Mario Götze publishes touching letter to his children

It’s rare to get such an intimate insight into the inner life of celebrities. Mario Götze published a very personal letter to his two children – son Rome and daughter Gioia – on “The Players Tribune”. In it he speaks directly to both of them. His goal: to explain to you why he is considered prominent by many people. And at the same time reassuring them that he loves them.

He begins by telling the birth stories of the two of them. When his wife Ann-Kathrin Götze was pregnant with their son Rome, the midwife in charge alerted the couple because she could not hear the fetal heartbeat. The Götzes then rushed to a hospital, where an emergency cesarean section was performed. Rome was born six weeks prematurely and then had to go to the pediatric intensive care unit.

Because his birth fell in the middle of the corona pandemic, Mario Götze had to decide: should he spend the time in the hospital or go to training with his former club Borussia Dortmund. “I had to choose: football or family. Hah. I said, ‘It’s not even a decision.’ I called the club and explained that I couldn’t come to training until you were 100 percent healthy and in the end I never went back,” recalls Götze. His contract with BVB expired at that time. For the first time in his life, he felt that he wasn’t just a footballer. From now on a new role arose, one that was more important to him: father.

“I am first and foremost a father. And then a footballer. I will never apologize for that,” said Götze himself. Daughter Gioia was also born prematurely. In his letter, Götze explains to the children that they will read a lot about their parents in the future. True, but also untrue stories. “No matter what you read about your parents over the years, good or bad, that’s the most important thing. It’s the only thing: We. Love. You,” writes Götze.

There are two Mario Götzes. Once the footballer and once Daddy, the person Rome and Gioia know. When asked on the street for a photo, people primarily want to make contact with the first person, Götze explains to his children. “For them, the person Mario does not exist in the same way that he exists for you.
This is very important for you to understand,” he says.

In his letter, Götze also remembers his time as a German football hope. He has even been compared to Lionel Messi, he explains to his children. The pressure was immense. Too big in some cases. His impatience would also have done him some harm. He remembers a meeting with Jürgen Klopp, who wanted to bring him to Liverpool. Liverpool was in midfield at the time, Götze’s former club Dortmund was in second place in the Bundesliga. He decided against Klopp and for BVB.

“So I went back. And as much as I love Dortmund, I feel like I missed a special trip with Jürgen. I didn’t understand that he needed time to build a big team at Liverpool. I didn’t have to “It’s important to play in the Champions League straight away. I just didn’t think that far ahead,” he says.

When his son Rome was born, his time in Dortmund came to an end. A little later, Götze found himself without a club and suddenly “just” a father. That was the first time he thought about the time after football. “One day I get up, look at my club calendar and see a lot of empty spaces. And not just for three months. Forever. No career. No competition. No income. I will be a former footballer, but I will still be “Being a husband and a father meant I had to prepare for a second life, and that’s so easy to forget because as athletes we just focus on our next game and then – poof – it’s over.”

In the future he doesn’t just want to be known for helping Germany win the World Cup in 2014. When asked if that was the best moment of his life, Götze just smiles. His touching final words are again aimed at his children. “My phone used to be full of football highlights. Now it’s just the two of you. I hope one day you’ll realize how much you mean to me,” he writes.

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