Kleindienst on German national team call-up: "One of the nicest phone calls I've ever had."

Borussia Mönchengladbach striker Tim Kleindienst is headed to the senior German men's national team for the first time at the age of 29. Kleindienst joins a chorus of older "late blooming" center-forwards (such Niclas Füllkrug, Marvin Ducksch, Kevin Behrens, and Deniz Undav) who have been handed an audition at the highest level later in their careers without even being capped at the Germany U21 level. 

Whether or not he shall stick with the team (like Füllkrug and Undav) or drop out of the conversation entirely (like Behrens or Ducksch) remains to be seen. In any event, the Brandenburg-native can take pride in the fact that his hard work in recent months accorded him this chance. From struggles with his form at German football's highest level to this honor in a short eight months constitutes quite the feat.

Kleindienst didn't find himself in the most jovial of moods last night following his team's loss to FC Augsburg in the 2024/25 Bundesliga's match-day six opener, but perked up significantly when it came time to discuss his call-up. The long-time Heidenheim striker bemoaned how his current club Gladbach "wasted possession", "tendency to fall behind early" and a general game that simply "isn't good enough". 

"At first I was a bit speechless because I couldn't believe it myself," Kleindienst nevertheless noted when it came time to discuss his personal invitation from Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann to the German Nationalmannschaft, "One just doesn't expect it. It was one of the nicest phone calls I've ever had."