Lothar Matthäus has publicly called on Germany coach Jürgen Klopp to select Niclas Füllkrug for the national team. The Werder Bremen striker is currently the most prolific German attacker in Europe's top five leagues. His six goals in six Bundesliga appearances are a strong case, with Werder sitting eighth in the table on nine points.
Matthäus, the nation's most-capped player, laid out his case in a column. The 65-year-old wrote that Füllkrug is the only one convincing with goals and bringing arguments. He stated that Füllkrug could help Germany at least until the European Championship, also because he is a positive type with a standing in public who gets on well in the team. He acknowledged the player's certain age of 33 but stressed that the numbers speak for him.
Füllkrug refuses to engage
The player in question consistently avoids the topic. After his brace in the 2-2 draw against SC Paderborn last weekend, Füllkrug stated again that he did not want to talk about it. His coach Daniel Thioune sees this very attitude as an advantage. He said Füllkrug is threatening the national coach with performance, which is the decisive factor. It helps that he does not want to talk about it, as he can fully focus on his performance.
The numbers for Werder
Füllkrug's form is a key reason for Werder Bremen's current position in the table. The club sits eighth after six matchdays, with two wins and three draws from one loss. With 12 goals scored and 12 conceded, their goal difference is level. Füllkrug is the clear top scorer for the side. His last two goals secured a point against Paderborn on October 17. In the previous match, he had already scored a last-gasp equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Borussia Dortmund. The team's recent form shows one win and three draws from their last five league games, leaving them five points off the top of the table.
Klopp's Germany side has failed to score a single goal through a striker in its last four international matches. Against this backdrop, Matthäus's plea carries extra weight. For Werder, the focus remains firmly on the league. The next fixture sees the Green-Whites travel to face FSV Mainz 05, who are currently fifth, on October 24.
This story first appeared at Bild Sport
