"Many had already written him off" – Völler reflects on Füllkrug's unlikely Germany return
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After a difficult and injury-plagued spell abroad with West Ham United and AC Milan, Niclas Füllkrug has rediscovered his top form following his loan return to Werder Bremen, scoring nine goals to top the Bundesliga charts.
The striker's return to form has seen him earn a Germany recall for the upcoming fixtures against Serbia and the Netherlands, having not featured for his country in over a year.
Speaking on DAZN's “Never Talk Alone” show, Germany sporting director Rudi Völler reflected on Füllkrug's national team return, admitting that few would have predicted it just six months ago.
“I don't think anyone would have expected him to return to the national team just six months ago. Many had already written him off. He moved to West Ham, where things didn't work out, and was then loaned to AC Milan, where things didn't go well either. He barely scored any goals and didn't get much playing time,” Völler said.
“Then he returned to his Werder family, to the Werder family environment, where he feels completely at home, and started scoring goal after goal. So anything is possible. Even if you think you've been out of the picture for a while, performances are ultimately what count.”
The Germany sporting director also looked back on his own playing days, stressing that fitness matters far more than age when it comes to continuing at international level.
“The most important thing for him, just as it was for me back then, is to stay free from injuries. You get the feeling that he is in a good place at the moment, and he deserves to be back here. Ultimately, fitness is what matters. Age itself is not the decisive factor. It comes down to how fit you are, how well you feel, how you can train and whether you can stay clear of injuries," he said.
"I played at the same stage of my career many, many years ago. I was still playing at the World Cup in the USA at the age of 34 in 1994, so it is certainly possible. I was still in top shape and went on to play for Bayer Leverkusen for another two years. It can be done. As I said, the most important thing is to avoid injuries.”
