It was Kevin Kurányi’s luck that he had a “bad day” a quarter of a century ago, otherwise he would probably never have become a professional footballer at VfB Stuttgart. The then 15-year-old Kurányi, who was born in the Brazilian metropolis of Rio de Janeiro and grew up in the state of the same name, auditioned in Augsburg.
His father hoped that in Germany he would have better chances of fulfilling his dream of playing professional football. But, as Kurányi tells the story to SWR Sport, he just didn’t have a good day – and Augsburg didn’t want it. A week later he got another chance, this time at VfB. Again his father mediated. The club kept him there for a week, examined strengths and weaknesses and decided: The young, lanky Kurányi can stay.
At VfB he scored against Manchester United
And he stayed. He was at VfB for eight years and scored 57 goals in 132 games for the pros. A special one on October 1, 2003 in the Champions League group stage against Manchester United. VfB won 2-1 against Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and the young Cristiano Ronaldo at the Gottlieb Daimler Stadium.
Kurányi scored to make it 2-0. He lifted the ball from the edge of the penalty area to the underside of the crossbar, from where it bounced into the goal. Then, followed by strike partner Imre Szabics, he headed towards the corner flag to celebrate. “The whole stadium was raging. It’s just a moment that will stay in my memory for the rest of my life,” says Kurányi today while sitting under the palm trees in Dubai.
Kuranyi hopes that Stuttgart will hold the class
He is in the United Arab Emirates on business and at the same time celebrating his 40th birthday. A lot has happened in Kurányi’s life since his goal against Manchester. What has remained is the passion for VfB. He lives with his family in Stuttgart. It hurts him that the club, with which he delivered furious games nationally and internationally, is now worried about staying up. “I really believe in it and I wish they could do it. And I hope that the lads and everyone who works there really does everything they can to stay in the Bundesliga.”
“Of course it hurts as a Stuttgarter to see the club down. And despite everything, as a Stuttgarter you always have hope.”
Kevin Kurányi on the situation at VfB Stuttgart
Kurányi: VfB lack the experience
Back then, Kurányi was one of the so-called “Young Wild Ones” along with players like Philipp Lahm and Aljaksandr Hleb. The current team put together by sporting director Sven Mislintat and coach Pellegrino Matarazzo reminds him of that time. But what the team lacks is experience. “In Bordon, Soldo and Balakow we had players who controlled the team, who went ahead when we lost. As young players, we looked up to them. I think that’s missing at VfB at the moment.” But he also says that as an outsider it’s always easy to speak up.
Kurányi on Hoeneß: A “very great” coach
Kurányi moved from VfB to Schalke in 2005, from there to Moscow after five years, and then, again five years later, played in his last year as a professional in Kraichgau at TSG Hoffenheim. What is the team, sixth in the Bundesliga, doing so well at the moment? “They have a very great coach who I’ve known for years and is really a great person.”
With Sebastian Hoeness Kurányi, both born in 1982, became German champions in the U17s at VfB. “He was always someone who analyzed everything. He was a very intelligent boy and has now become a man who will be very successful as a coach. Because of his intelligence, because of his way of working, and because of his inner peace .”
His end with the national team was ‘bitter’
He doesn’t see himself in such a role at the moment: as a coach or sports director, he has to give up too much of his freedom and work too closely with a club. Instead, Kurányi advises young players and wants to share his experiences – including the negative ones. In 2008, the then national coach Joachim Löw threw him out of the national team, with which he had become runner-up in Europe.
Kurányi had not been considered for an international match against Russia. He saw the first half in the stands, then he disappeared without prior agreement and was initially no longer available. A scandal. After that he didn’t play for the national team anymore. “It was the most bitter moment of my football career because I might have had 30 to 50 caps more if it hadn’t happened like that.” Today he regrets his behavior. He had long spoken to Löw. He advises young players to “take two or three deep breaths” before making such a big decision.
Kurányi on the war in Ukraine
In 2010 he moved to Moscow. There he scored 56 goals in 151 games. He felt comfortable in Russia, he says. It makes him all the more depressed when he is about Putin’s war in Ukraine speaks. His thoughts are also with former teammates such as the Ukrainian Andriy Voronin, who was Putin’s assistant coach at Dynamo Moscow until the attack, but has since given up and traveled to Germany with his family. “Everyone who has a heart is against the war,” says Kurányi. “I hope and pray every day that it passes as soon as possible.”
Source: SWR