It was since 2017 that Pascal Gross he did not leave England. He had to wait until he was 33 before landing in an authoritative reality and moreover a homeland like the Borussia Dortmund. However at Brighton, especially under the wings of Roberto De Zerbi, the German midfielder has become the “Kaiser” for the fans Seagullsalso receiving the prestigious call of the German national team for Euro 2024, until he returned to the Bundesliga in August. “I have to adapt again after seven years in England,” he said in an interview with the DFB.
The debut for Germany in September last year, however, he certainly hasn’t forgotten it: “My best period in football was there, my children were born there, it’s not just this”, even if in fact he turned out to be more concerned about the move to BVB: “I’m new, I have to adapt and be open to the club and my teammates.” Although in his debut with the yellow and blacks he drew two assists in the DFB Cup.
While now with Germany he wants try to fill the void left by an icon like Kroos: “If we play similar football, of course I have similar tasks to Toni. But the comparison would not be fair. For me he is probably the greatest and most successful footballer Germany has ever had. I learned a lot from Toni during the Europeans I also want to try to attract the opponents with short passes, play through the lines or put our fast attackers into play with balls behind the chain in my own way.”
On the occasion of the Nations League matches, the coach Julian Nagelsmann has called up several new faces for matches with European Championship semi-finalists Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Netherlands. But Gross already knows how to move with the new entries: “We want to make things as easy as possible for new players, so that they settle in quickly and feel at home. And that they immediately understand our way of playing. I try to support them, bring the spirit to the training pitch and set an example in some areas.”
With 10 international appearancesGross can boast more than the 13 players in the current Germany squad: “Every nomination makes me proud again. I know where I come from, it’s still something totally special to play for Germany, it will never be normal for me , the journey has been too long for this. You have to remember where you come from, show gratitude and humility.”