Whether it's football or any other sport, certain stars are bound to be underappreciated despite their vast talent. Edin Džeko is a prime example of such a name in football. Despite being appreciated by a section of football fans, Džeko's brilliance certainly deserved a lot more.
The Bosnian currently plays at Turkish club Fenerbahçe, going strong even at the age of 37. Džeko has played for several top clubs throughout his career, including the likes of Manchester City, Roma, and Inter Milan. He is deservingly seen as a legend in his homeland of Bosnia, where he is popularly nicknamed as the "Bosnian Diamond".
We will be going back to his early Bundesliga years in this article, as we present Džeko's magical years at Wolfsburg.
A blistering start to life at Germany
After an impressive stint at Czech side Željezničar, Edin Džeko was signed by Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath for €4 million in 2007. The Bosnian's debut campaign with Wolfsburg was nothing short of sensational.
Džeko went on to score 5 goals and provide three assists in his first eleven games. He was widely seen as the league's best striker in the season first-half. His efforts were vital in Wolfsburg finishing the campaign in 5th position, which meant that the German club qualified for the UEFA Cup. Wolfsburg's Bosnian sensation finished the season with 8 goals and 7 assists in 17 of the games he started.
Bundesliga superstar
The following season saw the rise of Džeko's stock in the Bundesliga, as he continued to reach new heights. Wolfsburg's signing of his compatriot Zvjezdan Misimović in July 2008 was yet another positive aspect for the player.
Džeko dominated the first half of the 2008–09 Bundesliga season, scoring 5 and setting up a further 7. However, it was his form after the winter break that took German football by storm.
The Bosnian sensation ended up scoring 21 goals and nabbing 3 assists, which played an instrumental role in Wolfsburg's ten-game winning streak from 7 February to 26 April. In total, Džeko scored 26 goals and made 10 assists. His goalscoring record that season was only second to fellow teammate Grafite, with whom Džeko formed a devastating attacking partnership.
Džeko and Grafite's outstanding contributions in attack also led to their teammate Misimović securing a record breaking 20 assists that season. Wolfsburg ended the season on a historic note, as they won their first ever Bundesliga title.
German giants Bayern Munich fell behind Wolfsburg by two points, with Wolfsburg's 5-1 thrashing of Bayern during the season being seen as the turning point. Džeko and Grafite were instrumental in that match as well, with both of them scoring a brace against the Bavarians.
Džeko was equally impressive in the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Cup, scoring 6 in the former and 4 in the latter tournament. His outstanding contributions in that season saw him eventually be awarded with the Bundesliga Players' Footballer of the Year award.
Final years
Džeko's heroics for Wolfsburg resulted in significant interest from Italian giants AC Milan, but Bosnian renewed his contract with the German club and opted to stay.
His first Champions League goal came against Manchester United on September 30th 2009, although Wolfsburg ended up losing the match 2-1. Džeko's contributions in the previous season also saw him become one of the 30 nominated players for the 2009 Ballon d'Or. He finished the 2009–10 season as Bundesliga top scorer
The 28th of August in 2010 was a historical day for the player, as Džeko became the top league scorer in Wolfsburg's history with 59 goals in 96 appearances. He made history by surpassing Diego Klimowicz, who scored 57 in 149 games.
Džeko's time at Wolfsburg came to an end during the 2010–11 season winter break, as Manchester City bought the Bosnian for a £27 million transfer fee. He recorded 10 goals in 17 appearances during his final season at Wolfsburg.
It was the end of an era, as Wolfsburg bid farewell to one of their very best.
