Philipp Max reflects on Germany debut
Philipp Max has opened up on his first experiences as a German international.
Philipp Max played a key role in Germany's 1-0 win over the Czech Republic on Wednesday, assisting Luca Waldschmidt's winner in his first appearance for 'Die Mannschaft'.
In an interview with the German Football Association (DFB), the PSV left-back has reflected on his international debut.
"First and foremost, I was delighted to be called up for the team, that along is something very special. The fact that I started the match made it all the more special. I found out at midday that I was going to be in the starting XI," said Max and added:
"In the build-up to the game, I did all my usual preparations just as professionally and calmly as always, but I have to admit that as kick-off approached, I started to feel a bit nervous. But as soon as you’re out there on the pitch and involved in the game, the nerves quickly subside."
Max's name has been brought up in relation to the national team for years, and the 27-year-old is delighted that his hard work has paid off.
"Naturally I've thought about being called up a few times over the years, but as time went on I let it fade into the background and the debate didn’t affect me as much. I realised that the only thing I could do to achieve that was to keep working on developing myself further. That's something that fits closely with my way of thinking - I'm a very ambitious person and I'm always looking to improve. The call-up is my reward for all that hard work," he explained.
The 27-year-old could be in line to make his second start in a row when Germany face Ukraine tonight.