Football | Door open for the goalscorer: Niclas Füllkrug is allowed to play again

Twelve goals in ten games: Niclas Füllkrug is on a roll. Photo: imago/Noah Wedel Jürgen Klopp looked comparatively relaxed on his bar stool when he sat down in the dressing room for an interview on the DFB campus on Thursday. Only press spokeswoman Franziska Wülle for the association's own TV station asked questions and not a crowd of journalists in the crowded media room. Nevertheless, the national coach, with the Germany jerseys as a prop behind him, assured that it was quite difficult for him to nominate his 24-man squad for the last Nations League group games against Serbia in Belgrade (November 13th) and against the Netherlands in Berlin (November 16th) "because - and that's actually the good news - more players deserved to be there. But that’s how it should be.”

At the same time, the 59-year-old proved that he does not act dogmatically. The Bundesliga hasn't been full of classic center forwards with reliable odds for some time now. If someone like Niclas Füllkrug scores twelve times in ten games in the Bundesliga and DFB Cup, he has to return to the group of the best. »He scored a variety of goals. “He has an incredible influence at Werder Bremen,” praised Klopp.

Although the 33-year-old is experiencing his third spring in his oasis of well-being on the Weser, the national coach had at times given the impression that a return made no sense for reasons of age. A misunderstanding. "I'm not so happy with all the statements I made in half-time interviews," admitted the 59-year-old.

Klopp added that he had contacted the top scorer, who was last used in the Nations League final against France in June 2025, after his appearance on the ZDF sports studio. "It was a pleasure to make the decision and it was also a pleasure to share it with him." If the European Championships were tomorrow, he would take "Fülle" with him straight away because: "Sometimes form beats everything else."

His current squad combines perspective with pragmatism. "We have a colorful mix of very young and very experienced members in the team." Although many of the surprise guests from early autumn are logically missing - from Mika Baur to Bambasé Conté - there are still 13 players who bore no responsibility for the World Cup embarrassment in North America.

It is striking that the national coach has put together a solid framework for the November double pack in order to reach the Nations League quarter-finals in March 2027 with two wins. It would also be important so that we don't have to play against a big player like Spain or France in qualifying for the 2028 European Championship in Great Britain.

"He has an incredible influence at Werder Bremen."

It starts in the goal, where “Marc-Andre ter Stegen starts the games as number one.” This key position is about “great stability,” and the Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper has “the most experience.” Representatives are Alexander Nübel and Jonas Urbig - so there was no room for Finn Dahmen and Noah Atubolu. In central defense, Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck are a well-rehearsed team, with Waldemar Anton, Malick Thiaw and, surprisingly, Finn Jeltsch as backup, who Klopp thinks so much of in the "long term" that he would like to try out the 20-year-old from VfB Stuttgart on the right. "He's a very dynamic, smart guy."

In the black, red and gold heart chamber, Klopp relies on a “small Bayern block” with captain Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof. In addition, there is a "machine" in Dortmund's Felix Nmecha, as Klopp said: "He does a few things that we really ask ourselves, where can this lead?" This part of the team requires "physics with technical skills - and a bit of goal threat wouldn't be bad either."

This is what Wael Moyha stands for, who comes as a very young surprise guest. "There aren't many 17-year-olds who play in the Bundesliga, that alone is an outstanding feature," said the national coach, who had "three conversations" with the youngster, all of which were "top." Klopp flippantly: "I wasn't that self-confident at 17, but I wasn't that good at 17 either." The family agreed to just take him along - "to see".

In attack he chose Freiburg discovery Derry Scherhant and Said El Mala because he was getting to know the pitch in a new position in Cologne. Frankfurt's Younes Ebnoutalib convinced him as a "positive surprise in the first camp."

Regardless of the unrest surrounding him, Lennart Karl, whom Klopp praised as a “top talent,” is also there. In contrast, other offensive forces rushed through the shaking sieve. In addition to Karim Adeyemi from FC Barcelona, ​​there was also Nick Woltemade, who was still considered a beacon of hope in the World Cup qualification. The Bremen native also received a call in which Klopp told the 24-year-old that the move to Juventus Turin was certainly not wrong, but that he was “a bit lacking in goal threat.” Completely in contrast to Niclas Füllkrug.

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