Sami Khedira has had a year full of highs and lows: His rehab after rupturing his cruciate ligament, his comeback, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, the World Cup in Brazil and the injury just before the final against Argentina.
In an interview with DFB.de’s Steffen Lüdeke, the 27-year-old Germany international spoke about the biggest and toughest moments and about his personal project for next year.
DFB.de:Mr Khedira, it’s nearly Christmas and a new year is drawing closer. Will you be spending it in the mountains with your family as always?
Sami Khedira: Yes, it’s a tradition for us- Mountains and snow at Christmas. I always look forward to this time of year as it gives us an opportunity to be together as a family. I enjoy the peace and the comfort a lot. I always look forward to the time with my family. The past year has been stressful and the new one will be intense, so therefore it’s good to be able to recover ahead of the New Year.
DFB.de: You didn’t play as many games as usual in 2014 due to injury. Can it be concluded that you had less to do and therefore the break isn’t as important as normal? Or does the work in rehab require more power to get back to your usual match fitness?
Khedira: At first sight, you could think that 2014 wasn’t too strenuous for me. However, you have to put in a huge amount of effort to make your comeback as quickly as possible. And also mentally. I just made it in time for the World Cup, but that cost me a lot of energy. I also had to deal with small injuries after the World Cup and that annoyed me a lot. I’m a competitive sportsman, I want to compete, I want to help my team. I couldn’t do that as much in the second half of the season as I imagined. It’s hard to always have to train on your own and it’s hard not to lose your patience. I haven’t played as many games as usual but that doesn’t mean that I don’t need as much rest.
DFB.de: Medial ligament tear, cruciate ligament tear, calf injury, concussion. You missed some of 2014. Is your wish for 2015 to not have any injuries?
Khedira: Yes. I’m a footballer and I want to play football. I managed to be fit in time this year for the highlights. But my aim isn’t to just help my team in the highlights but I want to help them on the way to those highlights. And that can only happen I’m healthy and am not injured.
Sami Khedira has had a year full of highs and lows: His rehab after rupturing his cruciate ligament, his comeback, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, the World Cup in Brazil and the injury just before the final against Argentina.
In an interview with DFB.de’s Steffen Lüdeke, the 27-year-old Germany international spoke about the biggest and toughest moments and about his personal project for next year.
DFB.de:Mr Khedira, it’s nearly Christmas and a new year is drawing closer. Will you be spending it in the mountains with your family as always?
Sami Khedira: Yes, it’s a tradition for us- Mountains and snow at Christmas. I always look forward to this time of year as it gives us an opportunity to be together as a family. I enjoy the peace and the comfort a lot. I always look forward to the time with my family. The past year has been stressful and the new one will be intense, so therefore it’s good to be able to recover ahead of the New Year.
DFB.de: You didn’t play as many games as usual in 2014 due to injury. Can it be concluded that you had less to do and therefore the break isn’t as important as normal? Or does the work in rehab require more power to get back to your usual match fitness?
Khedira: At first sight, you could think that 2014 wasn’t too strenuous for me. However, you have to put in a huge amount of effort to make your comeback as quickly as possible. And also mentally. I just made it in time for the World Cup, but that cost me a lot of energy. I also had to deal with small injuries after the World Cup and that annoyed me a lot. I’m a competitive sportsman, I want to compete, I want to help my team. I couldn’t do that as much in the second half of the season as I imagined. It’s hard to always have to train on your own and it’s hard not to lose your patience. I haven’t played as many games as usual but that doesn’t mean that I don’t need as much rest.
DFB.de: Medial ligament tear, cruciate ligament tear, calf injury, concussion. You missed some of 2014. Is your wish for 2015 to not have any injuries?
Khedira: Yes. I’m a footballer and I want to play football. I managed to be fit in time this year for the highlights. But my aim isn’t to just help my team in the highlights but I want to help them on the way to those highlights. And that can only happen I’m healthy and am not injured.
DFB.de: Which trophy feels better, bigger and nicer: the World Cup or the Champions League?
Khedira: You can’t compare the two. It was an unbelievable moment for me to be able to touch the two trophies for the first time. Winning the Champions League with Real was a special “La Decima” as the people of Madrid had been waiting for twelve years for the tenth Champions League triumph and I had been waiting four years. And then we finally succeeded in winning it. Madness. Then came the World Cup. We were representing the whole country, our country, and we made the nation proud. Both titles were very special, very emotional and very important. And the fact that I won both in the space of two months is perfect.
DFB.de: When you take about your “game of the year in 2014”, which one was that for you?
Khedira: The World Cup final.
DFB.de: Even though you picked up a calf injury just before the game?
Khedira: That didn’t play a part. The World Cup final is the absolute pinnacle for everyone- both those that were taking part and those that weren’t on the pitch. I just missed out and of course that was bitter. But that’s only my individual story. For the team and for every individual player, and also for me, the game against Argentina was a sensational experience. The togetherness of the team, the support from the bench, the energy that was created- these were all reasons to our success. We all know that the success was down to every player and the whole group. Not just one player. Everyone played their part and that’s not a cliché. Extra-time, Mario’s goal, feeling at the final whistle, the scenes on the pitch and later in the dressing room and the hotel- these images will never be forgotten. They are emotional moments.
DFB.de: You finished 2014 with quite a special game in Vigo against Spain. How important was it for the team to finish the World Cup winning year with a win? And for you in terms of seeing your teammates at Real Madrid?
Khedira: My teammates at Real tried to devalue the game afterwards and said that it was only a friendly. Before the game, they were saying totally the opposite. (he laughs) I don’t want to overemphasise the game but I believe that the win was important. 2014 would be complete with a positive result to end the year. That didn’t come easy after the World Cup. We had a tough start in our European Qualifiers and we didn’t always show what we were capable of. The game against Spain gave us assurance that we could put in a top performance against a tough opponent, even after a new look to the side and with some injuries.
DFB.de: Your game of the year in 2014 was the World Cup final. What will be your “game of the year in 2015”…
Khedira: The “game of the year” will be on 14th June 2015 at the Gazistadion in Stuttgart. But perhaps it will need a bit more explaining…
DFB.de:Please explain what is the reason behind this “game of the year”?
Khedira: It’s a benefit game that has been organised by my charity. The game is the culmination of a long running initiative. The origin comes from a campaign run by my home club TV Oeffingen, which is where they named a stadium after me during the World Cup. I was moved by that and was inspired. I felt the need to help children in my region. As a child and a teenager, I got a lot but I know how hard it is. We don’t have a lot of financial means in our family. But I had the biggest amount of luck that my parents have always supported me in what I wanted to do. And that was to play football. They took me to every training session and to every game and that was a huge effort financially for them. But that gave me the chance to develop and I had the opportunity to become a good footballer.
DFB.de: The list for your “game of the year” is now looking prominent, with a lot of your Germany teammates: Jerome Boateng, Benedikt Höwedes, Julian Draxler, Mario Gomez. There are also stars from Madrid, such as Michael Essien and Luka Modric. Andrea Pirlo and Didier Drogba will also be there, both of whom you have played with. How did it go: You picked up the phone and rang Drogba?
Khedira: Basically speaking: Yes (he laughs.) I have got to know a lot of big names in football in my career, who are also amazing people. I know Drogba personally but he is friends with players who I am also friends with. Michael Essien is an example. When I rang Drogba, he immediately agreed. He honestly said that and I was also surprised as to how easily it went. I then asked, why? His answer touched me: Drogba said that he deserved to give such a favour to a person like me. I had to swallow afterwards.
DFB.de: Your father will take training, your brother Rani, from second division RB Leipzig, will be at the game, your brother Denny is responsible for the website of the charity and is actively involved in the running of the organisation. The “game of the year” will involve a lot of Khedira’s.
Khedira: My family is the main reason behind my success and my path. We have enormous trust for each other. There was no doubt for me in involving my family in something that is so important to me. I know that I can rely on them and that’s a good feeling. It’s not only my family who are involved- a lot of my friends are helping and are putting a lot of time into it, even though they have careers. Therefore, I’m very grateful as it wouldn’t be possible without them. That’s also a message that I wanted to get across to the children that I have visited recently: Alone you are small, together you are big.
