Borussia Dortmund striker Steffen Tigges: “Playing in the Bundesliga was a childhood dream for me”
By Tushar Bahl
Steffen Tigges could not get the smile off his face after making his Bundesliga debut for Borussia Dortmund. And now he is eyeing his first senior goal.
The last few weeks have certainly been very special for Steffen Tigges. Injuries to Erling Haaland and Youssoufa Moukoko saw head coach Edin Terzic call him up for Borussia Dortmund’s DFB Pokal second round tie against Eintracht Braunschweig last month. And the towering striker hasn’t looked back since.
Tigges played 90 minutes in Braunschweig to help Borussia Dortmund earn a 2-0 win. And his encouraging performance in the DFB Pokal tie prompted Terzic to keep him in the first team following the winter break.
Tigges made his Bundesliga debut after coming off the bench against Wolfsburg two weeks ago, and he could not get the smile off his face after completing his childhood dream.
"“Playing in the Bundesliga was a childhood dream for me, and I couldn’t get the smile off my face. I was really happy,” Tigges said."
The Borussia Dortmund II captain also came off the bench last weekend against RB Leipzig, and looks set to be in the senior squad once again for this weekend’s home game against Mainz 05. He said that he is happy to be kept off the score-sheet as long as the Black and Yellows keep winning matches.
"“Of course, you can’t really plan for that. If we keep winning and are successful in our games, then I’ll be happy not to score, but of course I want it to happen as soon as possible, because that would obviously be a huge moment that I’d be very happy about.”"
Tigges said that despite his size, he is by no means a traditional number nine. He likes to work hard for the team and help out his teammates both on and off the ball. “I’m not a classic penalty area striker, even if you might think that with my size. I work hard for the team and try to help the team with and without the ball, and by running the routes.”
Tigges also spoke about Erling Haaland and praised the incredible ambition of the Norwegian international. “His ambition is unique, of course. In every training session, he wants to shoot every ball into the net, and he often succeeds. His running, his energy, his presence – these are things I can definitely learn from him.”
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The 23 year old also looked ahead to this weekend’s game against Mainz and said that Borussia Dortmund cannot afford to take them lightly despite their poor start to the season. “We need a good attitude to the game. In the Bundesliga, no opponent can be taken lightly,” Tigges said.