COLOGNE: Germany World Cup hero Mario Gotze – currently without a club at the age of 28 – has been honoured for his charity work by his local state of North Rhine Westphalia (NRW).
Gotze scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina but his career has nosedived since and he left Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season with the club not interested in renewing his deal.
He was awarded the state’s order of merit at a ceremony in Cologne on Sunday.
“Gotze has long been drawing attention to the difficult situation of children all over the world and motivating others to get involved themselves or to donate money,” NRW State Premier Minister Armin Laschet said in a speech.
Gotze is involved in several school construction projects, supports a football programme for girls in Brazil and cares for sponsored children in Senegal, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The boot with which Gotze scored the 2014 winning goal also raised €2 million (RM9.86m) for charity at a fundraising gala, where Goetze donated €450,000 (RM2.2m) to children in Laos.
Gotze has been linked in the media with a move to Monaco. Reports said he has told Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami that he is looking to continue his career in Europe. – dpa
