Ducksch reacts to national team call-up: "Thought it was a joke."
SV Werder Bremen striker Marvin Ducksch and his head-coach Ole Werner have reacted to the 29-year-old's surprise call-up to the German national team.
Precisely like his former Werder top axis partner Niclas Füllkrug, Marvin Ducksch has found himself surprisingly earning his first call-up to the senior German men's national team at the age of 29. At a midday presser on Friday, Ducksch and his club head-coach Ole Werner spoke on the "scarcely believable" occurrence that took place last night. Ducksch - upon receiving the phone call from Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann - admitted that he wasn't entirely sure what was happening was real.
"We thought it was a joke," Ducksch noted whilst recounting Nagelsmann's contact to both Werner and himself, "I did eventually recognize [Nagelsmann's voice]. A childhood dream came true. One can't reach a higher level in football than being allowed to play for your own country."
"I was definitely excitable and nervous," Ducksch continued, "I was shaking all over for a moment. I tried to call [Füllkrug]. We ended up briefly exchanging texts later in the evening."
Whether or not Ducksch will serve alongside Füllkrug, as was the case for Bremen last year, remains to be seen. Werner made clear at the midday presser that he thought it would be a good idea. Nagelsmann himself - in explaining the choice to call up Ducksch - strongly hinted that he was thinking of re-uniting the attacking tandem.
"Marvin makes special moments on the pitch happen," Werner said, He is a player who is still a bit of a street footballer who embodies self-confidence and a courageous desire to take risks. That's what our supporters love about him. I understand why the Bundestrainer has called him up."