Werder Bremen hit 'jackpot' with returning Niclas Füllkrug
Niclas Füllkrug’s second-half brace against Paderborn rescued a valuable point for Werder Bremen on Matchday 6 and shot the former Borussia Dortmund man to the top of the 2026/27 Bundesliga scoring charts.
Following difficult spells with West Ham United in England and Italian giants AC Milan, the 33-year-old striker is beginning to look like his old self again in his second spell at Werder Bremen.
His clinical start to this campaign marks his best goalscoring return in a season since 2023/24, when he netted 12 times for Dortmund. Having already reached his current tally in just six games, the experienced marksman will fancy his chances of adding plenty more before the season is out.
His quick-fire double at home to newly promoted Paderborn proved crucial, rescuing a point for Bremen after they trailed by two goals at half-time. The result leaves them eighth in the table, just one point adrift of the top six.
Watch: Werder Bremen 2-2 Paderborn
Bremen have made a habit of fighting back from two goals down in recent weeks, doing so against both Augsburg and BVB. At home to Augsburg, they scored three times in the final 25 minutes to win 3-2, with Füllkrug grabbing their second goal. They then salvaged a point away to Dortmund thanks to a brilliant solo effort from Ludovit Reis and a trademark header from ‘Lücke’.
Their latest comeback against Paderborn made Bundesliga history, too, as the Green-Whites became the first team to earn points after falling two goals behind in three consecutive matches.
Watch: Füllkrug snatches a point against BVB
Performing heroics in green and white is nothing new for the talismanic striker, however. Alongside RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku, Füllkrug ended the 2022/23 season at the top of the scoring leaderboard with 16, firing himself into Hansi Flick’s FIFA World Cup 2022 squad with 10 goals by early November.
Since making his Germany debut in a friendly against Oman shortly before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Füllkrug has scored 14 goals in 24 appearances for his country. With Jürgen Klopp now at the helm, the striker could be in line for a national-team recall if he maintains his current form.
While it remains to be seen if Klopp decides to call on Bremen’s hero, one man who is delighted to have him in his side is the Werder boss.
"He ignites the team, he drives the team forward,” beamed Daniel Thioune. “He is exemplary in all his actions on and off the pitch. He is a jackpot for us as a club and for us as a team. He leads by example, as he did again today.”
Füllkrug & Co. will be on the road on Matchday 7, as they look to keep up their good form against Mainz.
