Nordin: “Success is the key”

Arnaud Nordin arrived in Mainz in January 2025 with an impressive CV from Ligue 1. In 198 appearances for AS Saint-Étienne and Montpellier HSC, he scored 32 goals – a strong return for an attacking midfielder who also carved out a reputation as a creator of chances. At FSV, however, things didn’t take off straight away. The new arrival had to be patient and featured in just six of 15 possible matches in the second half of last season. “As a player, you always want to make an immediate impact and play as much as possible – that’s why we play football. But the reality was that I needed time to adapt to the football culture here and everything the coach demands,” explained the 27-year-old. Looking ahead, though, he’s confident: “I think pre-season with the team did me a lot of good and I’m increasingly getting better at my role. There’s still room to improve, the hard work never stops.”

The early weeks of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season suggest his assessment is on point. After only 75 minutes of action in the first half of the year, Nordin has already clocked up 157 minutes across three league games this term, starting and impressing against Wolfsburg and Leipzig. The Mainz fans have now had a proper glimpse of his qualities: direct dribbling in one-on-one situations, flexibility in taking defenders on down the wing or cutting inside, and always looking to get a shot away. At 1.70m, with a low centre of gravity, he’s proving a tricky opponent. Personally, he’s satisfied with his first few weeks of the season – but he’s waiting for the reward: “For an attacking player, that first goal is always the most important. It gives you confidence once you break your duck, as they say. That’s why I give my all in training and try to score as often as I can – so that it finally comes off in a game. Success is the key.” He came close against Leipzig last weekend, striking the post after a fine solo run and then seeing a volley kept out by Péter Gulácsi. “It was a bit of bad luck, but also about efficiency,” Nordin reflected. The positive, in his view, was that Mainz kept creating: “We had chances, we put ourselves in good positions again and again.” For the Frenchman, alongside the lack of goals, the shortage of duels won was another key factor – both topics for the long week of preparation ahead of Saturday’s trip to FC Augsburg (15:30 CEST).

Loving the atmosphere at the MEWA ARENA

The 05ers are desperate to pick up their first win of the season in Augsburg, but Nordin knows it won’t be easy against Sandro Wagner’s new side. “It won’t be simple,” he admitted. “We want to play our own game for the full 90 minutes this time – if we do that, I’m sure we’ll have a good chance of winning.” After a tricky start as a 05er, the Frenchman says he has fully absorbed the Mainz way of playing – and embodies it with his high-intensity, determined style. That same intensity, however, was also the main reason why patience was needed at first: “The physical demand, at both ends of the pitch, was the biggest change for me. The requirements here are much higher than what I was used to before. Then off the pitch there was the language too.”

Those challenges, he says, are now largely behind him. He feels settled – and particularly impressed by the Mainz supporters. The vast majority of his games at the MEWA ARENA have been sold out, something he hadn’t expected before arriving: “It’s incredible. The fans give us strength, energy and motivation – even after defeats, they’re there to lift us up. We want to repay that support with good performances and, above all, as many wins as possible.” Nordin is clear about priorities. Success across three competitions would be the ideal scenario, but the Bundesliga always comes first: “Qualifying for the Conference League was a big target, and we achieved it together last season. We’ve also progressed in the cup and have a home tie coming up. Now it’s on us to make the most of it and enjoy every game. But it’s important that every one of us understands the difference between competitions – and the Bundesliga has to take priority by a long way.” With his first goals and assists, Nordin wants to play as big a part as possible.