In his third year at Mainz 05, centre-back Moussa Niakhaté has matured into an absolute leader.
When Bo Svensson and Christian Heidel talk about Niakhaté, they can’t stop raving. For the 05 coach, the Frenchman is “an absolute key player” and for the FSV sporting director “a role model on and off the pitch”.
The 25-year-old centre-back has been appointed by Svensson as the new captain ahead of the first competitive game in 2021/22, succeeding the departed Danny Latza, whom he had deputised for several times in the pre-season. “I have really many top guys, Moussa is one of them. He is very mature as a player, as a person and very ambitious. He’s always willing to help his substitutes. He feels very comfortable in the captaincy,” said the coach, feeling vindicated in his decision.
Model and fixture
According to Svensson, it “didn’t require a big change for Niakhaté because he brought the skills with him anyway”, which is why he also remained very authentic. “He has developed further because he has learned that he has these qualities within him. Moussa is a fixture for the club and for the group. She can always look to him for guidance, he always gives his all and is a role model for everyone, especially the young players,” Svensson stressed.
The heart in Mainz
Heidel appreciates the talks with Niakhaté, who is already in his third year with the Rheinhessen side and is still under contract until June 2023: “You can feel that Mainz 05 is very important to him, and that is not fake. He has his heart in Mainz, which is why he fills this position perfectly. “
Niakhaté’s start with the 05ers in the summer of 2018 was rather bumpy. In his first competitive game, the DFB Cup match at Erzgebirge Aue, the left-footer had seen the red card after three minutes. “There are players who start and score three goals straight away – in my case it was the sending-off. That’s my own personal story with Mainz 05, today I can joke about it. That’s football, which you have to love in the good moments, but also in the bad moments,” he said recently in the club’s podcast. Michael Ebert
