Having earned the status of a ‘midfielder-general’ at Bayern Munich, star player Leon Goretzka is now aiming to take on a more leading role for his national team — Germany.
In an interview for Deutsche Bahn magazine, the 26-year-old was asked whether he is really looking forward to the European Championship, after having a gruelling season at the club level. “At the moment, the joy of football is rather subdued, without fans,” Goretzka replied. “But this is my first European Championship and I’m really looking forward to the tournament. Also because, unlike at the 2018 World Cup, I can now play a more important role.”
When further asked if he wants to be ‘one of the bosses’ of the Die Mannschaft, similar to his role as a team council member of the Bayern Munich squad — “Definitely,” Goretzka affirmed. “I would say that, like at Bayern, I can now take responsibility in the national team.”
Ever since the World Cup 2018 campaign, Joachim Löw’s men have struggled to deliver convincing performances on a consistent basis. Most recently, the 2014 World Cup winners lost to North Macedonia in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Nevertheless, Goretzka believes that his team has what it takes to make a deep run in the Euros. “And I’m optimistic that we’ll play a good European Championship, despite the recent setbacks,” the 26-year-old said.