Maximilian Mittelstädt was considered a synonym for mediocrity in Berlin. His development in Stuttgart is also a stroke of luck for the national coach. The problem solver is facing a special European Championship home game.
Maximilian Mittelstädt now knows all about the best Hungarian red wine. He chose “a very, very good bottle” and brought it to Berlin as a thank you to his former coach and long-time sponsor Pal Dardai, he said at the national football team’s team camp. The fine wine tasted “absolutely excellent,” replied the Hungarian ex-coach from the capital, who is known for his red wine – and cigar enjoyment.
No further gifts can be expected in the Dardai household on Wednesday. Mittelstädt has to put his relations with Hungary on hold before his very personal European Championship home game in Stuttgart (6 p.m./ARD/Magenta TV) against the Magyars. Dardai will be a guest in the stands cheering on his son Marton at the opponents and not his football protégé Mittelstädt.
For the German national team, it’s about an early entry into the round of 16. For Mittelstädt, it’s about adding a chapter to the seemingly unbelievable story in his new Swabian homeland. In twelve months, he went from being a sad Berlin team that was relegated from the Bundesliga to – according to national coach Julian Nagelsmann – one of the four best left-backs internationally.
Development “madness”
How does that work? “It’s crazy how quickly everything can develop. I worked hard for it, even in the years when things weren’t going so well. I never doubted that I had the quality. I always believed in myself,” said Mittelstädt.
Mittelstädt came to the final training session on Tuesday in his neon yellow running shoes alongside Chris Führich and Waldemar Anton. Deniz Undav is the fourth Stuttgart player in the European Championship squad. The quartet is proof of Stuttgart’s collective upswing.
Mittelstädt also selected two bottles of wine with the VfB logo for the rest of the Berlin coaching staff. His current club coach Sebastian Hoeneß and Nagelsmann also deserve a good tipple. One enabled the development, the other recognized it. And Mittelstädt sees parallels. “Both are young, modern coaches who have a good connection with the team,” said the 27-year-old. His successful start in the national jersey this year was also made easier by the similar mentality of the coaches.
Bolting out not his thing
“It’s not just a tactical issue, but also a personal one. Both want to play football, want to have possession of the ball, want to play offensive football,” said Mittelstädt. He suspects that with a tactic that involves “just standing at the back and kicking the ball out,” he would not have fitted in so well as a left-back in the DFB jersey.
In March, Nagelsmann called him up for the DFB team for the first time. He impressed against France in the 2-0 win, playing opposite Ousmane Dembélé. Three days later, he scored his first international goal in the 2-1 win against the Netherlands – and “Major Tom” was his first goal jingle. Artist Tom Schilling presented the video for Mittelstädt’s nomination for the European Championship. “It was a cool idea, I was very happy about it,” said the new Stuttgart player.
Bargains from Berlin
VfB paid 500,000 euros for Mittelstädt in the summer of 2023. A bargain, as it turned out. “An apprentice always remains an apprentice.” That was the feeling Mittelstädt had at his youth club. In the relegation season, he was often only a substitute under Dardai.
In the national team, the man with the strong left foot was in the starting eleven in all of Nagelsmann’s games this year. He also put in a good performance in the 5-1 win against Scotland. The DFB’s long-standing problem at left back has now been resolved. And Mittelstädt is already dreaming of another European Championship home game. On July 14. European Championship final in the Olympic Stadium. In Berlin.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
