Burkardt shining for Mainz

Mainz have had a mixed start to the league season, drawing, winning and losing two games apiece thus far. Burkardt, though has been a consistent threat to opposition defences throughout the opening weeks of the campaign and is looking every bit a striker who has big things ahead of him.

The centre-forward’s journey to this stage has not been easy. After netting a respectable 11 goals in 34 league games during the 2021/22 campaign, a serious knee injury and subsequent operation reduced him to just 11 appearances the following season, while he also missed the start of the 2023/24 campaign to boot.

The Darmstadt native had been on the sidelines for a year when he made his return against Hoffenheim in November 2023, coming on from the bench to play 17 minutes. Those first few games back were about finding fitness and a place in the Mainz line-up, but when Bo Henriksen took over as head coach in February 2024, Burkardt never looked back.

The Danish boss was hired to save Mainz from the drop, and he looked to his number 29 to lead the team safety. Burkardt duly obliged, scoring eight crucial goals across the final 13 Bundesliga games of the term, with Mainz losing just two of those as they beat the drop on the final day.

For the first time since 2022, Burkardt had a full pre-season to attack this summer, and that appears to have had an immediate impact. His stature at Mainz is high, as was shown by him taking over captain responsibilities in the absence of Silvan Widmer at the start of the season. With or without the armband, he has led by example.

He opened his account on Matchday 2, also providing an assist as Mainz came from behind to draw 3-3 against UEFA Champions League participants VfB Stuttgart and, two weeks later struck a brace as Henriksen and Co. registered their first league win of the season against Augsburg.

He repeated the trick on Saturday evening against St. Pauli, producing a dominant performance to down the newly-promoted outfit. His first goal was a towering header, while his second was a controlled finish into the bottom corner as he displayed his versatility.

Those efforts mean Burkardt has five goals this term – a Mainz record after six matches - with only Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush managing more. Bayern Munich superstar Harry Kane, last season’s top scorer, also has five to his name.

Not only that, his efforts against Pauli extended his run of goals in consecutive away outings to six. For context, Robert Lewandowski is one of only five players to have embarked on a longer streak in Bundesliga history.

Following the triumph over Augsburg, Henriksen was emphatic in his praise for his star man: “We know he's a good player, this time he was incredibly important because he also ran a lot to defend. What a man, what a player, I'm proud. He is of course also a leader for us. A player we always trust. He wants to do everything for this club.”

Watch: Burkardt's brace in the Matchday 6 win over St. Pauli 

You can only imagine his words will be even more glowing following this latest display. Should he be able to keep up this form, Burkardt may soon be presented with the opportunity to convert his 44 youth caps into a senior appearance.

After all, Kleindienst’s selection shows Nagelsmann’s door is open, and the Mainz forward represents the future.

For now, though, he can concentrate on terrorising the Bundesliga as he continues to make up for lost time. As long as he achieves that, the rest will take care of itself.