Bundesliga News

Bittencourt backs Füllkrug for place on national team: "'Fülle' brings everything to the table."

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

The grim state-of-affairs with regard to a natural number nine continues to dominate conversations in German footballing circles.

Niclas Füllkrug's name continues to pop up.

Füllkrug's SV Werder Bremen teammate Leonardo Bittencourt gave the striker his endorsement on Thursday.
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Photo: Werder Bremen
With Timo Werner and Lukas Nmecha continuing to exhibit form troubles for the German national team, talk of giving someone else a shot in the no. 9 role persists. Just as was the case last autumn with Simon Terodde, many German footballing enthusiasts have a specific name in mind.


SV Werder Bremen striker Nicolas Füllkrug has actually never represented the Bundesrepublik at the senior level. The 29-year-old's last appearance for his native country came with the German U20s in 24014. Füllkrug's current form nevertheless has many wondering if now might be a good time for a return.

After several injury-laden seasons, the Hanover native has racked up six scorer points during the current campaign. His five Bundesliga tallies leave him in second-place in the race for German football's "Golden Cannon" award. Only Union Berlin's Sheraldo Becker (with six goals) has scored more.

Füllkrug has many backers. His club teammate Leonardo Bittencourt added his name to that list on Thursday whilst speaking to Sebastian Wolff of German footballing magazine Kicker. Bittencourt's interview mostly covered the players own fight to return from injury. When it came time to discuss Füllkrug, the striker's colleague of three years was unequivocal in his endorsement.

"He definitely has the quality, and the numbers speak for him," Bittencourt told Wolff, "One needn't say anything more. "Fülle brings everything to the table, and, above all, is the type of striker one doesn't often see anymore, at least not in Germany."

Bittencourt went so far as to predict that Füllkrug will be called up.

"If we continue too enjoy success with him leading up to the winter break, then Fülle will also certainly get his shot," Bittencourt concluded.


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