Keeping a clean sheet in the match against Portugal was, primarily, Manuel Neuer's task (or, adopting a broader perspective, the whole team's), but in this particular case, right-back Jerome Boateng has been credited with accomplishing a difficult mission – taking Cristiano Ronaldo out of the game. In this interview, Jerome talks to DFB.de writer Steffen Lüdeke about the Portuguese superstar, Germany's performance last night, and Wednesday's encounter with the Netherlands.
team.dfb.de: Jerome, you've said that Ronaldo is "the most complete" player, and Messi "the best". Where's the difference?
Jerome Boateng: Ronaldo's got everything. He's right-footed, left-footed, good in the air, he's got pace, a perfect first touch, a nose for goal – that's as complete as it gets. But Messi is Messi! The way he moves with the ball at his feet, those zig-zagging runs of his – the only way to stop his dribblings, it seems, is by playing foul. Ronaldo may have more options, but Messi is in a league of his own.
team.dfb.de: And who would you say is the most complete defender?
Boateng: Belying his youth, Holger Badstuber is amazingly experienced; Mats Hummels is a very good centre-back, the same is true for "old hand" Per Mertesacker, not to forget Pique and Thiago Silva, both of them players I can learn a lot from. For many years, Nemanja Vidic was the one I looked up to, but he's getting on a bit and was hampered by injury for months. And even, there was Lucio, of course – a very strong player.
team.dfb.de: What do you need to reach their level?
Boateng: In a word – consistency. I'm still young and there are so many areas I must improve in – positioning, build-up play, being more of a threat in front of goal…
team.dfb.de: When did Joachim Löw tell you that you'd be in the starting line-up?
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Keeping a clean sheet in the match against Portugal was, primarily, Manuel Neuer's task (or, adopting a broader perspective, the whole team's), but in this particular case, right-back Jerome Boateng has been credited with accomplishing a difficult mission – taking Cristiano Ronaldo out of the game. In this interview, Jerome talks to DFB.de writer Steffen Lüdeke about the Portuguese superstar, Germany's performance last night, and Wednesday's encounter with the Netherlands.
team.dfb.de: Jerome, you've said that Ronaldo is "the most complete" player, and Messi "the best". Where's the difference?
Jerome Boateng: Ronaldo's got everything. He's right-footed, left-footed, good in the air, he's got pace, a perfect first touch, a nose for goal – that's as complete as it gets. But Messi is Messi! The way he moves with the ball at his feet, those zig-zagging runs of his – the only way to stop his dribblings, it seems, is by playing foul. Ronaldo may have more options, but Messi is in a league of his own.
team.dfb.de: And who would you say is the most complete defender?
Boateng: Belying his youth, Holger Badstuber is amazingly experienced; Mats Hummels is a very good centre-back, the same is true for "old hand" Per Mertesacker, not to forget Pique and Thiago Silva, both of them players I can learn a lot from. For many years, Nemanja Vidic was the one I looked up to, but he's getting on a bit and was hampered by injury for months. And even, there was Lucio, of course – a very strong player.
team.dfb.de: What do you need to reach their level?
Boateng: In a word – consistency. I'm still young and there are so many areas I must improve in – positioning, build-up play, being more of a threat in front of goal…
team.dfb.de: When did Joachim Löw tell you that you'd be in the starting line-up?
Boateng: He told me early enough for me to prepare really well. I was happy he put his trust in me, especially after last week's none-too-positive headlines about me in some of the German tabloids. Another hugely motivating thing for me was that the whole team was behind me at all times. They know the full story, and that's what counts for me.
team.dfb.de: Had you discussed Ronaldo with Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira?
Boateng: Yes, but there's no real need for much talking in Ronaldo's case. I've watched him play in so many games and viewed so many clips on the Internet, that I went into the feeling I was pretty well prepared, also thanks to what Joachim Löw and Hansi Flick had told me.
team.dfb.de: In the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, you faced him from your usual centre-back position. Any difference between the two occasions?
Boateng: You bet! With Ronaldo usually going wide to receive passes, there are many more one-one-one situations for the defending full-back, also Ronaldo's got plenty of open space in front of him that you need to defend, too. I must admit that after playing centre-back with Bayern for the last six months, it wasn't easy for me to adapt, and the fact that I was going to be up against somebody of Ronaldo's calibre didn't exactly reduce the pressure!
team.dfb.de: How did you cope with that, and who helped you?
Boateng: In the past, I used to suffer major stage-fright attacks ahead of big games, until my brother George told me there was no reason for me to be afraid, that I was only human, not a machine. He also said that at the end of the day, it was only football, and that it was something I was good at and supposed to enjoy doing. And he was right – I love football! Since then, I have been relishing those big games, so it was with great anticipation not inhibition that I approached the Portugal match.
team.dfb.de: Things got off to a very good start, with you making a great forward run to deliver a superb cross to Thomas Müller. Was that important for you?
Boateng: Absolutely, any successful scene right at the beginning lends you wings and gives you added confidence.
team.dfb.de: You actually won most of the duels against Ronaldo. How would you rate your own performance?
Boateng: All in all, I can't complain. There is always room for improvement, and as a full-back you normally get more involved in your team's attacking moves. With Ronaldo rarely ever tracking back, I could have exploited these situations better. But my primary instructions were to foil Ronaldo, and that worked out pretty well.
team.dfb.de: In the 64th minute you managed to get your left foot in the way of one of his shots at goal, an eleventh-hour effort if there's ever been one…
Boateng: Yeah, it was close. I think he was already in celebration mode, because whenever he gets into a finishing position from that sort of range, he hardly ever misses. I was lucky to catch him on time and get a fair tackle in.
team.dfb.de: Straight after that you went down in pain and needed treatment. Is it still bad?
Boateng: No, nothing dramatic, today it feels much better already.
team.dfb.de: Was there any post-match exchange with Ronaldo, a shake-hands or something?
Boateng: No. When the ref whistled for full time, we were standing far apart from each other, and he headed straight for the dressing rooms.
team.dfb.de: The next EURO 2012 challenge is practically round the corner, with the Netherlands waiting in Kharkiv. Surely, after Ronaldo anything that comes now is bound to be easier…
Boateng: Not by a long shot! On the contrary, we mustn't let our guard down. Our game wasn't all good, far from it. The Dutch are always a threat, and now even more so. Having lost to Denmark, it's all or nothing for them, and we know they have some fantastic strikers. I mean we can beat them, but only as long as we’re solid in the back.
team.dfb.de: Have you given some thought yet to any particular opposition players? Against Denmark, for example, Ibrahim Affelay played on the right wing…
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Boateng: Yes, he has great ball control and is extremely fast, despite an injury that kept him sidelined for long. But especially in offence the Dutch are incredibly versatile, constantly changing positions, with Robben cutting inside, van Persie dropping deep, and Sneijder moving forward. It would be wrong to concentrate on one or two players only.
team.dfb.de: At the friendly match against the Netherlands in November in Hamburg, the German team sent people into raptures – do you think you can repeat that kind of performance?
Boateng: That was a friendly, there is no way you can compare the two. "Team Oranje" had two or three key players missing, now they can field a full squad, now we're at the EUROS, now is when it counts. But if we play to our potential and maybe move up a gear, there is no reason for us to hide.
