Dahoud: Agreed, everything is great here from the team spirit to the atmosphere. The chemistry on the pitch in training and in matches will obviously come with time.
DFB.de: Is there any differences from the youth teams you have already been a part of?
Amiri: Not in the atmosphere as that has been good in every team (laughs). Clearly the U21s is a step-up from the A-team though. The level here is already really high and everyone works in a professional manner. It is something that you notice from the first training session.
Christiansen: That’s true. For us three the jump up to professional football was very quick and we play regularly in the Bundesliga now. Furthermore, Mo (Mahmoud Dahoud) already has international experience from playing in the Champions League. The fact that we have now managed to make the step-up to the U21s makes all of us unbelievably proud.
DFB.de: You have already mentioned that you all make regular appearances in the Bundesliga (Mahmoud Dahoud, 26 appearances this season and four goals, Nadiem Amiri, 18 appearances and two goals and Max Christiansen, 15 appearances). Do you want to take the momentum you have at the moment into the matches against the Faroe Islands and Russia?
Dahoud: Obviously we are all hoping that we will get the chance to be involved in both of the games. We will be working hard in training to show the coach that we can be a part of his plans.
Amiri: It is obvious that we want to use this opportunity that we have been given. The coach would not have given us the call if he didn’t think that we could help the team. This is what we have to show through our performances in training.
There are three new faces in the Germany U21 national team, Mahmoud Dahoud (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Nadiem Amiri (1899 Hoffenheim) and Max Chrisriansen (FC Ingolstadt). They received their first call up to Horst Hrubesch’s squad for the European qualifiers against the Faroe Islands in Frankfurt on Thursday (20:00 CET) and Russia in Rostow on Tuesday (19:00 CEST).
The 19-year-olds, Amiri and Christiansen, were called up on Monday evening following the withdrawals of Joshua Kimmich, Maximilian Arnold and Marc Stendera due to injury. All three of the new boys played for various Germany youth teams from U17s to U20s and 20-year-old Dahoud has already taken part in a number of Champions League matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach. Between the training sessions and other preparation for the European qualifiers, Dahoud, Amiri and Christiansen spoke in a DFB.de interview with Maximilian Schwartz about their first impressions of the U21 team, the upcoming fixtures and the jump from youth football to professional football.
DFB.de: What was it like for you three to receive the call from Horst Hrubesch to let you know that you had been chosen for the U21 national side?
Mahmoud Dahoud: I was extremely happy about the call. Getting selected for the U21 national team is the next step in my career. You could call it another stop on the way to the national team. It is something really special.
Max Christiansen: I was really shocked that I got the call. However, afterwards I was really excited and left pretty much straight away to go and meet up with the squad.
Nadiem Amiri: I couldn’t wait to meet up with the team. I travelled together with Max to the U21s (laughs).
DFB.de: What was your first impression of the team?
Christiansen: Really positive, they integrated us really well into the squad. Some of the lads know us already from the youth teams or from the Bundesliga so it was really easy to settle in.
Dahoud: Agreed, everything is great here from the team spirit to the atmosphere. The chemistry on the pitch in training and in matches will obviously come with time.
DFB.de: Is there any differences from the youth teams you have already been a part of?
Amiri: Not in the atmosphere as that has been good in every team (laughs). Clearly the U21s is a step-up from the A-team though. The level here is already really high and everyone works in a professional manner. It is something that you notice from the first training session.
Christiansen: That’s true. For us three the jump up to professional football was very quick and we play regularly in the Bundesliga now. Furthermore, Mo (Mahmoud Dahoud) already has international experience from playing in the Champions League. The fact that we have now managed to make the step-up to the U21s makes all of us unbelievably proud.
DFB.de: You have already mentioned that you all make regular appearances in the Bundesliga (Mahmoud Dahoud, 26 appearances this season and four goals, Nadiem Amiri, 18 appearances and two goals and Max Christiansen, 15 appearances). Do you want to take the momentum you have at the moment into the matches against the Faroe Islands and Russia?
Dahoud: Obviously we are all hoping that we will get the chance to be involved in both of the games. We will be working hard in training to show the coach that we can be a part of his plans.
Amiri: It is obvious that we want to use this opportunity that we have been given. The coach would not have given us the call if he didn’t think that we could help the team. This is what we have to show through our performances in training.
