World champion of 2014 about career
Champion in Germany, Spain and Italy, Champions League winner and world champion in 2014: Sami Khedira has a successful football career behind him, which he ended last summer at the age of 34. “It’s not just about winning titles,” Khedira reflected on The Gab & Juls Show podcast (quoted via “ESPN” and “real total“) back to his career. “It’s the experiences and the amazing people I’ve met. The people are the most important thing.”
From Neuer to Klose: The German squad at the 2014 World Cup
One of those people at a young age was Kevin-Prince Boateng, whom Khedira first met with the U15 national team. “He was better than everyone else. He was so talented I thought this guy must be in the top 5 in the world. He could play any position: as a striker, as a midfielder or even as a goalkeeper,” said the midfielder. “Some of my teammates were technically better,” admitted Khedira. But for the step to the professionals you need “the right mentality”. “If you’re talented but don’t have the mentality, you won’t make it.”
Khedira himself made the leap in October 2006 at the age of 19 with VfB Stuttgart under Armin Veh, at the end of the season he celebrated the Bundesliga title. Just three years later, he made his big international breakthrough when he switched to Real Madrid. Khedira received the news about the interest of the “Royal” shortly after the biggest disappointment of his career at the time: the elimination in the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup against Spain (0-1).
Khedira only spoke to Mourinho for ‘a minute or two’ at Real Madrid
“I was depressed and thought maybe the game against Spain was a bit too big for Germany. Then I got a text message from my brother (Denny Khedira; consultant). He said: ‘Mourinho will call you.’ I just thought, ‘What?’ And he said, ‘Yes, yes. He’s looking for a six’,” recalled Khedira, who hadn’t expected the interest of such a top club as he was still “very young”.
“I said he had to write me because my English was so bad at the time and I was so nervous. So then he wrote to me and he was like, ‘You’re a fantastic player and a fantastic guy. I want you to come to Real Madrid,'” said Khedira, who flew to Madrid with his brother shortly afterwards.
“We had a conversation, but it only lasted a minute or two. He asked, ‘What are your expectations?’ I said, ‘I want to win.’ Then he said, ‘Okay, you’re my type.’ He gave me a hug and a kiss and said, ‘See you in Los Angeles in two weeks for pre-season.’ That’s it. I said to my agent, ‘Okay, that’s not a good sign. We made a special trip to Madrid and are we going back after a minute?’” says Khedira. “My advisor was just like, ‘No, no, it’s fine. That’s perfect. We speak later.’ That was the beginning of the story.”
This lasted five years, during which Khedira played 161 games for the “Royal”. Coming to Madrid and “meeting and working with Mourinho was one of the best experiences of my life. He opened the door to the highest level of football for me,” concluded Khedira. “He gave me so much confidence because I was new to the team, didn’t have any friends and didn’t know much English or Spanish. Mourinho told me: ‘It’s like a puzzle. Real signed Kaká a year ago, brought in Cristiano and also Benzema. And now it needs players who work hard.’” He needed him alongside the other “geniuses” on the pitch. “Unbelievable. Thinking about it gives me goosebumps.”
Khedira in 3rd place: German professionals at Real Madrid
After three years, Khedira and Mourinho went their separate ways, leaving Madrid for Chelsea. “In the end there were too many egos in the dressing room. If the ego is put above the spirit of the team, you’re lost,” Khedira still supports the change of coach today. “Maybe it was normal after the intensive time.” It’s almost a rule in football: “You hear the same voice every day, the same speeches, do the same training – it gets boring. You have to change the coach or the players. It’s not personal, it’s the truth.”
The success was right: With successor Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid won the Champions League again after twelve years. The Italian always looks “angry or grumpy”, but is “one of the nicest people I’ve ever met in football,” affirmed Khedira. “Most of the players were happy that Mourinho left because they had more freedom and could be more creative as a result. Ancelotti did it perfectly.” The 62-year-old listened and slowly introduced his ideas to the team. “This season something special has developed step by step. From the spirit in the dressing room, we felt that we had to stand together.”
Khedira: Juventus took a risk with Cristiano Ronaldo
Two years after Mourinho, Khedira also left Real Madrid. The world champion signed on at Juventus Turin and won five championship titles in a row – again alongside Cristiano Ronaldo from 2018. Khedira is not surprised that the former series champion has struggled in the past two years: “When you sign someone like Ronaldo, you get one of the best players in history, you get more income, more Instagram likes, more jersey sales, but there is also another kind of pressure. And maybe you risk losing some of your identity, especially at a club like Juventus. Not because he’s a bad player, but because he might not fit your identity. And Juventus has a strong identity.”
Riedle to Haller: Germans with the most Serie A appearances
It was “about hard work and defense”. “Think of the back line with Barzagli, Chiellini and Bonucci or the midfield with me and Marchisio and Matuidi, all working hard in a certain way. And if you then try to change something, you might lose something, and some of the newcomers don’t fit in,” explained Khedira, who played a total of 145 times for the Bianconeri before starting his career at Hertha in the first half of 2021 BSC ended. He gave everything for Juventus “every day, because that was the DNA of the club. But when you try to change, sometimes you lose that focus. Sometimes you can’t copy what other people are doing. Pep Guardiola is fantastic, but he is Pep Guardiola. You can’t copy that.”
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