From the archive
©TM/IMAGO
At the end of the year, we’re taking some of our interview highlights from 2024 out of the archive. We published the article about our conversation with Erik Durm in July of this year.
The question of what he has in common with players like Frank Mill, Helmut Kremers, Andreas Köpke, Ulrich Biesinger and Günter Hermann no longer needs to be asked of Erik Durm ten years after winning the title at the World Cup in Brazil. He has been confronted with this too often. “That comes up in every interview.” Which is in the nature of things: The greatest sporting moment of his life was taking part in the 2014 finals. When Mario Götze’s stroke of genius in extra time against Argentina created that one moment in the Maracanã Stadium , which burned itself into the memory. As one of five world champions without playing a minute, Durm experienced the triumph up close. A total of 18 German players from 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014 were able to lift the World Cup trophy without even being on the pitch.
The 32-year-old Durm, who ended his professional career with his favorite club 1. FC Kaiserslautern last January, looks back on the highlight of the 2014 World Cup in an interview with Transfermarkt and reflects on other stages in his career. The Pirmasens-born footballer also provides deep insights into difficult phases. But first, in the first part of the TM interview, we look back a decade.
“I was so young back then. For me it was just the best thing to be there. Everyone always asked me afterwards whether I still felt like a world champion. I was allowed to go along and experience everything. I would never have demanded that I have to play. This team spirit was crucial for the title in 2014. There was simply no one who complained, but always tried to push the others,” says Durm and tells his story.
“Der Tagesspiegel” described the right-footer as the “unknown world champion” in 2017. “What that probably meant was that I wasn’t that present in the media and didn’t give that many interviews during that time,” Durm commented on the headline. “I’m not someone who necessarily sought the spotlight because I preferred playing football on the pitch and was actually happy when there wasn’t too much written about me. I wanted to do my thing – and that was football. I liked being by myself and with my family and didn’t need to be in the newspaper.”
Erik Durm’s positive World Cup experiences: “It’s nice when I’m asked about it”
Even today, Durm is occasionally confronted with what happened at the 2014 World Cup. Especially in amateur sports. “I started playing for SG Rieschweiler in the regional league. Preparation has started and I’m looking forward to lacing up my boots, training with the boys and playing a few games. There are a lot of young people there, one or two of whom keep asking about the World Cup. These were all positive experiences that I will never forget. That’s why it’s nice when I’m asked about it.” Regardless, Durm enjoys the time without the tough pressure of results in the spotlight. “I know the boys and everyone who sits in the sports center. In terms of sport, it is of course a huge difference from before. But it’s fun and that’s exactly what I wanted as a ending. Back to the home club, back to the roots. I played there until I was 14 and was always supported. I think giving something back to them is cool. I’m not entirely sure about my position yet, but I’m drawn to going back on the offensive, perhaps as a dual leader. Let’s see if I can still hit the goal. Normally you don’t forget something like that.”
Wagner, Klopp & Co.
Durms performance data by trainer
This way!
Durm was a striker before he was thrown into the deep end in professional football – and became a left-back at Borussia Dortmund in 2013/14. Within a year he rose from the 3rd league with BVB II under coach David Wagner all the way to the top. Bundesliga, DFB Cup, Champions League, set under Jürgen Klopp, the World Cup as the crowning glory. Nothing more is possible. “I had already signed with Dortmund in the regional league in the winter. Dave (coach Wagner; editor) said that they would like to get me for the second team. Kloppo also joined us in this conversation, which was a huge deal for me. I wondered why he sat down when it came to a player for the second team. Just that aura when he came in… The whole package makes him the world coach that he is. How could I not have signed in Dortmund? The fact that he took the time for me was something special. That showed his human side and what makes this club special,” reveals Durm.
Things didn’t go smoothly for the right-footed player after his transfer from 1. FSV Mainz 05 II to Dortmund in 2012: “I got injured relatively quickly for several months. When I came back, Bálint Bajner, a big, powerful center forward, had been signed. It was incredibly difficult for me to assert myself physically against ripped-off and experienced players in the third division. Kloppo told me openly and honestly that it would be difficult for me as a striker, but he could imagine that the full-back position could be a good fit because I was fast and ran a lot. I should think about that. It didn’t take me much time. When I got this chance, I didn’t care what position it was. After the third division season, in which we weren’t relegated, thank God, everything happened relatively quickly.” Durm took off and recommended himself for higher tasks in 2013.
First BVB training camp with the professionals: Durm was “a bit nervous”
“Before I was allowed to go to training camp with the first team for the first time, I was a bit nervous. As a striker, I knew that I would be measured by goals. But I didn’t know how to act as a full-back. It was the only position I had never played in my life. I then went into the video analysis with the coaching team and also spoke to Schmelle (Marcel Schmelzer; editor), Piszu (Lukasz Piszczek; editor) and Kevin (Großkreutz; editor). I was able to gain experience through friendly games and tried to find my way into the position. It went a lot quicker than I thought and was really fun right from the start. I had to walk a lot, which fortunately was never a problem for me. I just marched up and down the track until I dropped. So I was able to play my first professional game against Augsburg (on August 10, 2013; editor). The year was surreal, it was like a fairy tale for me.”
Joachim Löw’s squad for the World Cup in Brazil: This is how the nominees around Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm and Miroslav Klose were presented on May 8, 2014
The BVB professional played his way into the starting eleven during the World Cup season, and national coach Joachim Löw took note of the newcomer’s performance in what was actually the “wrong” position. Durm was riding the perfect wave. “Actually, I don’t want to highlight any moment in particular. I experienced many great moments and got to know wonderful teammates and people. For me personally, 2014 was the best year and the highlight. I was thrown in by Kloppo and he gave me complete support. This humanity of his is very rare in sport. He was the best coach I had because everything was just right. I was free to perform because I thought, ‘What do you have to lose?’ If I made a mistake, no one blamed me. Now when I think of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, I get goosebumps. I soaked it up, enjoyed every moment and always tried to give it my all.”
