Before the Bundesliga’s summer break, Niklas Süle struggled with motivation. Today, the footballer is clearly a new person.
Niklas Süle (28) can understand why he did not make it into the European Championship squad of national football coach Julian Nagelsmann (37) this year. In a new interview, the Borussia Dortmund defender talks about his recent transformation, previous motivation problems and what he was thinking when he could only watch the team at the European Football Championship.
When asked about the fact that he now apparently weighs eight kilos less than at the end of last season, he said that he had “probably the most intense summer” of his life. But that was also “urgently necessary”.
“Of course you think: ‘Shit man'”
The fact that he had previously lost his place in the starting line-up and was not present at the European Championships were things “for which I take the blame entirely. I did not deserve to be nominated for the European Championships by Julian Nagelsmann.” This decision was “completely understandable.” He himself had been excited about the national team’s games while he was training. “Of course you then think: ‘Shit, man, you were always part of the team for the last few years. And now they can play football and you practically live in the weight room,'” Süle remembers.
How did it come to this? “I just couldn’t manage mentally to do the right things,” explains the footballer. “I couldn’t motivate myself anymore. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Luckily, I was doing really well in my private life. Everything was and is fine. I had lots of important conversations and got help.”
He becomes Niklas Süle 2.0
According to his own statements, Süle put together a team with his family and his advisor. He has been working with a great mental coach for a while now, and the chefs who recently cooked for him were also “top class”. “I went into this summer break with the aim of creating something like a Niklas Süle 2.0. Now I am in a mental state that I haven’t been in for a long time,” says the athlete. Even though it was tough, he can now “really attack again”.
When Süle looks at how he is doing today, he says he is “happy and proud”. He is “on a very good path” in terms of fitness and mentally. Although he “still has room for improvement”, with his current condition he will be “in top shape” on the first match day with Borussia Dortmund.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
