Candidate for the World Cup?
Matthäus suggests new defender for the DFB team
01/11/2026 – 11:48 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
The Football World Cup starts in six months. Lothar Matthäus has now recommended a new defender to the national coach.
On the sidelines of the top game between Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart (1:4), Stuttgart defender Jeff Chabot received special praise from record national player Lothar Matthäus. Shortly before half-time, the 64-year-old raved about the central defender during the Sky broadcast: “He doesn’t have an international match yet, but I also see him as a candidate, even if he’s perhaps not on many people’s radars yet. But we have a bit of problems in terms of width, especially in central defense.”
From Matthäus’ point of view, a big advantage of Chabot is that he can play in both a three-man and four-man chain. “He has a physical presence and is strong in tackles and in the air,” he added. Only the fact that Chabot has been repeatedly injured in recent years has slowed him down, “but if he can pick up the rhythm of the game without injuries, then he will be one of the best central defenders in the Bundesliga,” Matthäus is certain.
However, Matthäus sang his praises even before Chabot impetuously took on Malik Tillman in the penalty area in the 65th minute and Leverkusen was able to reduce the lead to 1:4 with the following penalty. It had no effect on the outcome of the game, but Chabot was partly responsible for the Werkself’s consolation goal.
Rüdiger, who also played in Stuttgart between 2012 and 2015, has been back since the beginning of December and has started every league game since then.