TM interview on the anniversary
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At the age of 18, Matthias Ginter made his debut in the Bundesliga for SC Freiburg in January 2012 – around 14 years later, the three-time World Cup participant faces his 400th game in the German upper house on Saturday in the home game against Werder Bremen. A mark that not many players in league history have reached. In the Transfermarkt interview, the 32-year-old takes a look back. Ginter talks, among other things, about his childhood dream, a path developed with a lot of discipline and opponents and striker types that change over time.
The 51-time national player, who also spoke to TM when asked last week about a possible national team comeback, reflects on special high and lowlight moments, explains the appeal that the league has for him – and formulates a wish for his anniversary game.
Transfer market: Matthias, you are about to play your 400th Bundesliga game – a mark that only 72 players have reached before you. What goes through your mind when you hear this number?
Matthias Ginter: It’s a bit unreal. Like many children, I dreamed of the Bundesliga as a little boy. But of course that was extremely far away in my head at the time. Even as a professional, I never set a goal for myself, but of course I’m all the more pleased to hopefully be able to play this 400th game.
Transfer market: When you made your debut in 2012, you were just 18 years old…
Ginter: If I now think back to the day of my first Bundesliga game, then of course it was unimaginable at the time that my football career would develop like this. I certainly had talent, but I was never a high-flyer when I was younger. I had to work hard for this path with a lot of hard work, ambition and discipline.
Transfer market: And with success. What was perhaps the or one of the most important learning effects from 400 Bundesliga games?
Ginter: As a young player, I actually couldn’t have imagined that experience would play such a big role at some point. Both on and off the pitch. The forms of play change and the opponents develop over the years. In my early days in the Bundesliga, for example, the classic center forward, I would say the “Stefan Kießling type” or the “Alex Meier type” was very present. As time went on, there was an ever-increasing variety of striker types that you had to adapt to again and again. Gathering this experience is extremely important for the course of a career and is crucial for being able to react correctly to different situations. I underestimated that before.
Ginter before 400th Bundesliga game: Invested a lot in his health
Transfer market: Achieving such a number in professional football is no longer commonplace these days, but above all it is the result of sporting consistency and physical health. At 32, you are historically one of the youngest players to reach the 400 Bundesliga game mark. How do you feel physically?
Ginter: Regarding the first part of the question: Careers often start earlier and earlier, so some of them certainly end earlier. In the past, if you made your debut at the age of 18, you were still part of a smaller circle, but today that is no longer the case. And the second part: Health plays a central role and I actually invest a huge amount in this area every day throughout my entire career. Certainly a little more in recent years. It’s normal that, for example, an English week has a different effect at the age of 32 than at the age of 22. (laughs) But then it’s important to counteract it as best as possible.
Transfer market: If everything goes well, your 400th Bundesliga game will be a home game – and you will also move into the top 20 of Freiburg’s record players. What does that mean to you as a Freiburg boy and the club’s own product?
Ginter: To be honest, I didn’t know that at all, but it’s all the more beautiful, of course. I am happy to have played so many games for this club and to have been able to accompany the club on its successful journey for so long. But I also don’t want to miss the eight years outside of Freiburg. And that brings us back to the point we mentioned about empirical values. During that time, of course, new ones were added that were incredibly important for my development as a footballer, but also as a person.
It still tingles before every game.
Transfer market: When you look back on these almost 400 games: Are there any moments that particularly stand out or any that you missed?
Ginter: The first game with a goal – of course that stays forever! I would like to forget the two own goals… (laughs) Otherwise, I never had a real championship or relegation duel on the last matchday. The last game of the season was about qualifying for the Champions League five times – twice it worked, but unfortunately not three times. So I hope I can balance these statistics again. (laughs) Ultimately, the Bundesliga simply has this special appeal in that every game is different and anything can happen – sometimes you win 3-0 in Munich, sometimes you lose against a newly promoted team at home. That’s what fascinates me. And it still tingles before every game. The fact that I have been able to be a part of this history for so many years fills me with pride.
Transfer market: If you could wish for something for the anniversary game, it would be…
Ginter: … definitely a win and a clean sheet! (laughs)
Interview: Thomas Deterding
