At 26 years old, Kai Havertz has more experience than most.
The former Leverkusen man has a history of scoring game-winning goals. His most famous is probably his Champions League-winning goal for Chelsea against Manchester City in 2021. It was a goal that denied Pep Guardiola and brought glory to Thomas Tuchel. However, it was not the only one for Havertz. A year later, he scored an extra-time penalty to win the Club World Cup for Chelsea. This season, Havertz scored an injury-time winner for Arsenal in the League Cup semi-final against his former team.
His injury-time win against Sporting in the Champions League quarter-finals was decisive for Arsenal and their passage to the final. And against Burnley, although he was lucky to escape a red due to a poor tackle, his header set up Arsenal’s Premier League title, which was confirmed immediately after a draw with Manchester City. In short, pressure is not a problem for the German forward.
This is made even more impressive considering how much time he has missed due to injury. On the opening day of the season, Havertz suffered a knee injury, which kept him out for most of the first half of the campaign. Shortly after his return he suffered a muscle injury. Many players would have struggled to perform well so quickly with so much on the line, but Havertz is not most players. The German has been back in regular action since March, and swiftly reminded the audience why he’s the man for the big moments.
“That’s what keeps me alive every day,” Havertz said. viaplay After winning the Premier League. “I have to be honest, some days I was definitely in some dark places, but I got up every morning and tried to work hard to get back as quickly as possible. Now, to be here and celebrate that win, it’s incredible and it shows you that everything is possible and you can work hard and you can always turn it around.”
hope for germany
Julian Nagelsmann will be one to keep a keen eye on, hoping he maintains his magic touch at the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico this summer.
Havertz has 21 goals for Germany, but has been less decisive at national level than for his clubs. Still, he will be the man to lead Germany at this World Cup and he has shown glimpses of how comfortable he is with the role.
His goal against Denmark at Euro 2024 put Germany on their way and against Ghana in March this year, Havertz overcame the lack of match practice to spark Germany’s comeback. His form is trending in the right direction and scoring a second Champions League-winning goal in May would not only be a milestone for Havertz, but Nagelsmann and Germany fans will also be hoping for more goals this summer.
A man whose career began at Leverkusen before he rose to fame by finishing the trials at the age of 17 and playing in the Bundesliga, Havertz’s career was at a crossroads when he joined Arsenal in 2023. Three years later, Havertz is in the right place at the right time. If he can perform well in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday, he will join the rare list of players to score in multiple Champions League finals. However, more than that, he may have cemented his place as one of the most successful German footballers of all time. Nagelsmann’s hope is to reach such a peak in the weeks before the World Cup. The pressure is on. For Havertz, it means just another day at the office.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold