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Page 1Rendezvous with the Red Fury
Page 2″They are one step ahead in development” Page 3″I would like to see Portugal without CR7″
THE TIME: The last game between Germany and Denmark was stormy in every respect. You’ve experienced something like this before.
Thomas Hitzlsperger: That’s how it is. At the semi-final of the 2008 European Championship against Turkey in Basel.
TIME: Back then, you provided the assist for Philipp Lahm’s decisive goal to make it 3-2 in the 90th minute.
Hitzlsperger: I don’t remember how violent the thunder and lightning was. I do remember that the TV broadcast was interrupted for a short time. And that was during one of my better games… It was a similar back and forth to the round of 16 now, it could have ended differently. The Turkish team had played a good tournament, but we were still a bit old-school Germany: We didn’t always play convincingly, but we still got through. That was the spirit with Ballack, Klose, Frings, Lehmann.
TIME: Do you see any of this in the current team?
Hitzlsperger: No, this type of football that wasn’t always attractive and ended up with Germany winning – that’s a thing of the past. 2010 was the turning point, the World Cup in South Africa brought about a new way of playing. I was caught up in it too.
TIME: Although you took part in almost all of the qualifying matches, you were not called up for the World Cup squad.
Hitzlsperger: Exactly. Since then, the German game has been defined by technique, possession of the ball and good football training. Spain was the role model, and in the end it all culminated in the World Cup title in Brazil in 2014. We still want to play like that, many coaches are trained like that – unless they are fans of playing against the ball. We want to find playful solutions, have lots of possession of the ball and create goal-scoring opportunities. We are not yet back to Spain’s level, but let’s wait for the quarter-finals next Friday.
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TIME: As a TV expert, you have so far viewed the German games quite critically.
Hitzlsperger: Objection! I emphasized how well Switzerland stopped the German game through the center. After the game, it was clear how the coach and the entire staff immediately focused on the positive things. That is absolutely legitimate, but my role is different. I simply felt respect for the Swiss, without ignoring how gratifying it was that Plan B with David Raum and Niclas Füllkrug worked.
TIME: Have you, as a player, noticed any criticism in the media?
Hitzlsperger: Yes. I know both sides, and that’s why I completely understand that the players are annoyed by criticism. But so far they only have their own perspective and don’t yet know what life after their career is like. That’s all part of it and is completely normal, as long as it stays within limits.
This article comes from ZEIT No. 29/2024. You can read the entire issue here. Discover issue
TIME: A German debate is currently revolving around the question of who should play in the German attack: Kai Havertz or Niclas Füllkrug? The people want “abundance” – what does the expert Hitzlsperger say?
Hitzlsperger: They are simply different types of players, which is a good thing: we don’t just swap one player for a better one, we can change an entire game with one substitution. Füllkrug offers the team what Havertz doesn’t have. But I always think it’s good to start with Havertz. When I think of him, I think of Mesut Özil, who, like Havertz, played for Arsenal for a long time: fans were always skeptical about whether he was really that good. But all of his teammates and coaches think they’re both great. Fans often pay attention to body language first. Füllkrug is straightforward, cross – header – in. Havertz passes better to control the game and keep possession of the ball.
THE TIME: The last game between Germany and Denmark was stormy in every respect. You’ve experienced something like this before.
Thomas Hitzlsperger: That’s how it is. At the semi-final of the 2008 European Championship against Turkey in Basel.
TIME: Back then, you provided the assist for Philipp Lahm’s decisive goal to make it 3-2 in the 90th minute.
Hitzlsperger: I don’t remember how violent the thunder and lightning was. I do remember that the TV broadcast was interrupted for a short time. And that was during one of my better games… It was a similar back and forth to the round of 16 now, it could have ended differently. The Turkish team had played a good tournament, but we were still a bit old-school Germany: We didn’t always play convincingly, but we still got through. That was the spirit with Ballack, Klose, Frings, Lehmann.
