[bild1]
Picture, if you will, a young Julian Draxler. He cannot hold back the tears. The disappointment is too much, his little heart is broken and his eyes begin to well up. Eventually his mother manages to console him. Yet this is only the beginning.
Draxler has just played his first game of football. He scored his first goal and tasted defeat for the very first time, a comprehensive one at that - 11-1. SV Zweckel played BV Rentfort off the park. Almost every attack produced a goal. "We didn’t have a chance. That wasn’t fun at all. I don't want to do it anymore," he said at the time. Luckily for German football and FC Schalke 04, his father, Hans-Jürgen, convinced him that winning is not everything.
Standing on the brink after his first ever outing, Draxler has gone on to experience his fair share of setbacks further down the line, namely a pair of debut defeats for both Schalke and Germany's senior side. Draxler, though, has taken the rough with the smooth in what has otherwise been a stellar career every bit in the fast lane.
One record after the other
On January 5, 2011, aged just 17, he became the Royal Blues' youngest ever debutant. Little over two years later at the tender age of 19 years and 170 days, the youngest to reach 100 appearances for the club, which is no mean feat in a country such as Germany that has certainly produced its fair share of outrageously talented young footballers over the years. Yet it is Draxler who arguable trumps the lot as the youngest DFB Cup final winner and youngest goalscorer in Germany’s domestic cup and the UEFA Champions League.
When news of his contract extension broke, eight gigantic posters to the tune of "With pride and passion until 2018" were rolled out not only in Gelsenkirchen, but in neighbouring Dortmund too - stirring up a bit of local rivalry for good measure.
"We’re going on a great journey with this team and club. I want to be part of it," explained an emotional Draxler. "Schalke are very close to my heart. The club has done so much for me and want to do even more." Indeed, not even a handful of lucrative offers from abroad could sway him otherwise.
Raúl: Role model and teacher
Unlike other Gelsenkirchen natives, Real Madrid's Mesut Özil for example, Draxler has not had to flee the nest to find his fortune. He instead realised his dream at Schalke, where he was taken under the wing of Raul González Blanco. As a child, he looked up to Michael Ballack, as well as Ingo Anderbrügge, but more often than not he found inspiration further afield. Rivaldo and Zinedine Zidane impressed, but nowhere near as much as a certain Spanish muse.
In 2010, their paths crossed when the former Real Madrid superstar signed for Schalke. Suddenly, Draxler's childhood idol was now a team-mate. "We hit it off immediately," said Draxler. Raul also quickly clicked with the then 17-year-old, who had come through the ranks under head coach Felix Magath. The two formed a close friendship that is still going strong today and stay in touch via text, email or the occasional phone call.
Löw impressed
Draxler made a similar impression on Joachim Löw when, though still a schoolboy at the time, he received a call-up to the Germany coach’s preliminary squad for UEFA EURO 2012. His first step with the senior side took him to Sardinia. His schoolbooks in hand, he knuckled down after every training session to study hard for his upcoming exams.
Draxler was taken aback by the level of intensity demanded of the players on the Costa Smeralda, but he was not the only one. Löw and his assistant Hansi Flick marvelled at Draxler’s technique. With the ball at his feet he was no longer the pupil, but the master. Löw und Flick knew immediately they had found one for the future.
As it was, the EURO came too soon for Draxler, but he has been a regular in the squad ever since. Establishing himself on the international scene is the next step in his career, even though the competition is much fiercer than at club level. Draxler will not back down: he knows what he can do and exactly what he wants, as does Löw.
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Debut strike
Prior to the team's USA tour, the Germany supremo again expressed his faith in Draxler’s abilities. "I want to see certain players making progress and leaving a mark on the team," he said. "Julian Draxler is ready to do just that." A motivated Draxler duly took note and did not disappoint, pulling off some outrageous tricks that other players in the camp could only dream of.
Against Ecuador he played his part in a full-throttle encounter. Days later, he scored his first senior international goal, albeit a consolation strike in a 4-3 defeat to Jürgen Klinsmann’s USA. "I'm really pleased to have scored my first goal for the seniors. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t win the game," said Draxler.
And so the trend goes on: another debut strike, another defeat. On this occasion, though, there were no tears come the final whistle and certainly no thoughts of early retirement.
[th]
[bild1]
Picture, if you will, a young Julian Draxler. He cannot hold back the tears. The disappointment is too much, his little heart is broken and his eyes begin to well up. Eventually his mother manages to console him. Yet this is only the beginning.
Draxler has just played his first game of football. He scored his first goal and tasted defeat for the very first time, a comprehensive one at that - 11-1. SV Zweckel played BV Rentfort off the park. Almost every attack produced a goal. "We didn’t have a chance. That wasn’t fun at all. I don't want to do it anymore," he said at the time. Luckily for German football and FC Schalke 04, his father, Hans-Jürgen, convinced him that winning is not everything.
Standing on the brink after his first ever outing, Draxler has gone on to experience his fair share of setbacks further down the line, namely a pair of debut defeats for both Schalke and Germany's senior side. Draxler, though, has taken the rough with the smooth in what has otherwise been a stellar career every bit in the fast lane.
One record after the other
On January 5, 2011, aged just 17, he became the Royal Blues' youngest ever debutant. Little over two years later at the tender age of 19 years and 170 days, the youngest to reach 100 appearances for the club, which is no mean feat in a country such as Germany that has certainly produced its fair share of outrageously talented young footballers over the years. Yet it is Draxler who arguable trumps the lot as the youngest DFB Cup final winner and youngest goalscorer in Germany’s domestic cup and the UEFA Champions League.
When news of his contract extension broke, eight gigantic posters to the tune of "With pride and passion until 2018" were rolled out not only in Gelsenkirchen, but in neighbouring Dortmund too - stirring up a bit of local rivalry for good measure.
"We’re going on a great journey with this team and club. I want to be part of it," explained an emotional Draxler. "Schalke are very close to my heart. The club has done so much for me and want to do even more." Indeed, not even a handful of lucrative offers from abroad could sway him otherwise.
Raúl: Role model and teacher
Unlike other Gelsenkirchen natives, Real Madrid's Mesut Özil for example, Draxler has not had to flee the nest to find his fortune. He instead realised his dream at Schalke, where he was taken under the wing of Raul González Blanco. As a child, he looked up to Michael Ballack, as well as Ingo Anderbrügge, but more often than not he found inspiration further afield. Rivaldo and Zinedine Zidane impressed, but nowhere near as much as a certain Spanish muse.
In 2010, their paths crossed when the former Real Madrid superstar signed for Schalke. Suddenly, Draxler's childhood idol was now a team-mate. "We hit it off immediately," said Draxler. Raul also quickly clicked with the then 17-year-old, who had come through the ranks under head coach Felix Magath. The two formed a close friendship that is still going strong today and stay in touch via text, email or the occasional phone call.
Löw impressed
Draxler made a similar impression on Joachim Löw when, though still a schoolboy at the time, he received a call-up to the Germany coach’s preliminary squad for UEFA EURO 2012. His first step with the senior side took him to Sardinia. His schoolbooks in hand, he knuckled down after every training session to study hard for his upcoming exams.
Draxler was taken aback by the level of intensity demanded of the players on the Costa Smeralda, but he was not the only one. Löw and his assistant Hansi Flick marvelled at Draxler’s technique. With the ball at his feet he was no longer the pupil, but the master. Löw und Flick knew immediately they had found one for the future.
As it was, the EURO came too soon for Draxler, but he has been a regular in the squad ever since. Establishing himself on the international scene is the next step in his career, even though the competition is much fiercer than at club level. Draxler will not back down: he knows what he can do and exactly what he wants, as does Löw.
[bild2]
Debut strike
Prior to the team's USA tour, the Germany supremo again expressed his faith in Draxler’s abilities. "I want to see certain players making progress and leaving a mark on the team," he said. "Julian Draxler is ready to do just that." A motivated Draxler duly took note and did not disappoint, pulling off some outrageous tricks that other players in the camp could only dream of.
Against Ecuador he played his part in a full-throttle encounter. Days later, he scored his first senior international goal, albeit a consolation strike in a 4-3 defeat to Jürgen Klinsmann’s USA. "I'm really pleased to have scored my first goal for the seniors. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t win the game," said Draxler.
And so the trend goes on: another debut strike, another defeat. On this occasion, though, there were no tears come the final whistle and certainly no thoughts of early retirement.
