Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (L) of Bayern Munich shoots to score during the German first division Bundesliga football match between Bayern Munich and SC Freiburg in Munich, Germany, Oct. 16, 2022. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)
33-year-old Cameroon-rooted striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had a new highlighting moment in Bayern Munich's 5-0 emphatic victory.
By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting might be what one calls a coach's dream.
While the striker never made it to the very top despite having played in the shirt of Paris and Bayern, the 33-year-old has learned to enjoy the rare moments of happiness in his career.
And maybe more important, over the years, he never seems to run out of magic moments despite having accepted his role as a substitute and off-pitch mood booster.
This Sunday evening, the second-row forward added a new highlight moment when helping the Bavarians to secure a 5-0 victory over league rival Freiburg with him scoring and delivering assists.
It might be one of his values to be ready when the right time has come and calmly react when facing bold comparisons.
Following his brilliant performance against Freiburg, he took headlines talking of him as Bayern's new Robert Lewandowski not too seriously.
Since the Polish goal machine departed for Barcelona last summer, the issue of missing a box striker kept the club busy.
Former president Uli Hoeness recently said Bayern's team could hardly do without a spearhead, while coach Julian Nagelsmann and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic changed the teams' tactics after Lewandowski left.
With former Liverpool star Sadio Mane, Thomas Muller, and Serge Gnabry rather inadequately filling the gap, Bayern's coach now pulled out Choupo-Moting as a surprise.
Having to replace space investigator Muller, the evergreen took his chance to please coach and teammates.
The always-good-mood even spoke about his desire to enjoy more playing time but is far from demanding to always start.
Nevertheless, until crunch time in the Champions League comes next spring, Choupo-Moting increased his coach's options as Bayern enjoyed the contributions of "the best ball-securer of the football" as Gnabry put it.
No other player is similarly gifted when securing the ball deep in the opponent's defense line and acts as a connecting factor for up-catching colleagues.
The Cameroon-rooted striker triggered enjoyment in his team after, at least for one game, returning to the box-striker tactics.
Enjoying the highest appreciation of all players in Bayern's squad due to his social competence, the forward might get additional chances until the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
But he won't make Nagelsmann change his general after-Lewandowski approach.
Choupo-Moting might drop back into his role as a back-bencher and turn up whenever magic moments emerge. Just as he did in two last-8 duels in 2021 against his former side Paris when scoring twice in Bayern's shirt.
One of these surprising opportunities might as well turn up at the World Cup in Qatar in case German national coach Hansi Flick remembers the man of happy moments when looking for a box striker not disturbing his team's mood demanding always to play. ■
