(foto: Getty Images)
Heidenheim has the privilege of developing a player this season who is seen in Germany as a generational talent.
Paul Wanner is a loanee, but despite being only 18, he dictates the pace of play and even takes penalties.
Heidenheim is a team that is largely unknown beyond its village in the Baden-Württemberg region, and even less so on the European stage, where it is mostly seen as a sensation from a town of 50,000 people, defying the odds by being where it logically shouldn’t be.
The team’s success is rooted in its small size and freedom from pressure, compensating for a lack of individual quality with an excess of collective effort. The team’s essence is simple – everyone defends, everyone attacks, the play is extremely compact, and the magic lies in getting to the finish with as few moves as possible.
Amidst this military-like formation, there’s room for flair and creativity, which is provided by 18-year-old Paul Wanner, an attacking midfielder who is already being compared in Germany to Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala in terms of potential.
Wanner is playing for Heidenheim on loan from Bayern Munich, and this type of loan can’t last longer than one season. Bayern has serious plans for him, but at this age, it's better for him to play regularly and adapt to the demands of the Bundesliga in a smaller club. He is in good hands with coach Frank Schmidt, who has a history of developing players – last season’s best player, Jan-Niklas Beste, moved on to Benfica after an excellent campaign.
"Wanner's special quality is his ability to hold the ball in tight spaces and escape from pressure. He’s very good at passing, has great vision, and is already playing at a high level. We've developed a player or two in the past, and that’s probably why we got him on loan," said Schmidt.
Wanner has started the season in fantastic form. In his first seven appearances for Heidenheim, he has scored four goals and provided two assists. What’s even more impressive is that despite his young age and loan status, Wanner takes all set-pieces, including penalties – in fact, he is the youngest player in Bundesliga history to successfully convert a penalty.
Olimpija will have to keep a close eye on this player, who is laying the foundation for a potentially great career. If everything goes according to plan, that career will be at Bayern Munich. It’s still unclear which national team he will represent – Wanner was born in Austria, and while the Austrian national team is actively pursuing him, ironically, it’s a German, Ralf Rangnick, who is the current coach of the Austrian team.
"I don’t know how I will decide. It’s 50:50. I don’t even know if I have more Austrian or German characteristics. But if you ask me about food, I’d choose my Austrian grandmother’s cooking," said Wanner, who already had an offer from Rangnick to play for Austria in the European Championship but has decided to make that decision only when he’s fully sure of what he wants.