Mertesacker: "We’ve never been better prepared"

Per Mertesacker is among Die Mannschaft’s most experienced players. The 29-year-old has been part of the national squad for a decade and made a decisive contribution to the team’s 2006 World Cup adventure on home soil. Now, the Arsenal centre-back is keen to open a new chapter in Brazil with a squad he believes contains more quality players than any previous German side.

With just four days to go until Germany’s first match against Portugal on Monday, Mertesacker is optimistic and knows how crucial it will be to overcome this initial test. In an interview with DFB.de reporter Steffen Lüdeke, the defensive stalwart discussed team spirit, extreme situations and his future with the national team.

DFB.de: Mr Mertesacker, you have been in Brazil with the national team for three days now. You trained in the midday heat on Wednesday in preparation for your upcoming games. How tired were you afterwards?

Per Mertesacker: We’ve been pushing ourselves from day one so that we can get a feel for what awaits us in the match itself. It was a useful high-intensity simulation that gave us a small taste of what’s to come. I don’t think you can recreate the match experience exactly in training. In the game itself, we’ll have to adapt to situations that will be more taxing than we could simulate in training.

DFB.de: On Tuesday, adventurer and extreme athlete Mike Horn paid the team a visit. He gave a talk and spoke about the ability to withstand suffering. What messages did you take away from the lecture?

Mertesacker: There were a few key messages aimed at the team rather than individual players. The talk moved me, impressed me and even inspired me. It’s difficult to compare his experiences and adventures with football. I think you have to be born to do it; you’ve got to have that extreme streak in you. Nevertheless, he gave us an idea of what you can accomplish and endure. One of the key messages for me was learning how much I need to help myself in difficult situations – and how much it can help to rely on a partner.

DFB.de: One of the messages was that things can only be achieved together. DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach sent the team on their way with similar words in Mainz recently. What are your impressions of this? How good is the spirit within the team?

Mertesacker: We’re growing as a team all the time and getting more and more used to each other, but the real tests are yet to come. Questions will only be asked of us as a team when we’re faced with competition. How will the team react to success and failure, both during and after a match? I’ve got a good feeling that we’ll be able to find the right answers to those questions as a team, and that we’ll support each other as you have to do in order to be successful.

DFB.de: The match against Portugal kicks off at 13:00 local time. Do you think playing matches at that kind of time in the Premier League gives you an advantage?

Mertesacker: Yes, to some extent. My body has adjusted to the rhythm of eating in preparation for those matches; that is, playing at that time of day is nothing new for me. Most of our internationals are played under floodlights, and it makes a difference whether you play late having already eaten three meals that day or at midday with just one or two meals inside you. If you’re not used to it, it’s not easy to take on enough nutrients. Not everyone can face eating pasta at 9am!

DFB.de: You met up with the national team fresh from success with your club after Arsenal won the FA Cup. It is just the second trophy in your career after winning the DFB Cup with Werder Bremen in 2009. How much did this season’s success mean to you?

Mertesacker: It’s great. While I was at Bremen, we were often title contenders, finished second several times and reached finals. We won the cup in 2009, but I didn’t play because of an injury, so that makes this title with Arsenal even more special. For me, winning a trophy is confirmation of the commitment and performances you put in. I’m unbelievably proud to have achieved success with a club like Arsenal. There have been several times when I’ve realised what a great history they have. A club like Arsenal defines itself by the number of trophies it wins, so that made it all the more important for our fans that we were able to end their long wait for a title.

DFB.de: During the past three years in London, you’ve gone from being labelled “Merte-Sucker” or the “BFG” to becoming a role model. You’re something of a cult figure at the club these days. How important to you is it that the fans accept you?

Mertesacker: it’s important to earn the respect and recognition of the fans. It gives me a confidence boost to have them behind me. You have to work hard for that respect, particularly if you’re a foreigner in another country, and even more particularly when you’re a foreigner in England. I tried to win their respect from the start, but my performances for Arsenal weren’t flawless; I had difficulties in my first season in particular. But after three years I’m on the right track. I’ve got at least another three good years ahead of me in London, and I want to keep growing and learning there – I’m really looking forward to it.

DFB.de: Just before beginning World Cup preparations, you became a father for the second time. How are you managing to focus fully on your football here in Brazil?

Mertesacker: I’m happy that the birth happened before I left. Of course, there are situations where I’d rather be able to spend some time at home, but I’m happy that I’ve got people at home who can make sure my little family are doing well. My job here is to make sure I’m fit for the World Cup and do everything I can to help my team. After all, the World Cup is here in Brazil and not in England, and that’s not going to change on my behalf. (laughs) Right now I’m missing out on family time, but I’ll make up for it later on.

DFB.de: How much are you feeling the strain from last season? You played almost every minute of every match for Arsenal, making 35 Premier League appearances alone.

Mertesacker: You can definitely tell when you’ve played an entire season, particularly in England where there’s no winter break. You can’t get through that without feeling it a little. But that’s what our preparations have been for; the intensity of training has been gradually stepped up individually for each player. The aim is always to bring everyone up to their best and we’ve managed that well. Apart from that, we’ve all now been sucked in by the power of the World Cup. Everyone is so excited about the tournament that you quickly forget you’ve spent a whole season on your feet. So much of football is a mental thing.

DFB.de: With just a few days until your first match, there are still a few question marks within the team about individual positions and players. Does that unsettle you?

Mertesacker: Not at all.

DFB.de: Why not?

Mertesacker: Ultimately it’s down to the high quality within the squad. We’ve never been better prepared; we’ve got every position covered and several players who can play in more than one position. Picking the best players and deciding who should play where are good problems to have. It’s clear that, in these conditions, we’ll need the services of the entire squad in order to be successful. I don’t think that the starting line-up for the first match will determine who’ll play in subsequent games. I’m certain that every single player will have an important role to play. It’s important that the entire team is aware of that.

DFB.de: Your campaign gets underway with the match against Portugal on Monday. In the past, a good first match has often enabled German teams to progress well through the tournament. Do you consider the Portugal game to be a key match?

Mertesacker: Yes – mathematically at least. We’ve only got three games in the group stages, so we can’t afford any slip-ups. But what’s most important in the first match is that we send out a message to show ourselves and our rivals that we’re contenders for the title.

DFB.de: You’re now 29 years old. Does it ever cross your mind that this could be your last World Cup?

Mertesacker: I’ve been playing for Germany for almost ten years now, so there’s no getting away from the fact that eventually one World Cup will be my last. I’ve always been very realistic about everything; I can assess myself and my body very well and I’ve also got a good idea of the quality within German football. There are lots of good young players who will soon break through. I know that and I think it’s a very positive thing. I’ve been able to experience some incredible World Cups, first in Germany, then in South Africa, and now this one in Brazil. But this tournament is about to start, and hopefully it’ll last for as long as possible. It’s not time for nostalgia just yet.