When the national coach called, he initially thought it was a prank: Marvin Ducksch is new to the Germany national team. He can recommend himself for a European Championship ticket – and has better chances than the other newcomers.
A year and a half ago, when Niclas Füllkrug and Marvin Ducksch were still very far from the national team, when they played with Werder Bremen in the 2nd Bundesliga and promotion was the goal, they often complemented each other well. But they also clashed once, that was shortly before the end of the season when Bremen played against Erzgebirge Aue.
A documentary from “DAZN” later appeared in which this was clearly visible. How Füllkrug wasn’t having a good day and Ducksch was complaining. And as Füllkrug then said: “If you open your mouth again, I swear to you, I’ll give you a bell.” That didn’t happen. Both spoke out and Werder still won the game. A week later the promotion was confirmed.
Today the 2nd league is far away for Füllkrug and Ducksch, even if they remembered again on Tuesday (November 14th, 2023). There they sat next to each other, on the left Füllkrug, long established as a national player, on the right Ducksch, who had just been nominated for the first time. Füllkrug said: “Friction is part of a relationship, of a relationship.”
Call from the national coach – Ducksch thought it was a joke
It had started with Ducksch and the national team a few days earlier, when an unknown number flashed on the attacker’s phone. The caller on the other end of the line had good news for Ducksch. The voice sounded familiar, but he was already suspicious. “You thought, now someone is joking.”said Ducksch. But nobody joked with him; the caller was actually national coach Julian Nagelsmann.
He has nominated Ducksch for the international matches against Turkey in Berlin (Saturday 8:45 p.m., live in the audio stream) and against Austria in Vienna (November 21, 2023, live in the audio stream). A “Childhood-dream” come true, said Ducksch: “I was very, very excited and very, very nervous. I actually don’t know that about myself.”
Ducksch thought about the end of his career
Ducksch, 29, scored fourteen goals in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen in 2023; no German professional has scored more often during this period. He always cheered in the same way: his hands on his ears, his fingers spread apart, his tongue stretched out wide.
Jubilation is as much a part of Ducksch today as doubt was in the past. There were times in his career when Ducksch had little to cheer about. And those in which he cheered, but hardly anyone noticed. But that was a long time ago. Ducksch was trained at BVB and made his debut in the Bundesliga when the coach was still called Jürgen Klopp. Loan spells followed, injuries followed, but the breakthrough didn’t follow.
Thomas Tuchel even sent him back to the 2nd team, Regionalliga West, that was in the 2015/16 season. Ducksch scored 15 goals and it would be his last season in Dortmund. Ducksch recently said in an interview with the “Sky” broadcaster that he thought about quitting at the time. “That was a very difficult time for me.”
Ducksch and Füllkrug – reunion of the “ugly birds”
Ducksch came to Bremen in 2021 via FC St. Pauli, Holstein Kiel and Hannover 96, his partner in attack was Niclas Füllkrug, which fit. They put the goals on each other and cheered together, Füllkrug and Ducksch, a penalty area striker and a free spirit. At some point Füllkrug was asked whether they needed a common nickname. He thought, searched for words. Then he said: “The ugly birds.”
Now it’s time to meet again. Füllkrug no longer plays for Werder Bremen, he now scores goals for BVB and for the national team. There he is number one as a center forward, and he should have the best chance of a regular place at the European Championships in the summer. But national coach Nagelsmann is still looking for an attacker, someone who could replace Füllkrug during an international match or start alongside him.
Ducksch, Nagelsmann recently told ARD, knows Füllkrug “Very, very good. That is certainly a component that can help us.” It’s not just the shared Bremen past with Füllkrug that speaks in favor of Ducksch, his form also speaks for him. Nagelsmann nominated Union’s Kevin Behrens for the international matches in October, but he is no longer scoring any goals. Ducksch scores fairly regularly.
Ducksch about Ducksch: “Classic football field player”
And Nagelsmann appreciates something else about Ducksch, he calls it one “a good level of weirdness”. It was a compliment, of course. The national coach sees it as a team that sometimes needs such an element, especially in close games. Ducksch says about himself that risk is part of his game, he is just that “a free spirit”. That’s how he learned to play football, on the ashes, when only the winner was allowed to stay on the pitch and the opponents were often older and physically superior.
Ducksch, Blaswich, Prömel – about them different Perspective from three newcomers
It’s not just Ducksch who is new to the national team squad, goalkeeper Janis Blaswich and midfielder Grischa Prömel are also there for the first time – they weren’t expected to be there. Blaswich, 32, is a late starter; he played in the Bundesliga for the first time almost a year ago.
RB Leipzig had actually signed him as a substitute goalkeeper for Péter Gulácsi, but he was seriously injured and Blaswich has been playing ever since. Now Gulácsi is fit again, but no longer number one. Blaswich’s nomination is a recognition of this development, and yet it would be a surprise if he were to play. If only Blaswich could secure a European Championship ticket.
This also applies to Prömel from Hoffenheim; the national coach nominated him to replace the injured Felix Nmecha. As a central midfielder, Prömel is not a strategist like Joshua Kimmich or Ilkay Gündogan, he is more reminiscent of Leon Goretzka. Prömel, 28, thrives on his dynamism; he often appears in front of the opponent’s goal and sometimes he also scores.
Nagelsmann and Prömel have known each other for a long time and their story also began with the cell phone. When Prömel was still a very young player, Nagelsmann once sent him a text message saying he wanted to lure him to the TSG Hoffenheim academy. Prömel actually ended up in Sinsheim. Now Nagelsmann didn’t write to him, he called directly. “I’m just incredibly proud”says Prömel. “It’s a dream come true for me.”