Matthäus Urges Klopp to Recall In-Form Füllkrug for Germany

Lothar Matthäus believes Niclas Füllkrug’s surge at Werder Bremen warrants a fresh Germany call-up, with the former captain urging Jürgen Klopp to look beyond the striker’s age as the national side searches for reliable goals before November’s Nations League fixtures.

Key takeaways

• Füllkrug has struck seven times in seven competitive matches since returning to Bremen on loan from West Ham United.
• Germany play Serbia on 13 November before meeting the Netherlands three days later.
• Matthäus places Kai Havertz first among Germany’s options, with Füllkrug his preferred experienced deputy.
• Füllkrug, 33, has asked for the discussion around a possible international return to stop after repeatedly declining to address it.
• Rudi Völler has left open the possibility of a recall, while stressing that the next European Championship is still two years away.

Füllkrug’s Bremen revival strengthens the case

Füllkrug was last included in the Germany group in early September 2025 and has endured a difficult period since leaving Borussia Dortmund for West Ham. Muscle problems and ongoing Achilles irritation restricted him to 29 competitive outings across a season and a half in England, producing three goals and two assists.

A subsequent loan spell at AC Milan did little to change the picture. He played 20 times and scored once for the Italian club, then missed last summer’s World Cup. His return to Bremen has been markedly different, however. The forward recently scored twice against SC Paderborn to earn Werder two points and then netted a stoppage-time winner at Borussia Dortmund.

Daniel Thioune noted that Füllkrug is level with Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick at the top of the Bundesliga scoring standings. The Bremen coach said a player leading that list could not be doing much wrong, adding that Klopp should contact Füllkrug if Germany need goals.

Matthäus accepts that Füllkrug is not an elite all-round forward, describing him as a solid, average player, but feels he could offer Germany a solution through to the European Championship. His argument rests on output: Füllkrug scores regularly, is popular within the group and has made the clearest goal-based case among the available central strikers.

Füllkrug himself does not wish to fuel the issue. Speaking after the weekend, he said he had made clear on numerous occasions that he did not want to discuss a return, and asked for that position to be respected.

Germany’s present options and next generation

Matthäus sees a shortage of specialist centre-forwards. Havertz recently withdrew injured again and is not regarded by Matthäus as a natural No. 9, while Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Tim Kleindienst has suffered another injury. Nick Woltemade has been struggling for form, despite scoring his second Europa League goal for Juventus. The forward is still waiting for his first league goal in Italy, where his displays have drawn criticism as Juventus suffered a 3-0 defeat to Lazio. Matthäus has suggested that a Bundesliga return could benefit him.

Völler has also acknowledged Füllkrug’s aerial quality and said there was a case for considering him if he continues to score such goals. Germany’s sporting director said Klopp would assess his form over the coming matches, although he cautioned that Füllkrug will be older when the next European Championship arrives.

The longer-term competition is developing. Nicolo Tresoldi has impressed for Club Brugge and Germany’s under-21 team, including record-setting Champions League performances, but the German-Italian forward will not choose his future international allegiance until after next summer’s Under-21 European Championship.

Dzenan Pejcinovic and Younes Ebnoutalib are also viewed as potential future options. Pejcinovic has yet to score a Bundesliga goal for VfB Stuttgart after his €25 million transfer from VfL Wolfsburg, while Ebnoutalib was Eintracht Frankfurt’s decisive player again last Friday. The 23-year-old has six goals and two assists in seven competitive games.

Paris Brunner has made an especially forceful start for AS Monaco and the under-21 side, scoring twice in his youth-team debut and registering seven goals in eight matches for Monaco. Matthäus nevertheless believes the immediate order should be Havertz first, Füllkrug as the seasoned alternative, and Tresoldi included on the strength of his scoring record.