Regional league, 2nd league, Bundesliga, UEFA Conference League, Europa League, Champions League – and now also the national team. The steep rise that Kevin Behrens has had over the past five years is unprecedented.
In May 2018, the attacker played his last of a total of 179 regional league games for 1. FC Saarbrücken and then moved from the fourth highest German league to SV Sandhausen in the 2nd Bundesliga. At the age of 27, Behrens had arrived in professional football – even then a latecomer.
Ripe age for debut in the DFB jersey
But things were to go even further for him: After three years in Sandhausen, Union Berlin knocked on Behrens and brought the attacker into the Bundesliga. The Berliners were also on the rise at the time, qualifying for the European Cup three times in a row, so Behrens also made international appearances.
The absolute icing on the cake was the appointment to the German national team after Julian Nagelsmann took office as national coach. In the friendly against Mexico, Behrens came on as a substitute in the 87th minute and was allowed to take his first steps as a DFB selection player in the final phase. At 32 years and eight months, he is now the ninth oldest debutant in the national team’s history, having watched the game against the USA from the bench.
“It was really exciting, really cool to get into such a wild game in this atmosphere. It’s just great that I played my first game,” he enthused afterwards, but also honestly admitted: “I definitely still have to work on myself “The guys are really strong. I’m not used to training and playing at this level, but I’ll keep working on myself and give it my all.”
“If I’m honest, I didn’t even think I’d make it into the Bundesliga,” the angular striker modestly admitted a few days before the game. “I’m very, very proud of the fact that I never gave up and always worked on myself. The path I’ve been on has made me who I am today,” said Behrens, knowing who he was with had to thank: his wife, with whom he has three children.
“She always supported me, even in difficult times. She went through everything, from Wilhelmshaven [wo Kevin Behrens 2011/2012 in der Regionalliga spielte – Anm. d. Red.] until now in Berlin.”
High-scoring start to the season with Union
Incidentally, there was already speculation about a nomination for the DFB team when Hansi Flick was still national coach – and the struggling team regularly made negative headlines. The reason: While there was a lack of strikers in the national team and there were always only a few chances to score, Behrens had already scored four times in the first two Bundesliga games of the season.
However, since there have been no further goals since then and Union recently experienced a negative series with seven competitive defeats in a row, Behrens himself had least expected a nomination for the USA trip.
Strong start-up, good in the air
Behrens said he was “shocked and surprised” by Nagelsmann’s call. The national coach was also initially irritated and asked several times whether Kevin Behrens from Union Berlin was really on the line. Nagelsmann had previously had a wrong number and had apparently spoken to someone who was even more surprised than Behrens.
“He’s a good guy who always wants to win. He ties in the box [dem 16-Meter-Raum vor dem gegnerischen Tor] “Many players,” the new national coach praised his striker before the game after the first training sessions. He is strong in the run-up but also in the air: “That helps when we have opponents who defend deep and we still need a goal “, says Nagelsmann.
Behrens as a role player for the EURO?
Behrens as the perfect Joker who fits into his role without complaint and makes no demands? Someone who is so happy and motivated by the mere fact of being there that he does everything on and off the pitch for the team’s success? And someone who doesn’t need any warm-up time when he comes on late, just keeps his head in the cross and scores the goal he needs?
Niclas Füllkrug had this role at the ultimately disappointing World Cup in Qatar. Kevin Behrens could take over at the upcoming home European Championships next year. He would be confident of it. According to Behrens, he could always “make a difference” and “cause turmoil.”
Kevin Behrens, for Germany at EURO 2024 in his own country, six years after his last regional league game – that would actually be the crowning achievement of an unprecedented rise.
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Mexico – Germany 2:2 (1:1)
Gates: 0:1 Rüdiger (25th), 1:1 Antuna Romero (37th), 2:1 E. Sanchez (47th), 2:2 Füllkrug (51st)
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