U21 European Champion “proud”
After his first nomination for the German national team, Anton Stach was very surprised. The defensive midfielder from Mainz 05 found out about the appointment of national coach Hansi Flick on Thursday.
The 26-man squad of the DFB against Israel and the Netherlands
“I was in the car with Andy Lucoqui. He was about to turn on music on my phone and saw that I had a missed call: he then put my phone on speakerphone and called back. When the national coach said his name, we both looked at each other wide-eyed and I really had to concentrate on driving, and then I made two wrong turns. Everything fell off my face. We talked briefly, and I couldn’t sleep really well after the night’s news,” said the 23-year-old in an interview on the Rheinhessen website.
When he made his announcement, Flick described Stach as a “surprise for everyone” and explained: “We want to see what potential he offers us.” Born in Buchholz, he has steadily risen in recent years. Last summer he became European champion with the U21 and took part in the Olympic Games. In addition, he switched from newly promoted Greuther Fürth to the “Nullfive” for 3.5 million euros, where he has since blossomed into a regular. Its development is also reflected in its market value: if it was worth one million euros a year ago, it is now 4 million euros.
“You imagine the development in your dreams, but you definitely don’t believe that it can happen so quickly. The fact that things are moving quickly in this direction also has to do with the trust that the coach and the team here at Mainz 05 have placed in me. I feel really good, I was given a great welcome – a very important requirement. It’s unbelievable,” said a “proud” Stach, who has a contract in Mainz until 2024.
To home page