Havertz celebrates Germany’s spot in the World Cup knockout stage and reflects on past criticism and demands from fans
The German team secured its early qualification for the World Cup knockout stages and will face Ecuador next Thursday, ending the group stage. Striker Kai Havertz expressed great relief at the team’s good initial performance in the tournament, especially after early eliminations in the last two editions of the World Cup.
The 27-year-old player highlighted a change in atmosphere compared to previous campaigns. “The Qatar Cup was not at all successful for us as a team and for me personally. There is a different energy in our squad now,” said Havertz. He added that he quickly became convinced that this year would be better, recognizing the obligation not to fail again from the beginning, as they are Germany, but emphasized that the competition is just beginning.
Beyond the statistics, a country with Germany’s rich football tradition carries a considerable burden of expectations. Since winning the title in 2014 in Brazil, the team had failed to advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup, a result that many considered unexpected. In 2018, in Russia, elimination occurred with the last position in Group F, behind South Korea, Mexico and Sweden. The situation was repeated in 2022, in Qatar, where Germany came third in Group E, behind Spain and Japan, intensifying the pressure for a more consistent performance.
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Havertz played a crucial role at the start of the current campaign, scoring two goals in the 7-1 thrashing of Curaçao in the first round. With 24 goals in 60 appearances for the national team, he established himself as the starting center forward under coach Julian Nagelsmann. However, the athlete is not immune to criticism from some of the fans, who defend Deniz Undav’s selection.
Regarding the public’s evaluations, the striker explained: “Probably because I don’t play in the Bundesliga. The same thing sometimes happened with Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündogan, who spent years abroad.” He described the perception he faces: “They often say about me: ‘Havertz didn’t score again, he’s useless’. And when I score they say: ‘Well, he was supposed to score, it’s about time’.” Havertz emphasized that he holds no resentment, considering the situation perfectly normal.
The center forward also mentioned being aware of discussions about his stance on the field. “I’m aware of the debates about me being too relaxed or my body language being inappropriate. That always comes up when I’m not playing well,” Havertz mused. He concluded by stating that he is not the type of person to dwell on these comments, an attitude that used to be different in the past.
With classification assured, Germany is now preparing for the clash against Ecuador, seeking to consolidate the leadership of Group E. If they finish in first place, the team will face the third placed team in one of groups A, B, C, D or F. If they finish second, the opponent will be the second placed team in Group I.
