Manager explains why he rates Kai Havertz so highly | OneFootball

Julian Nagelsmann has insisted that the German national team rate Kai Havertz a lot higher than the public do, praising what the Arsenal man offers.

MUNICH, GERMANY: Kai Havertz of Germany scores his team’s third goal from the penalty-spot during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Germany and Scotland at Munich Football Arena on June 14, 2024. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Arsenal’s Kai Havertz ended the season in great form for the Gunners, but his personal campaign didn’t finish there, with the small matter of playing for Euro 2024 hosts Germany outstanding.

Havertz has played every game of Germany’s run in the tournament so far, scoring two goals and assisting one in his four appearances.

Yet there have been calls from some supporters for Germany to play Niclas Fullkrug instead, with the 31-year-old Dortmund striker also scoring two goals at the tournament.

MUNICH, GERMANY: Kai Havertz of Germany celebrates scoring his team’s third goal from the penalty-spot during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Germany and Scotland at Munich Football Arena on June 14, 2024. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Julian Nagelsmann didn’t buckle to the public pressure for Germany’s first knockout game against Denmark, giving Havertz another start. He explained why before the match.

“If you look at it from the outside, a demand for Fülle (Niclas Fullkrug) is understandable, even though Kai (Havertz) comes off much worse in the public assessment,” Nagelsmann said.

“[Havertz] has a clear job in many games, which means that he doesn’t have many ball actions because he should create space for others. He did that exceptionally well.

“In the internal assessment, Kai is ranked much higher than in the public.

“For the striker, it’s not always just about scoring a goal. If you’re substituted and the opponent is already tired, you might have a little more space. Fülle has a good rating, but Kai is an important player for us.”

Kai Havertz holding Arsenal’s April Player of the Month award (Photo via Arsenal on Twitter)

Havertz ended up scoring the breakthrough goal in the contest, albeit from the penalty spot, placing his spot-kick perfectly.

Next comes Germany’s biggest threat so far, a high-flying Spain team who look like tournament favourites. Havertz appears likely to make the lineup once again, with that game taking place on Friday, July 5th at 17:00 BST.