One of the most alluring things about football is the number of routes that can be taken to the top of the game. While the current Germany squad contains the kind of sheer talent that always appeared destined for greatness in the likes of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, it has also seen another player take the road less travelled to the elite in Kleindienst.
Kleindienst may translate from German as ‘small service’, but there is certainly nothing diminutive about the 6’4” centre-forward or his output. Fifteen goals and six assists in his first 25 appearances since joining Gladbach in the summer has marked a fine start to the latest chapter in a long career, with only Harry Kane and Omar Marmoush (who moved to Manchester City in January) boasting more goal involvements in the Bundesliga this season.
The international stage is a logical next step for a player who has built his way up to the limelight by succeeding at every level beneath that, despite having to overcome setbacks along the way. And when he was given his chance by Julian Nagelsmann for Die Nationalelf‘s games in October and November, he grabbed it with both hands, netting twice against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 7-0 victory – his first Germany goals. A third would follow soon after in Germany’s come-from-behind 2-1 win over Italy in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final in Milan.
