Nico Schlotterbeck eyes swift return to the Germany squad | OneFootball

He’s back. In BVB’s 1-0 victory over VfL Wolfsburg last Sunday (September 21), Nico Schlotterbeck was back on the pitch for the first time in almost half a year. But is the 25-year-old central defender already ready for the national team?

The comeback was promising. Schlotterbeck seemed a bit nervous at the start of the match against the Lower Saxons, and his play was not precise enough in the beginning. Understandable after such a long break. As the game progressed, he regained his confidence and, as usual, provided his teammates with pinpoint through balls.

The Waiblingen native is under contract until 2027. An extension in the near future is likely. BVB knows what they have in Schlotterbeck – and Schlotterbeck knows what he has in BVB.

He admits that he missed being on the pitch. “The worst part of the injury was not being able to play in front of the fans anymore. It was like a cold adrenaline withdrawal. I missed it a lot,” Schlotterbeck revealed in an interview with the WAZ. “The stadium would only be half as good without the fans. We footballers are adrenaline junkies who need the competition and the fans.”

Back in October already?

But Borussia’s defensive leader doesn’t just want to succeed at club level. The 25-year-old is also aiming for a return to the national team. The next international matches for the DFB squad are coming up in October, when Germany will face Luxembourg (October 10) and then Northern Ireland (October 13) in World Cup qualification. He made his last appearance—his 25th so far—a few days before his injury in March 2025, in the 3-3 draw in the Nations League quarterfinal second leg against Italy.

Schlotterbeck does not rule out the possibility that he could already be part of head coach Julian Nagelsmann’s (38) squad by then. “That depends on how the knee holds up,” says the defender, who has recovered from a meniscus tear. “Basically, I’m quite optimistic, since I was already able to play 90 minutes. I’ll discuss it calmly with the club as well.”

The Dortmund player is doing everything he can to be part of next year’s World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. But for now, the goal is to “secure a starting spot with the DFB by the World Cup,” Schlotterbeck announces.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.