(Reuters) - German forward Nils Petersen has built a reputation as a supersub, holding the record for most Bundesliga goals off the bench, and he hopes he can score his way to the World Cup. With 20 Bundesliga goals as a substitute, the 29-year-old holds the all-time league record but his unexpected nomination in Germany's preliminary World Cup squad comes on the back of a stellar season for the Freiburg captain. This season Petersen was anything but a substitute at Freiburg, scoring 15 goals in the league, almost half of the entire team, to help them stay up and prompt Germany coach Joachim Loew to call him up. The tall forward was once considered a major talent, big enough for Bayern Munich to sign him in 2011. But he struggled to break through in their talent-congested squad, moving on to Werder Bremen before settling at Bundesliga minnows Freiburg in 2015.

Source: The Star May 25, 2018 12:45 UTC