Leon Goretzka in '51' interview before his departure | OneFootball

Eight years, seven German championships – and a career that’s defined by much more than titles. Ahead of his departure at the end of the season, Leon Goretzka speaks to FC Bayern members' magazine '51' about defining moments on the pitch and what concerns him away from it: remembrance culture and the belief that opinions shouldn’t stay private.

Interview with Leon Goretzka

Leon, you’re heading into your final month at FC Bayern – and you still have a chance of winning all three competitions. Are you experiencing these exciting weeks more consciously than normal? “I wanted to. It hasn’t happened yet – I’m too much in the zone for that. I want to win, I want success. There’s no time to really soak it up. But I think that’s also the right way – that's the only way I can truly enjoy it”

Let's go right back to the start. You were 23 when you came here in 2018. Can you still remember your first day at Säbener Straße? “At the time, we’d just had a pretty disastrous World Cup. Nevertheless, I came to Säbener Straße full of anticipation. I already knew a lot of the guys from the national team, but of course I was still a bit nervous on the first day – but more eager to finally get started.”

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You came with clear sporting ambitions. How’s that worked out in the last eight years? “I can still remember my first press conference, someone asked me what my ambitions are – and I said I saw myself being in the starting line-up soon. There were a few grins in the room, but I managed it fairly quickly. However, even I wouldn’t have thought that I’d stay here for so long and be so successful.”

Were those grins motivation for you? “Definitely. I also remember a ‘Doppelpass’ programme where Mario Basler and Peter Neururer made a bet. Basler said I wouldn’t even play five games for Bayern – it was a few more than that. I’ve no idea if Peter Neururer ever got his crate of beer (grins).”

It was over 300 games for Bayern, as well as 14 trophies – and you could still add a couple more. When you look back over your Bayern years, which period was the strongest? “In the period after the Covid pause, we broke one record after another as a team, won the Champions League and the treble – often in front of empty stands, sadly. That was a real shame. Since then, it’s been my incentive to experience another season like that but together with the fans. That was also a reason why I decided in the winter to stay until the summer. I really want to repeat 2020, just with our fans. That would be something else.”

Does it feel like 2020 now? “We like to joke among ourselves that, back then, from the quarter-finals on, we somehow knew we were going to win the title. That sense of confidence has returned in recent weeks. It has nothing to do with arrogance, and it certainly doesn’t mean we’re going to win the Champions League. But there’s that special feeling which, with a bit of luck, you might experience once or twice in your career. We have a team where every cog meshes together. We have individual quality and, at the same time, that hunger, that willingness to run. And now I’m absolutely determined to see just how far it takes us.”

You’re a footballer who also comments publicly on social issues. How difficult has it become to take a stand as a sportsman? “I don’t think it’s become more difficult; it’s just always been difficult. Because you then get animosity and have to deal with that.”

And how do you deal with it? “For me it’s clear that I’ll keep speaking up on topics that are important to me, no matter how much I get attacked on social media for it. I think, particularly in these times, it’s important not to look away but to stand up and speak up.”

A few years ago you met Margot Friedländer, a Holocaust survivor. What’s stayed with you from that encounter? “When I think about it, I immediately get goosebumps again. Meeting her reinforced to me that we have a responsibility to ensure certain things aren’t repeated. That’s why she was still so committed even at an old age and met a lot of young people. Sadly, in the final years of her life, she had to watch as things went in the wrong direction.”

Standing up, leading the way, inspiring others – you’ve always held yourself to that standard on the pitch, too. When did you realise that you weren’t just a teammate, but a leader? “It’s just in my nature and part of who I am as a player. In periods when it’s not going as well for you personally on the pitch, it’s not easy to maintain that standard. Then you try to help the team with your experience and be an example to the young players. That’s how I’ve always acted.”

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Several players at FC Bayern can claim to be leaders. How do you manage to really lead the way there? “It’s not hugely different in other teams. At Bayern, I’ve always had a lot of players around me who I was able to learn a huge amount from. It doesn’t always need a conversation; it’s often just behaviour that you notice. Manuel Neuer as captain is a gift, also Thomas Müller was someone from whom you could learn a thing or two. Thomas had that self-assurance to know how good you are, no matter what others say. I found that impressive.”

With the experience of eight years, what does it take to break through at FC Bayern? “First of all, of course, it takes talent, and you have to be exceptionally good. But the key thing is the right mindset. In my eight years, I’ve seen some good footballers come and go who didn’t fully realise what it means to play for Bayern. Perhaps they didn’t quite possess that same pride to not let themselves choke under pressure. The combination of talent, mentality and passion for the club is a winning formula for making it at Bayern.”

Joshua Kimmich always says that pressure completely spurs him on. Is it similar for you? “I was kind of familiar with that from my time at Schalke. The expectations there were also huge – and almost harder to fulfil than here at Bayern because the squad was very different. In the last eight years, this pressure situation has certainly driven me on. Thomas Müller once said that’s the thing he would eventually miss the most, and I understand him. Withstanding the pressure and overcoming it, ideally with success - that's a marvellous feeling. And you probably won’t get that anymore in later life.”

If you compare your idea of FC Bayern when you arrived to the reality that you’ve experienced in eight years at the club: what’s FC Bayern really like? “From the outside, you can’t imagine how welcoming the dressing room is. That’s what surprised me the most. Yes, it’s incredibly competitive and demanding, but at the same time, I felt secure from day one. I’ve felt at home at FC Bayern, I’ve made friends. To be able to compete for the biggest honours in football in such a warm environment – that combination is very special. It’s been a wonderful, intensive and special time, which I’ll certainly miss. Something would be wrong if that wasn’t the case.”

When did you realise that you’ve internalised the ‘Mia san mia’? “To be honest, I never really used to understand what ‘Mia san mia’ actually means. But I soon did when I came here, because of players like Thomas and Arjen (Robben), who exemplify it. And then I also tried to pass that feeling on to the players who came after me. It's vital to preserve the spirit of 'Mia san mia'; the torch must always be passed on.”

Comparing the Leon of 2018 to the one of today, are you now a better footballer? “A more experienced one, in any case. My game has changed. Under Thomas Tuchel I played further back – I wasn’t the classic box-to-box player anymore. Tuchel took me out of my comfort zone and put me in positions I didn’t know. I even played centre-back now and then. It was an extremely testing time for me, but I tried to embrace it – and realised I was becoming a more complete player.”

If you had to sum up your eight years at FC Bayern in one year, what would it be? “Gratitude.”