Kai Havertz reflects on the whirlwind of emotions he experienced in Budapest just over three weeks ago. Arsenal faced a heart-wrenching defeat in the Champions League final, yet the only choice was to stand tall and embrace the moment. With a Premier League trophy parade slated for the next day, he pondered, was this truly the right time to bask in the admiration of countless fans?
“To be honest, it was tough,” Havertz recalls, noting that his early goal against Paris Saint-Germain had seemed like a potential match-winner for nearly an hour. “After the match, I initially thought we would call the whole thing off. By the next morning, things looked different.”
Ultimately, the vibrant celebration proved that the north London parade was indeed fitting. “We had a huge season behind us,” he asserts. “The club had gone 22 years without a league title so that had to be celebrated properly with the fans. I have to say I’ve never experienced anything like it. So many people on the streets, so many supporting us. It ranks among my top three experiences as a professional.” Now, he looks forward to potentially adding another unforgettable moment to this list.
Havertz is currently at Germany’s World Cup training camp in Winston, North Carolina, where excitement is building. Significantly, Germany has shed the stigma of past disappointments. After group stage exits in 2018 and 2022, this time they have already secured the top spot in Group E.
During that second exit, Havertz netted two goals against Costa Rica, yet the team still faced elimination. “Qatar was anything but successful for us as a team and for me personally,” he reflects. “There’s a different energy in our squad now. I was quickly convinced that things would go better this year. We knew we had a duty not to fail early on again. We are Germany. But now the tournament is really just beginning.”
While there were no extravagant celebrations at the Graylyn Estate, the impressive facility where Julian Nagelsmann’s team is based, Germany displayed impressive form with 42 shots across their recent matches against Curaçao and Côte d’Ivoire. Havertz believes the enjoyment of the game has returned. “We radiate a real joy in playing,” he states. “We move a lot, play offensively and create scoring chances. And we bounce back after conceding goals.”
Against Curaçao, Havertz scored two goals, including a penalty and a deft late finish, maintaining his impressive strike rate with the national team. The 27-year-old boasts 24 goals from 60 caps and has established himself as Nagelsmann’s first-choice center-forward, although substitute Deniz Undav made a significant impact with a brace against Côte d’Ivoire. Some have called for Undav to start against Ecuador on Thursday, reflecting a sentiment that often surrounds Havertz’s career: his talents sometimes go unnoticed.
“Probably because I don’t play in the Bundesliga,” he suggests. “It was the same at times with Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündogan, who were abroad for years. It is often said about me: ‘Havertz didn’t score again, he’s useless!’. And when I do score, they say: “Well, he’s supposed to, it’s about time!”
Perhaps it is Havertz’s unconventional style that leads to this perception. He is a distinctive player, characterized by movement, tactical intelligence, and timing, with a quiet but determined streak. “Defenders should never know where I am, where I’m going, what I’m planning, or where I’ll be at any given moment,” he explains during an interview arranged in collaboration with Die Zeit. “That’s the worst for them. I try to be like a ghost to defenders.”
This selflessness has made him a favorite among coaches, particularly Mikel Arteta, who frequently praises Havertz’s contributions. “I can’t just wait around in the penalty area, I need to be involved,” he remarks. “I also make runs which I know sometimes look pointless, but I’m creating space for the players coming up behind me.”
Despite his knack for decisive goals, Havertz has often been a versatile player. He started as a winger and played mostly in midfield until Peter Bosz utilized him as a striker at Bayer Leverkusen. Notably, during a friendly against Turkey in 2023, Nagelsmann even deployed him as a left-back, where he still managed to score within five minutes. “If he were to ask me to do it again, I would,” he affirms.
An unpretentious demeanor might be misinterpreted as nonchalance, but Havertz is simply focused on the task at hand. “I’m aware of the debates that I’m too laid back or my body language is wrong,” he acknowledges. “That always comes up when I’m not playing well. But I’m not the sort of person who dwells on it too much. It used to be different. I don’t brood on things any more..” However, he admits that nerves can surface. “I know it doesn’t show from the outside, but I feel it,” he shares. “Before a Champions League final, or at a World Cup. Or before penalties. I need that tension to stay focused.”
Instinct could be crucial for securing Germany’s first World Cup title since 2014, especially with a challenging path ahead, including a potential last-16 clash with France. Havertz is healthy after a season that began with knee surgery, remarking, “The last year and a half has gone badly for me,” He faced additional challenges, including a hamstring injury in 2024-25, making his contributions for Arsenal all the more impressive. He is eager to set aside earlier frustrations.
Havertz was part of the German squad that narrowly lost to Spain in the quarter-finals at Euro 2024, and he has sensed an even more intense atmosphere in North America. “The atmosphere is amazing. I was really excited before the Euros in Germany, too. A World Cup is even bigger. There’s incredible energy in the stadiums.”
He notes that he hasn’t yet felt desperate for hydration during matches, likely due to the moderate conditions in Toronto and the air-conditioned arena in Houston. He does not support FIFA’s so-called hydration breaks. “They’re usually annoying, especially when you’ve just had two or three good situations and feel your flow is being interrupted,” he remarks. “At 17, you don’t think you need school any more,”
More crucially, he has the opportunity to influence Germany’s success. At 17, as he was on the verge of stardom at Leverkusen, Havertz considered dropping out of school to bypass the Abitur, Germany’s university entrance exam. A staff member at his club intervened, recognizing it as a vital test of perseverance. “At that age, you also don’t think about injuries or how things can suddenly take a completely different turn. It was a life lesson for me: seeing things through to the end instead of just quitting.” he reflects. “At that age, you also don’t think about injuries or how things can suddenly take a completely different turn. It was a life lesson for me: seeing things through to the end instead of just quitting.”
This perhaps mirrors the model for a successful World Cup journey and a more harmonious victory parade.
