08.15.2014, 20:01 clock | t-online.de
Per Mertesacker listens to the national team. (Source: AP)
The “Long” goes ashore: Per Mertesacker has resigned from the national team and so after Captain Philipp Lahm and record scorer Miroslav Klose, the third World Cup -held that draws a line after the biggest win of his career. A “golden conclusion” was the World Cup, Mertesacker said. In the final against Argentina, his 104th international match, played the 29-year-old in injury time of extra time the final minutes of his career in the DFB-Elf.
“In the first place it was for me about ten years to determine the national team the end of this chapter itself,” said the defender of Arsenal FC the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. Now he wants to concentrate on the Gunners, with whom he had won the Cup victory before the World Cup: “I will be with Arsenal manager, may also engage in the Champions League.”
For Mertesacker the title in Rio de Janeiro was after the 1: 0 win after extra time against Argentina the crowning achievement of his career. Now the ZDF he said: “The national team is well placed to me is not afraid when resign now three national player.”
<- true xxxxx ->Also on the bench a real size
The final round in Brazil was for the 1.98 meters large central defender also an emotional roller coaster ride. In the preliminary round against Ghana (2: 2), he played his 100th game after the round against Algeria (2: 1 nV) he lost his place. With his interview with ZDF reporter Boris Büchler shortly after the game had Mertesacker (“What do you want? Want a successful World Cup or you want to retire?”) Caused quite a stir.
From the quarter-finals set to coach Joachim Loew, Philipp Lahm pulled back into the back four and ordered Jerome Boateng in the middle – Mertesacker had on the bench. But even there he showed the virtues him against Iran (2: 0) since his debut in the national team on 9 October 2004 in Tehran always excelled. Dependability, loyalty and professionalism
The former Bremer was for the national coach Jürgen Klinsmann and Löw a fixed size, even if he had not always been the first choice even before the World Cup. As Mertesacker had risen in the DFB-plane to Tehran in 2004, he “really did not expect it. I could not properly assess what happened. It was a journey into the unknown.”
“It is now come simply the time “
In the penultimate group game against Ghana, he got into the elite” club of hundreds “on. “Then I’m just proud. That feels good,” Mertesacker, who was on the return flight to Porto Seguro, a special commendation from the DFB president said. “Long, You’re a Big”, Wolfgang Niersbach said of the on-board microphone. After the final rethinking must have used that might have something to do with the loss of his master course in Mertesacker but. Because after his 100th game, he had no thought of resignation – on the contrary: “It’s just great fun Again at the World Cup I would like to bring me more fully and still enjoy a few highlights…”
Less than a month later sounds Mertesacker, who scored four goals for the DFB, different. ZDF he said: “There come many young, fresh players, and it is now simply the time has come to allow this boy to the next step.” Sporting setbacks in the national team were not new Hanover-born. In the EURO 2012 Löw had to let him play a minute. This was once “a blow” been for him. Should be noted that one “is a small part of the whole” only. After the European Championships he came back once more – but now is definitely for the “Long” in the DFB-team final. “An international retirement will not exist,” Mertesacker said.
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