Bayern Munich talent Tom Bischof speaks on inheriting No. 8 tricot from Leon Goretzka | OneFootball

Rising German midfield talent Tom Bischof has spoken on inheriting the No. 8 tricot number at Bayern Munich from departed German footballing legend Leon Goretzka. Bischof – despite being one of Germany’s most highly touted young prospects – narrowly missed out on the German World Cup squad. Goretzka joined Julian Nagelsmann in the USA. So too did much Bischof’s much younger Bayern Munich teammate Lennart Karl.

Tom Bischof ready to rise to Goretzka’s level

“I’ve waited a long time,” Bischof explained on the FCB website. “I want to take the next step. As a kid, you naturally dream of the number 10. I always wanted that one back then, too. Now I’ve moved back a bit and play more as a defensive midfielder, so the number 8 fits pretty well.“

Tom Bischof cautious about No. 8 tricot

Following in the footsteps of Goretzka, Javi Martinez, and Lothar Matthäus certainly constitutes no “small step”. Bischof emphasized that he did not exactly demand to take the No. 8 tricot. His presumed midfield partner Aleksandar Pavlovic – who also made the World Cup squad – was given the right of first refusal.

“I waited to see what Aleks Pavlovic would do first,” Bischof explained. “He’s been here longer, is a good friend of mine, and I think very highly of him. I spoke with him and waited to see if he wanted to take the No. 8.

“He preferred to stick with his No. 45,” Bischof continued. That’s how it came to be that I took the No. 8. I’m very happy about that. I asked, and they showed me their trust relatively early on by letting me have it.”

GGFN | Peter Weis