a different perspective on life in general and not only like be in that lens to like focus on soccer. So I think, It's also difficult to compare it to guys like from 10, 15, 20, 30 years ago when they played NFL, NBA, or even soccer in Europe because it was a different situation back then. And yeah, but I think for me, it helped me to understand it a bit better and prepare for things that could happen in 5 to 6 years because then you don't, for example, I'm then 40 years old, I don't have a contract with a club anymore, don't play soccer anymore, then it's important to have a, let's say, a bit of a feeling of what to do and, um, yeah, what to, what to do with, with your life, at least a bit. I mean, you can't prepare everything, but to, to think about it, it helps a lot. Yeah.

Is this something you were conditioned by? Your father was a professor, right? Is this something that you were conditioned by as a young child growing up with your parents?

I think so, because in the end I was always like, I, I went to school and then I went to the soccer practice. So this was my life all until I turned 18 and became a professional. So, and the focus in, uh, with my, with my, with my brothers and also especially with my father, it was also to have a, uh, to go to, uh, to university. It was his wish to go to the university for, for all his children. So he focused more on that than on, than in sports and, and be a professional. So I think I was always conditioned in that way to a certain degree. Um, but yeah, I think it, it, it, uh, it shaped me in a certain way to also have different, different, yeah, a different perspective on that and also think about other things than just sports.

Love that. So you're not just thinking about TikTok, you're not just thinking about X or Instagram. Mario Götze, you're all over LinkedIn and it's something we saw with Thomas Müller as well. I don't see too many footballers on LinkedIn right now. Why LinkedIn?

That's a good question. I mean, it probably First, it serves me in a certain way regarding all that business knowledge and especially venture capital, and also get to know people, um, from, from the USA, for example, or UK or Nordics. It helped me a lot to, to build relationships, uh, but also, um, get knowledge from different, uh, verticals, especially private equity, venture capital, etc., etc. And, uh, yeah, I think it just developed over time because of course I started with, with Instagram and have a TikTok account, but it felt better for me to spend more time on LinkedIn. Let's put it that way.

Tell us about CompanionM, please.

Initially, I founded CompanionM almost 10 years ago now. Started aggregating all the media stuff, so from partnerships to social media corporations, etc., etc. And then it developed over time to, let's say, a multi-asset firm. I have 2 things. One is the media part still, and the other part is like the investments I do in startups and venture capital funds and private equity funds. Because I think it's important to, at least for me, it's good to have a second cornerstone and to have, let's say, a second hobby maybe, or like an interest in these kind of things. So that's how it evolved over the last 10 years. Yeah.

If you could give any financial advice, basic, basically. I, I drop some money. I don't do any.

Yeah.

And I walk away. I don't, I don't want to play with, with any money. I don't feel like I'm intelligent enough to deal with that. Is there any little tidbit that you can offer anybody?

Um, I would say like from my perspective in general for athletes, because maybe that's also important to understand like where I come from, because I also started with real estate. I also did a couple of investments in public, uh, in public equities. And then let's say say the last 5 to 6 years, I aggregated all the, the private market things in the company. So venture capital and startups and private equity funds are done by the, by the investment firm. So that's how I evolved over the last 12, 13 years, and that's how I set it up, um, um, yeah, to, to diversify. I think that's, that's, that's the advice I would give to athletes, um, to have, uh, let's say at least 2 or 3 different verticals and invest in them.

So with the United States, is there no room for Major League Soccer? Come play here for a season or so?

I really like it. I follow it. We have been with Frankfurt to the US for our preseason tour. So I follow it if I can because the time differences depends on the East or West Coast, etc. But yeah, I follow it and I like it in general. I know a couple of players there. there. And, uh, it's, it's good to see how it evolved over the last, uh, now 10, 20 years. Yeah.

You do know a few players. You know one guy that's going to be playing on Saturday, and it's a perfect time. You talk about time difference, I think it's the perfect time for you guys in Germany. 8:30 PM, uh, kickoff, just after 8:30 PM. Our pregame show, uh, will start at about 7 PM German time, uh, on Apple TV around the world. And you're— I assume he's, he's your friend. You guys have been through many battles together, uh, both as, as teammates, uh, and You've both gone up against each other in Thomas Müller. What is your, if you could share one please, your favourite Thomas Müller story?

The famous, I would say it's more like a general thing because he likes talking. So in general, like on and off the field. So that's probably something that sticks with me for sure because I played with him in Bayern Munich for 3 years. I've been with him in the national team and played games together. So he's a great guy, he's a funny guy, and he's, I think, also His performance and his drive to to win even in training. I think this is this exceptional, and that's that's how he also managed his career on that level. So that's that's a very very good trait he has, and that's what also probably put him in that league that he could perform every year, especially in Bayern Munich, and now also being in a in a final again.

So yeah, I don't know Thomas at all, but just from trying to study him as much as possible here, he seems to me like a mental giant. Like he plays mind games with people. He's able to infiltrate the brain and get inside the mind of other people, whether it's teammates in the best possible way. Or I'm watching him before the game against LAFC and he's just poking fun at Son Heung-min and Denis Buanga. You know, you two are always together.

Together. Yeah.

Or maybe, maybe he's, he's leaning into the— I know he's called Manuel Neuer the GOAT and he's leaning into it a little bit here. And he's on the plane and I wonder, is he poking Lionel Messi a little bit here ahead of the final?

Probably.

Is that fair that he's, He's a mind games master.

Yeah, I think it describes him in a good way, but also on the pitch, how he sees the game and how he understands the spaces in the game. So I think he needs it to a certain degree as well for himself, for his performance, to always like be in that mood and also like, yeah, joke around a bit also with the opponents. And I think that's, that, that, that's also something he did probably his whole career.

Yeah. If you could pick out one thing about him that is his secret weapon? What is it?

His secret weapon, I would say, um, it's the, it's the resilience. Yes, the mental resilience, you know. Like, it doesn't matter if he scores or if he like missed a chance, the next time he will, he will be there. Even in training or in the game, uh, he will score. He will, he just keeps going, you know. And that's, I think that's a, that's a, that's an amazing trait. And he's very disciplined about it. So That's, that's probably the thing I would choose. Yeah.

Crazy stat for you now, and I don't even know if Thomas is aware of this, but out of all the players that Lionel Messi has faced in his career for 10 games or more, Thomas Müller has the best record against Lionel Messi.

Against him? Okay. Yeah.

Yeah. 10 games. Müller has 7 wins. Messi has 3. 2 of Messi's 3 wins were in in friendly games. Like, Thomas obviously has the, the World Cup in the quarterfinal in 2010, the World Cup final which you scored the winning goal in, in 2014, the 8-2 drubbing. Remember the heaviest defeat in Barcelona history?

Oh yeah, true, true.

How, how much attention is this Müller versus Messi matchup getting over in Germany right now?

I mean, it's, it's, it's in the news for sure, and I think it's a good thing, uh, especially for Germany but also for, for the MLS. Um, and it's good to see him back in the finals, so it's, it's It's great to see it. And I think also due to the time difference and the game on Sunday, I think it's perfect to also follow it. So yeah, it's a big thing here as well.

Lionel Messi is special to you, isn't he?

To a certain degree, of course. Yeah. Since I was a young kid and I saw him playing, he's for sure an idol and how he played and how he performed over the years. these years and then also play against him was amazing.

Yeah. You have that famous photograph after the World Cup final. Was there a little bit of trepidation, a little bit of nerves even asking him in a moment like that for a photograph after you beat him?

Yeah, I think this was due to other reasons. You know, I've seen him since I was a little kid with Barcelona and how he played. And it was more like Yeah, nevertheless, the circumstance in that moment, of course, just won the World Cup. And for me, it was just like meeting him, taking a photo with him. Nevertheless, what happened before. So it was more out of like respect and out of, yeah, what he already has achieved. But yeah, maybe it was not the best timing for him. I agree.

No, but I'm sure he respects it. And there's great respect between you guys. In that moment for you, you take the ball down on your chest. As a child, I'm giddy even talking to you about this moment because your goal against Argentina was a where were you when moment in the global game, in the history of our game. And it's the most beautiful technique and the slow motion videos of it and everything. It's just absolutely marvelous. Do you relive that moment at all? And how is it when you do that? Or are you sick of people talking about it?

When I, when I look back now, also in that moment, you don't think so much, you know, it's just happening out of instinct. Everything is so fast and you have to react so so quickly. And to be honest, I don't score so many goals with the left foot, so it was good timing. But yeah, nevertheless, it was a good situation for me as well, also playing striker. It was a great cross, so control was good, and yeah, it was ideal in that situation, to be fair. But yeah, of course, now it's, I think, 11 years ago. It was 2004, almost 11 years ago. So of course I have that memory still, but they There are so many, I know in soccer in general, in sports, like you're only as good as the last game or the last training. So you have that mindset and also like keep going. And I was pretty young back then, so I was 22 and I had still 10, 15 years ahead of me. So yeah, which was probably also a good thing. Yeah.

Isn't it a funny, like a message for the wider life really beyond the game that a moment may present itself to you at any time? And you have to be ready through sheer hard work and practice beforehand to use those instincts to then capitalise on the moment.

Yeah, of course, I agree. I mean, there are always a lot of things that come together in the moment. Of course, you have to work hard. Of course, you have to have that talent. And you also need that luck. And I think you just need to prepare yourself and then hope that that moment comes. So I think that's probably one of the biggest learnings. And you never know when that happens. And also for me, I was still young, so I was 22, still had 10, 15 years ahead of my career. And yeah, also to cope with that situation afterwards and not like compare everything to that goal. And I think that was also a challenge for me and it also served me in good but also in bad ways, of course. But yeah, that's probably— I still remember it and I will look back in 20 and 30 years and And still be proud of that moment.

In what ways would you know Mario Götze now chat with 22-year-old Mario Götze post World Cup final? And what would you say to that younger man?

I would say it's more like just enjoy the moment, like take it as it comes, and you cannot prepare everything because in the end, okay, of course I can say okay, if I'm 30, 35, my last game I scored a goal and then I finished my career. It's more like to have the perspective, enjoy it, and then keep going and not. Compare everything to that like pinnacle of my my my career, and I think that would be the advice I would give myself.

That's wonderful. I love that. And do you have plans to come to the U.S.?

We did visit America a lot before our children. Now they're still a bit bit young with with two and five, so we haven't been so much. I've been with with Frankfurt for the preseason, but we we plan on coming in the next years for sure. Yeah, when I'm a bit older.

We really do with Mario Götze in Major League Soccer. I'm telling you, just give us one season out here. Your skill and your personality. We'd love to see it. If you could sum up your journey both on and off the pitch in one I am affirmation, what would it be? I'm Mario Götze and I am—

I would say I am happy and I'm very grateful for what happened, but still evolving and still going and still learning. And I think that's how I would sum it up.

Is there any chance you could give a quick, like, hey Thomas, you know, just want to wish you the best down to the camera? Just wish him well for this weekend, please.

Hi Thomas, here's Mario. I wish you all the best for your game. I will keep my fingers crossed for sure. Don't talk so much before the game. You can talk after the game and hopefully you will win. See you soon.

Love it.

Love it.

Top class. Mario, an absolute pleasure speaking with you. Thank you for your time.