Niclas Füllkrug’s Germany Return: Klopp Keeps the Door Open as Goals Mount
Niclas Füllkrug is making it increasingly difficult for Germany’s national-team selectors to ignore him. The Werder Bremen striker has returned to the Bundesliga in outstanding form, scoring regularly and sharing the league’s scoring lead. Yet national coach Jürgen Klopp has stopped short of confirming whether the 33-year-old will be included in Germany’s next squad.
Klopp addressed the question during coverage of Bayern Munich’s Champions League draw with Arsenal, offering a cautious response that balanced Füllkrug’s immediate impact against Germany’s longer-term plans. His comments have added momentum to the debate over whether experience and current form should outweigh age as the national team looks for a dependable centre-forward.
Klopp weighs Füllkrug’s form against Germany’s future
Asked about emerging striker Nico Tresoldi, Klopp praised the young forward’s progress and potential. He then acknowledged Füllkrug’s remarkable run in front of goal, noting that the Bremen striker was scoring “one goal after another” in the Bundesliga. Klopp also pointed out that Füllkrug is 33, but made clear that age alone would not settle the question.
“We have a present, a medium-term future and a long-term future,” Klopp said, suggesting that a player could contribute across more than one stage of the team’s development. He added that Füllkrug might be useful now, and potentially beyond the immediate future, while stressing that Germany still needed to assess the situation.
Klopp also pushed back against the idea that a player in his thirties should automatically be ruled out. Citing Lionel Messi’s participation in a World Cup at around 39 or 40, he argued that elite players can remain valuable well into their later careers. More immediately, Klopp said he was pleased to see Füllkrug back playing after a period affected by physical problems. The striker, he observed, currently looks fresher than before.
A striking start to life back at Werder Bremen
Füllkrug’s form gives the recall discussion a strong footballing foundation. After two difficult years away from Germany, including spells at West Ham United and AC Milan, he returned to Werder Bremen in the summer. Since then, he has scored seven goals in seven competitive appearances, putting him level with Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrick Schick at the top of the Bundesliga scoring chart.
The figures are especially significant because Germany have not found a settled solution at centre-forward. Füllkrug offers a familiar profile: a physical presence in the penalty area, strong aerial ability and the instinct to turn chances into goals. His recent scoring run suggests that he is not simply benefiting from a brief burst of confidence; he is producing consistently across competitive matches.
That does not guarantee a place in Klopp’s squad. International selection depends on more than goals, including tactical fit, fitness, form across a longer stretch and the coach’s plans for upcoming fixtures. Germany’s next squad announcement is expected in early November, but Klopp has not said whether Füllkrug will be included.
Growing support for a DFB comeback
Support for Füllkrug’s return has come from prominent figures in German football. Sporting director Rudi Völler recently said that performances ultimately determine selection, while leaving the final decision to the national coach. The message was measured, but it kept the door open for the forward.
Former Germany captain and record appearance-maker Lothar Matthäus has been more direct. He has argued that Füllkrug deserves consideration because he is scoring more than any other German striker at present. Matthäus also highlighted what he sees as a shortage of convincing options in the central attacking role, saying that Germany cannot rely on discussions about young prospects alone when the team needs goals now.
Several alternatives have faced setbacks. Kai Havertz has recently left the national squad injured, while Borussia Mönchengladbach forward Tim Kleindienst has also been hampered by injury. Matthäus believes Nick Woltemade is still searching for his best form. In that context, Füllkrug’s sharpness and experience could offer Germany a practical solution, particularly if the team needs a traditional striker capable of occupying defenders and finishing chances.
Füllkrug asks for the speculation to stop
While the public debate grows, Füllkrug himself has made it clear that he does not want to discuss a possible Germany return. He recently asked the media to respect his repeated requests to leave the subject alone, saying he had already made his position clear many times.
His response suggests that he is keen to focus on club football rather than allow speculation to become a distraction. For Werder Bremen, that focus has paid off: the striker has returned to familiar surroundings and quickly become one of the Bundesliga’s most productive players. Whether his goals will translate into another international opportunity remains a decision for Klopp and the DFB.
Why Nico Tresoldi is a separate selection question
Klopp’s remarks about Tresoldi also drew attention, but the young striker’s international future is far from settled. The German-Italian forward has scored nine goals in 13 competitive matches and has attracted interest because he could represent Germany, Italy or Argentina through his heritage.
Tresoldi has indicated that he wants to wait until after next summer’s Under-21 European Championship before deciding which country to represent. A senior competitive appearance for one national team could affect his eligibility for the others, so a Nations League call-up would carry consequences beyond a single camp.
Klopp said the player should be allowed to make that decision when he is ready, adding that Germany should not pressure or pursue a player who has not yet chosen his international future. He stressed that his broader point was not aimed specifically at Tresoldi, but reflected a general principle about national-team selection.
What happens next for Germany’s striker search?
For now, Füllkrug’s strongest argument is simple: he is scoring. His age may shape how Germany plan for the future, but his current output gives Klopp a compelling reason to assess him on present performance rather than reputation or previous injury concerns. If the Bremen striker maintains this form, the prediction surrounding a national-team comeback is likely to intensify ahead of the next squad announcement.
Still, the decision is not automatic. Klopp must weigh Füllkrug’s fitness, tactical role and ability to contribute within the squad, while also considering Germany’s longer-term development. The coach’s comments suggest that the possibility remains open, but no promise has been made. Until the squad is named, Füllkrug’s return to the DFB team remains one of German football’s most closely watched selection questions.
