National team
Three Stuttgarters in debutant happiness: “Extremely beautiful”
Left-back Maximilian Mittelstädt celebrated his debut for the DFB team in France. photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
Maximilan Mittelstädt, Deniz Undav and Waldemar Anton are experiencing the next highlight of a great season in Lyon. The VfB professionals can now call themselves national players.
Three Stuttgart professionals can proudly add the big German football evening in Lyon to their CVs. Anyway, left Maximilian Mittelstädt, Deniz Undav and Waldemar Anton left the Groupama Stadium happy and proud after the national team’s 2-0 win following their first international match.
A fairytale season with VfB in the Bundesliga has reached its peak for the trio. Mittelstädt, Undav and Anton are now on their way to the home European Championship, like their colleague Chris Führich, who played for Germany for the second time.
The biggest winner among the three 27-year-olds was of course Mittelstädt. For the first time – and then immediately as a left full-back in the starting line-up – and that for the entire 90 minutes. And in many scenes he was right in the middle of things, and in the end he was even almost a goalscorer, first at the front with a powerful low shot, then at the back with an unsuccessful defensive action. Antonio Rüdiger prevented Mittelstädt’s own goal.
“A very nice feeling”
“Extremely beautiful,” Mittelstädt called his international debut. “It’s a dream come true to make his debut for the national team,” he said in an ARD interview. “I think it couldn’t have been nicer, winning 2-0. That’s a very nice feeling and I’m extremely proud.”
The Berliner’s job wasn’t easy. Opponent Ousmane Dembélé made the debut difficult for the left full-back with his pace and dribbling, especially in the first half. “Yes, he is one of the top players in his position in the world. It’s not easy to keep him completely under control for 90 minutes. We managed it well as a team,” said Mittelstädt. As to whether, after the good start as a national player, he hoped to be in the starting eleven again on Tuesday against Holland, he said: “Yes, of course.”
Striker Undav, who came on after 80 minutes, and Anton, who was brought into the game by national coach Julian Nagelsmann shortly before the final whistle as an additional defensive force, were also happy. Anton was honored to come on as a substitute for Toni Kroos in the 89th minute. “First of all, I’m proud that I got the playing time. I’m happy,” said Undav. There were still enough minutes left for a dangerous shot. “Of course it was good on our debut that we won 2-0.”
He held his jersey in his hand in the stadium catacombs on the way to the team bus. “I have to give this to my wife,” Undav revealed. Mittelstädt had already promised his mother before the game.