EXCLUSIVE: Conrad Harder opens up on competition at RB Leipzig, Bayern clash and World Cup ambitions

LEIPZIG (Bulinews): After starting six consecutive games at the end of 2025, Conrad Harder had to settle for a 17-minute cameo off the bench as RB Leipzig kicked off the new year with a 2-0 win over SC Freiburg at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday.

Brazilian forward Rômulo, back to full fitness after an injury layoff, was given the nod up front by coach Ole Werner and scored, while Assan Ouedraogo and Tidiam Gomis were preferred on the wings, where Harder has occasionally been deployed.

The return of talented wingers Yan Diomande from Africa Cup of Nations duty and Antonio Nusa from injury has further intensified the competition up front, with both impressing off the bench against Freiburg.

Harder, however, didn’t seem concerned with his bench role when speaking to Bulinews.com after the game.

"I've just played five Bundesliga games in a row, so I'm not taking it too hard," Harder said in an exclusive interview with Bulinews.com. 

"I had a good chat with the coach before the game. It’s his decision, and there's not much I can do about it. I got a lot of praise for my substitute appearance; I was very calm and kept good control of the ball. I did my job."

Reflecting on the end of 2025, Harder said consistent starts made a big difference for him.

"You can see it in the numbers – three assists and a goal," he said. 

“Playing a lot of minutes instead of just coming on to help maintain a lead or chase a goal obviously builds confidence. Of course, it’s much more fun to play 90 minutes – or 80, or whatever I can get. I take what I can.”

Positive competition

With Rômulo on five goals and three assists in 12 Bundesliga appearances this season, Harder is facing tough competition to start up front – but the Danish striker is taking a positive approach to that.

“I don’t see it as competition in a negative way. It’s good to have competition – that's how it should be. If there wasn’t, it wouldn’t be good for any of us. We push each other, and then it’s up to the coach to decide. We have different strengths,” said Harder, who has one goal and three assists in 16 games for Leipzig, having started six times.

The 20-year-old added that he is happy to play wherever Ole Werner wants, though he prefers the striker role.

“I'm a number nine, not a winger. But I'll play wherever the coach wants me. If he wanted me at centre-back, I'd play there. As long as I get to play, I’m happy. But of course I prefer to play as a number nine, as that's my natural position.”

Harder will hope to return to the starting lineup when Leipzig host league leaders Bayern Munich at Red Bull Arena on Saturday.

“I'm expecting Bayern to come blazing forward. That's what they're known for. They're an incredibly strong team,” Harder said looking ahead to the game.

“But I think that if we play up to our best, we can prove that we can compete at their level. We need to be ready from the start and play our game as we did during the autumn, where we were really good. We just need to keep going because we’re a great team.”

A better place

Even if he hasn't started every game, Harder is pleased with his time at Leipzig so far since moving from Sporting CP last summer.

“This is perhaps the second or third biggest league in the world, so it’s obviously completely different from playing in Portugal. There have been things I needed to adjust to, but I feel I’m getting there. I’m happy to be here and looking forward to staying for a long time.”

"Physically, technically, tactically, and professionally, everything here is at a higher level.”

On leaving Sporting, Harder explained that a coaching change made him feel his future lay elsewhere.

"You don’t always control whether you leave a club or not. We got a new coach and sporting director, and I don’t think I was part of [Sporting CP coach] Rui Borges’ plans. He’ll have to say how he feels about that himself," Harder said. 

“But I’m really happy with where I’ve ended up. I’m in a better place now, even though I was very happy at Sporting, loved my time there, won two trophies and partnered with one of the best strikers in the world,” he added, probably referring to Viktor Gyökeres, who now plays for Arsenal.

The World Cup dream

When asked about his goals for the rest of the season, Harder highlighted one clear objective.

"My goal is to make it to the World Cup," the Danish international said.

Harder has only represented Denmark once at senior level, in the UEFA Europa Nations League quarter-finals defeat to Portugal in March 2025.

Since then, he has played for Denmark’s U21s, but hopes strong performances at Leipzig will earn him a recall to the senior squad, who will play North Macedonia and potentially the winner of Ireland vs. Czechia in the play-offs for this summer's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“It’s up to Brian (Riemer, Denmark’s head coach). There’s not much else I can do except hope I get the chance to play a lot of football, and if I do, there will come a point where he has to take me along. Of course, every young player dreams of going to the World Cup – myself included. But it’s Brian’s decision, and I’m working hard every day to give myself a chance of being selected,” Harder stressed.

Denmark’s play-off semi-final against North Macedonia will be played on March 26, with the final scheduled for March 31.