Bierhoff: “It’s completely different at a World Cup”

Another England vs. Germany classic is just days away. Die Mannschaft will face England at Wembley Stadium in London on Friday (21:00 CET). There and in Cologne against France on Tuesday (20:45 CET), Joachim Löw’s side will test their wits against the biggest names in world football. The national team’s coordinator Oliver Bierhoff, Mario Götze, who is making his comeback to the national side and defender Niklas Süle spoke to the press ahead of the final internationals of 2017.

Oliver Bierhoff on…

…THE 2018 WORLD CUP IN RUSSIA: We can’t rest on our laurels after the successful qualification campaign and the Confederations Cup win. It’s completely different at a World Cup. We know the great potential we have. We have to all give 100% and not let up for a second. We are the ones being chased. We can see what is going on in countries around the world. England are the U17 and U20 world champions, and France and Brazil have also been improving massively. Everyone will be watching us and will want to knock us off the top. Therefore it is important to use the four big matches, against England, France, Spain and Brazil, to improve and keep on developing as a team. I know, as Jogi Löw always says, that the development is much more important than the results. We know that we are the favourites going into the World Cup but we also know how hard a task it will be.

…HIS VIEW ON THE YEAR: It has been a brilliant year – with the World Cup qualification and the Confederations Cup triumph which was the standout highlight. With the players that we have, we were confident that we’d be able to qualify for the tournament. But it’s not straight-forward , as you can see from how other countries fared. Our players have performed outstandingly and that makes us proud and happy.

…THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP: We didn’t know what the tournament would be like. It was great to get to know new players and great to see how the team embraced the competition and showed such brilliant energy throughout. The tournament was really good for the whole squad’s development. The choice of players is now much bigger and the coaches now have a much broader group to pick from. I have high hopes for 2018.

…THE RETURNEES: I am really happy for Mario Götze and Ilkay Gündogan. It hasn’t been easy for them. I hope that they can find their feet and play well for the team. Mario looks like he’s got a weight off of his shoulders; he is very meticulous and hard-working. You can see that he has come back with a great love and joy for the game. He is playing with freedom and I can sense a great desire in him to just play the game. Our world champions, the established players, like coming here. It creates a special atmosphere and it is shown in the great performances. International matches against top opposition are great for the development of players.

…THE WORLD CUP CAMP: We are looking at many different options, because the requirements are very specific. We want to wait for the draw on 1st December and find the most suitable solution.

Mario Götze on…

…HIS RETURN TO DIE MANNSCHAFT: I feel a great pride to be called up to the national side once again after such a long time out. It is good to be back and to see lots of old faces again.

…THE WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION AND THE CONFEDERATIONS CUP: We are in a good place, after our qualification campaign and our Confederations Cup success. It is always annoying to not be able to play. But at a tournament like the Confederations Cup in the summer, where the boys played so well, you always get behind the side and I was so happy for my teammates. I continuously followed the tournament wherever I went.

…HIS RECOVERY TIME: It is really important for me to perform well with my club and put myself in contention for the national team. I’ve had other long-term injuries and it gives you time to think about the way you play and your physique. And my clear goal was the summer pre-season – I succeeded in that. I feel great. I am at full fitness and I hope I can stay healthy and play. That is the most important thing for me. I am looking forward to 2018.

…HIS WINNING GOAL IN THE 2014 WORLD CUP FINAL: My World Cup winner is an amazing experience to look back on. But now it’s 2017 and the 2018 World Cup is just around the corner. It is always about progressing in football and I want to develop further too. I have matured, gained more experience and featured at tournaments. It was a great time – now I hope I can continue to play for my country for years to come.

…HIS FAVOURITE POSITION: I have played in numerous positions. My favourite position is in the centre, as a number eight or ten. I feel most comfortable there.

Niklas Süle on…

…HIS SELECTION: It is always an honour to be called up. I am happy that I have been selected so much recently. It was brilliant to be part of the Confederations Cup winning squad and to achieve something so great. It was a wonderful summer.

…THE GAMES AGAINST ENGLAND AND FRANCE: We have two exciting games ahead of us, especially for young players like myself. The anticipation is huge, especially for the game against Wembley. For me, it’s the best stadium in the world. It would be amazing to play in that match.

…THE INJURY WORRIES FOR THE “THREE LIONS”: England have some world-class players just as we do. They will be a tough opposition. Even if Kane is out then Vardy or other players will come in to replace him and they will also be extremely hard to defend against.

…MARIO GÖTZE’S WORLD CUP FINAL GOAL: As a massive fan, I went mad when Mario scored. it was an incredible moment for the whole country.