After missing the European Championships in May, Nicolas Kühn is now making his return to the Germany U17 national squad. His successful rehab from a long term injury means he’s now fit for Germany’s World Cup campaign in India from 6th to 28th October. The 17-year-old RB Leipzig man can bring a variety of useful skills that will be able to give Christian Wück’s team a little bit extra in attack. Kühn plays mostly for the Leipzig U19s, but he also trained with the first team in the preseason.
Kühn spoke with DFB.de about his return to the national side, what it feels like to play at an international level and the first few days in India.
DFB.de: Nicolas, where’s the furthest you’ve ever been away from home before now?
Nicolas Kühn: That would have to be with the U17s at Leipzig. We flew to Japan in my first year with the team, and we were there for two weeks in order to train and to take part in a few friendlies.
DFB.de: So this isn’t your first time in Asia then! How have the first few days in India been?
Kühn: We made the trip on Saturday night and arrived on Sunday morning. Since then, we’ve had two days to get adjusted to the climate and to get moving bit by bit. The first training session was really tiring due to the high humidity which we aren’t used to, but we made sure to take a lot of water on board, rest appropriately and eat properly. All of that will help us to acclimatise to this unfamiliar environment.
DFB.de: You missed the U17 European Championship in May due to an injury. Did you manage to follow the tournament?
Kühn: Absolutely. I watched every game on TV and I messaged the boys a lot on WhatsApp to stay in the loop. I even sent a video one time to wish them all good luck and to give them a bit of motivation. They played really well in Croatia. My rehab program was in full swing at the same time as the tournament actually, so I’m really looking forward to be back with the team and to take part in the World Cup. It’s a special feeling.
After missing the European Championships in May, Nicolas Kühn is now making his return to the Germany U17 national squad. His successful rehab from a long term injury means he’s now fit for Germany’s World Cup campaign in India from 6th to 28th October. The 17-year-old RB Leipzig man can bring a variety of useful skills that will be able to give Christian Wück’s team a little bit extra in attack. Kühn plays mostly for the Leipzig U19s, but he also trained with the first team in the preseason.
Kühn spoke with DFB.de about his return to the national side, what it feels like to play at an international level and the first few days in India.
DFB.de: Nicolas, where’s the furthest you’ve ever been away from home before now?
Nicolas Kühn: That would have to be with the U17s at Leipzig. We flew to Japan in my first year with the team, and we were there for two weeks in order to train and to take part in a few friendlies.
DFB.de: So this isn’t your first time in Asia then! How have the first few days in India been?
Kühn: We made the trip on Saturday night and arrived on Sunday morning. Since then, we’ve had two days to get adjusted to the climate and to get moving bit by bit. The first training session was really tiring due to the high humidity which we aren’t used to, but we made sure to take a lot of water on board, rest appropriately and eat properly. All of that will help us to acclimatise to this unfamiliar environment.
DFB.de: You missed the U17 European Championship in May due to an injury. Did you manage to follow the tournament?
Kühn: Absolutely. I watched every game on TV and I messaged the boys a lot on WhatsApp to stay in the loop. I even sent a video one time to wish them all good luck and to give them a bit of motivation. They played really well in Croatia. My rehab program was in full swing at the same time as the tournament actually, so I’m really looking forward to be back with the team and to take part in the World Cup. It’s a special feeling.
DFB.de: What was it like to see your teammates again just before the flight to India?
Kühn: Yeah, it was definitely a great feeling to see my teammates and the coaches again. I know most of the lads from our time with the Germany U16s. We all get on really well, and the new players have all integrated smoothly. We just can’t wait for things to all get going now.
DFB.de: What do you bring to the table that can help the team?
Kühn: The team already does a lot of things well. However, I think that I can navigate us through difficult situations thanks to my dribbling and pace. Hopefully it will allow us to be more threatening in front of goal. We want to be unpredictable.
DFB.de: Are there any players which you model yourself after?
Kühn: Lionel Messi. His technical ability, his intelligence, his goal scoring threat - he’s the best. You can learn so much by watching him.
DFB.de: You’ve played on the international stage this season in the Youth League, or in other words, the U19 Champions League. How has this helped you prepare to play for the national side?
Kühn: It’s been a huge help. At RB Leipzig we’ve played two games so far, in which we drew 1-1 with Besiktas and lost 4-1 to Monaco. You can really tell the difference between the domestic and European stages; everything’s quicker and more intense. It was just as important for me to take part in the preseason with the first team though. The World Cup is a great opportunity to play against the best of the best in our age group, so it will help my development no end.
DFB.de: Has the team set any goals for the tournament?
Kühn: We’re all really motivated to do well and confident that we can. We want to get as far as possible in the tournament, and ultimately be able to lift the trophy at the end. But first we’ve got to get through the group stages. We want to win all three games and qualify directly for the semi-finals as group winners.
