Among the best German goalscorers
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1. FSV Mainz 05 currently has a total of five professionals on loan. The youngest of the quintet, Ben Bobzien, is currently causing a stir and is drawing attention to himself while on loan at SK Austria Klagenfurt. The 21-year-old is one of the top performers in coach Peter Pacult’s team. At Transfermarkt, the German U20 international talks about the last few years before his breakthrough, how he was inspired by Lionel Messi and Florian Wirtz and why he emulates Paul Nebel.
Sometimes you need a certain amount of distance or time out to process things you have experienced. Ben Bobzien took exactly this distance in the form of a vacation home with his family in Giessen, because the striker has a first half of the season full of exciting moments. When asked about his personal highlight of the last few months, he immediately blurted it out: “My best moment was my first goal of the season for Klagenfurt at home against Rapid Vienna. During the summer preparation I had the feeling that a successful season could await me. The goal against Rapid was also a kind of can opener for me. From then on I knew I was capable of really fulfilling my potential and from then on my self-confidence increased with every game.”
Although the season is only half over, it can already be said that the attacker has made his breakthrough in professional football. With seven goals, he is one of the top performers at Austria Klagenfurt and has achieved his goal of finally achieving his goal in sport. Something that wasn’t apparent in this form, after all, Bobzien hasn’t exactly been spoiled with personal moments of success in the past two years.
During the winter break of the 2022/23 season, he moved on loan to the then leaders of the 3rd league, SV Elversberg. But he didn’t get beyond the role of a supplementary player. Last season he moved to the Austrian Bundesliga club Austria Lustenau, also on loan. The playing time increased in Lustenau, but it wasn’t until the end of the season that Mainz’s homegrown team was able to secure a regular place.
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“I wouldn’t rate the time in Elversberg and Lustenau as bad or negative. I was able to learn a lot. When I went to Elversberg back then, I was basically still a youth player. I am now a seasoned professional. The loans also made it clear to me once again how important it is to be adaptable and willing to learn. During these six or twelve months you will be bombarded with many new impressions that you have to process as quickly as possible. It was also good for me to get out of the Mainz area in order to broaden my horizons and get a new perspective,” says Bobzien, who set off on the trip again in the summer.
Bobzien immediately had a good feeling at Austria Klagenfurt
Once again we went to Austria, in this case to Austria Klagenfurt. “The conversations with Peter Pacult and Günther Gorenzel-Simonitsch (sports director; editor) were characterized by great trust. Peter Pacult said, among other things, that he was able to mold me into a Bundesliga player. However, based on my previous experiences, I was aware that one thing was discussions and plans, the other was implementation. However, I am solely responsible for the implementation and in every training session.”
Bobzien prepared meticulously for his new task during the summer break: “The current success is due to a few things. For example, I have learned lessons from past lending stations. I developed further and went through certain processes. I understood that in addition to the sporting component, the mental component is also elementary. Without mental strength you cannot succeed in professional football. Another factor is the trust that I feel every day from the coaching team, those responsible and the environment. This trust increases self-confidence and ease on the pitch increases.”
After he was able to earn a place in the starting eleven right at the start of the season, he scored his first goal in the purple and white jersey in the second game of the season. In Klagenfurt, Bobzien benefits from the fact that he has now moved from the wings to the striker position. “I think the change also brings out my variability. Whether I play on the right, left, as a center forward or in the playmaker position, I feel comfortable in any position in the offensive area,” he says.
Bobzien was inspired by Messi & Wirtz – among Germany’s top goalscorers
Whirlwind, crowd favorite, top performer – all of these descriptions fit Bobzien. What is also immediately noticeable is the enthusiasm with which the 21-year-old plays, but he also has the ability to read a game and recognize open spaces. He was also inspired by Lionel Messi and Florian Wirtz for these playful elements.
“I have repeatedly watched videos of Messi and Wirtz in the past and try to incorporate them into my game, although I want to develop my own style. My game is characterized by joy, ease and fun in football. I also trust my intuition more and don’t think about it as much. A big advantage is the fact that Peter Pacult gives us a lot of freedom in the game. Of course, certain routes or tactics are rehearsed, but he lets us decide freely, for example, which spaces we occupy and which rooms we advance into. He also demands that we look for creative and free solutions,” says Bobzien, who wants to lead the way on the pitch despite his young age: “From my point of view, it doesn’t matter whether you are 21 or 31 years old, you can take responsibility adopt at any age. I want to pull my teammates along and push them along.”
His performances have taken him to one of the top places in the comparison of the best German goalscorers in the top 15 leagues – he is currently in fifth place with ten goals in 19 competitive games. This statistic really surprised him: “I was very happy to point out the statistic on WhatsApp and Instagram. Of course I was very happy to be able to read my name alongside all the stars from the big European leagues. It was and is confirmation and motivation at the same time. On the one hand, confirmation that the current path is the right one, but also motivation not to rest but to keep going. To remain ambitious but also humble.”
With a smile, he also says that the duels with opponents have become tougher over time: “At the beginning of the season, only very few people had me on their radar, but now I’m being doubled in the games. It’s much more physical. But that motivates me even more because it requires me to act and react more quickly. This benefits my development.”
Coach Pacult is an important contact person – wants to emulate Mainzer Nebel
His current coach is also an important contact for Bobzien. Apparently different worlds come together: on the one hand, Pacult, also known as a grinder and tough dog, and on the other side, the whirlwind, artist and free spirit Bobzien. But Pacult has proven again and again in the past that he can promote and challenge talent, such as Klagenfurt’s top scorer Sinan Karweina last season.
“In fact, I haven’t had this type of coach before. That’s why it was a bit unusual for me at the beginning when Mr. Pacult acted very impulsively on the pitch. From my point of view, the collaboration is an excellent fit. Peter Pacult has experienced an incredible amount as an active player, so he knows what makes players tick and what they need to get to a higher level. His training may be very hard and demanding, but at the same time he is always there for us off the pitch if we have any questions or problems. For me he is a top coach,” emphasizes Bobzien, who hopes for a similar path to Paul Nebel, who is currently on the rise at Mainz.
He used a two-year loan at Karlsruher SC to gain match practice. After his return, the 22-year-old has now earned a regular place with the Zero Fives. “I have known Paul for several years, so I am very happy for him. In a way, his path is also a kind of inspiration for me. Everyone knows that I’m a Mainzer through and through, so it would be a dream for me if I could play for FSV in the Bundesliga at some point,” says Bobzien.
He has several goals in mind for the second half of the season: “Of course I want to finish as high up the table as possible with the team. As long as sixth place is within sight, that should also be our goal. Regarding my personal situation, I am first of all grateful that the first half of the season was extremely successful. Before the season, I set myself the goal of scoring ten goals. I would like to achieve this goal as quickly as possible in the second half of the season and then we will see. 15 or more goals would be nice.”
By Henrik Stadnischenko