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Mario Gomez has a cinderella season behind him. bundesliga.de takes a look at the VfB superstar who remains very much down to earth.

It's something that prompts you to worry. Worry that Mario Gomez won't come back down to earth. VfB's striker has been on a mercurial rise in past months and his being dubbed an "up and comer" is highly understated, to say the least.

14 goals in 25 matches

At 21 years old, the son of a Spanish father and German mother found a way to break through last summer, scoring 14 goals and making eight assists, a feat that propelled Gomez to the rank of top striker with the reigning German champions.

Even the two months he lost to injury at the end of last season didn't cause Gomez to lose his stride. In the 33rd round against VfL Bochum, he scored a goal just six minutes after being put in and brought VfB back on track to win the title.

Gomez has played with VfB Stuttgart since 2001. A native of Riedlingen, he matured in the environs of the clubs SSV Ulm and SV Unlingen, earning all honours possible for a German youth player.

Made in Germany

And the stupendous performance of the future star was no secret to German national team coach Jogi Löw. Last February, the striker received his first invitation to start for the national team in a friendly against Switzerland and was quick to score his first goal as a national player.

In a second match against San Marino, "Super Mario" racked up two goals and received well-deserved praise from on high.

"He has everything a player needs to be a top striker" said Löw about last season's shooting star who has long since surpassed the likes of World Cup strikers Oliver Neuville, Gerald Asamoah and Mike Hanke.

Always the urinal on the left

Gomez has even assumed a role model status amongst his Stuttgart teammates and is the speaker for the "wild youth".

"When I put Mario in, it gives the squad a psychologica boost", explains VfB coach Armin Veh in speaking about the mult-talented striker.

Gomez is peerless when it comes to superstition as well. Before a match, he always uses the urinal on the left, always first ties the laces on his left clete and always watches an episode from the TV series "Stromberg" before every match..

VfB fans can rest easy

His level of play of course peaks the interest of other clubs. But Gomez can let VfB fans rest easy. "I know that a lot of European clubs have talked to my manager. But I also know where I come from. I have a lot to be thankful for here at VfB and I'm definitely staying here."

"Rocket Mario Gomez" is keeping his feet on the ground while he continues to fly in orbit, but there's no need to worry he'll lose contact with ground control.