"Not holding a grudge"

Stöger ahead of his ÖFB debut: “I have the maturity now”

Kevin Stöger is ready for his debut with the national team.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Kevin Stöger is hoping to make his first appearance for Austria's national soccer team, but late in the day. The 31-year-old has been called up for the first time in the era of team boss Ralf Rangnick and is now set to make his debut in the Nations League games against Slovenia in Ljubljana on Friday or against Norway in Oslo on Monday. The Upper Austrian does not expect to be in the starting eleven. "But I want to show what I can do in training," said Stöger on Wednesday in Klagenfurt.

The Mönchengladbach professional was already part of the ÖFB squad once in March 2019 under Franco Foda, but watched the European Championship qualifying defeats against Poland and Israel from the bench. He had previously played for all of the ÖFB youth teams and also took part in the 2011 U20 World Cup in Colombia.

In the previous week, Rangnick informed Stöger of his nomination by telephone the day before the squad was announced. "I was very pleased," said the left-footer. The fact that he was previously left out despite consistently good performances at Bochum is no longer an issue. "If you put your foot down, you'll be rewarded at some point. That's how it was now. I knew he would call me up at some point."

Criticism of the ÖFB? "That's not my place"
Werder Bremen captain Marco Friedl recently complained to journalists about not playing a role in the national team. For Stöger, such an approach was out of the question. "Of course I was disappointed. That's normal, especially when you perform. But I would never have criticized anyone publicly, that's not my place." He was "absolutely not critical or resentful", explained the potential debutant. Why he had to wait so long "ultimately doesn't matter to me now".

Stöger joined VfB Stuttgart as a 16-year-old, then played for Kaiserslautern, Paderborn, Bochum, Düsseldorf, Mainz and most recently Bochum again before moving to Gladbach on a free transfer in the summer. He played in the first three matches of the season for the "Foals" and received good reviews; he has now made 150 appearances in the German top flight.

Career as a wandering bird
Stöger never stayed at one club for longer than two years during his professional career. "I'm a person who always wants to experience something new and isn't afraid when something new opens up. So far, I've always made the right move, especially now to Gladbach," said the midfielder.

Even as a teenager, Stöger was not interested in making a name for himself in the Austrian league first. "It was always my dream to play in the German Bundesliga." Stöger cited Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi as role models, while Andres Iniesta and Xavi also inspired him. "I don't need a role model who is a duel monster."

Stöger is responsible for the fine mechanics, is regarded as a man for decisive passes and has strengths in the execution of set pieces. "I have enormous quality in the final third. You can bring me in at any stage of the game," emphasized the father of an eleven-month-old girl.

At the age of 31, Stöger considers himself to be in his prime as a footballer. "I'm in top shape, I'm now mature enough to know how I should and want to play soccer, that only comes with time. I am now a seasoned player, one who leads the way."

Maximilian Wöber

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

There was praise for Stöger from Maximilian Wöber. "He has an extremely fine left foot, is an extreme weapon with set pieces and has a lot of creativity. We have a lot of players from the Red Bull school, they are very straightforward. Kevin is more of a free spirit," said the central defender.