Niclas Füllkrug has no concerns over back-up role for Germany at Euro 2024

Niclas Füllkrug has declared that he is happy to play in any role for Germany at Euro 2024, and Kai Havertz has his full support as the team’s first-choice striker.

Despite his excellent goalscoring record for Germany, Niclas Füllkrug will most likely find himself on the bench when they kick-off their Euro 2024 campaign against Scotland later this week. Julian Nagelsmann has nominated Kai Havertz as his first-choice striker, with Füllkrug expected to come off the bench.

The decision has become the subject of a lot of debate in Germany, with many of the opinion that Füllkrug should start on the back of his impressive performances for Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League this season.

But for the 31 year old, the prospect of coming off the bench at the European Championship is not an issue. And he hopes that Havertz scores a lot of goals for Germany in the coming weeks.

“You have to accept the role you have in the team,” Füllkrug said during a press conference on Monday. “Of course I gave my opinion, but I'm more or less an employee, the coach is the one who decides. As a young player, you are taught to be competitive almost every day. But we have to remember that this is about something bigger and that we all have a responsibility."

"Of course everyone wants to play, but now Kai Havertz has my absolute support. I hope he scores a lot of goals because it will take us forward as a team and as a nation. I also see my role as a motivation."

Füllkrug’s physicality and old-school centre-forward play caused opposition defenders all sorts of problems in the Champions League this season. The Borussia Dortmund striker has also been scoring goals for fun since making his Germany debut in 2022, having found the back of the net on 11 occasions in just 16 appearances. He will hope to keep his fine run of form going when called upon by Nagelsmann at the European Championship.