Borussia Dortmund attacker Mario Gotze says eight-time Olympic sprinting champion Usain Bolt has what it takes to succeed in forging a football career.

Bolt trained with Dortmund earlier this year as he bid to switch from sprinting to football, before going on trial with Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners, where he is hoping to earn a full contract over the next year.

“I think [Bolt] can make it. I don’t really know the level of the Australian league and I don’t know the teams there,” Gotze told Omnisport. “He is a sportsman and he has a lot of abilities that are important to be successful in football, too.”

The German added that he was impressed by Bolt’s stint at Dortmund.

“It was very interesting to have Usain Bolt here. Just to meet him in person and to see an athlete from a different kind of sport come here to try to play soccer,” he said.

“But he did quite well. I have to admit that I expected him to be worse.

“It was pretty nice that he was here. Especially because of what he reached in his sport. That’s phenomenal.”