Munich – The internationally experienced vice-captain Antonio Rüdiger has openly declared his admiration for his new DFB colleague Angelo Stiller, following Julian Nagelsmann’s announcement of a genuine surprise for the football classic against the Netherlands. In the significant Nations League clash this evening (20:45 CET/ZDF) at the Allianz Arena, the two locals, Aleksandar Pavlovic (20) and Stiller (23), will form the double pivot in midfield. The national coach is taking a chance, “because they are good.”
The 75-time national player has confidence in the two debutants in the starting lineup. The young duo will operate directly in front of the defensive leader. “The two guys have a bright future ahead of them,” says Rüdiger. He has previously experienced Stiller during training sessions with the national team. “I have trained with him before. A very good young player!”
As for Stiller from Stuttgart, the Real Madrid defender is encountering him for the first time in the DFB circle. When Stiller debuted in September, Rüdiger had to take a break after the home European Championship. “I must honestly say, I am a bit of a fan of Angelo Stiller,” Rüdiger admits. “I just played against him in the Champions League, and what I particularly liked was his composure on the ball. He was hardly nervous. If he stays fit, he can achieve anything.”
Rüdiger also views Pavlovic and Stiller, both born in Munich and trained as footballers at FC Bayern, as the potential midfield duo of the future, with the 2026 World Cup in sight. “We are playing against Holland with two new deep-lying midfielders who, age-wise, offer a very good perspective for the DFB. We see them in a very important and positive game against a top opponent. It is crucial that we evaluate this.”
There are still almost two years until the World Cup, “and we cannot rely solely on 33- or 34-year-olds in the squad; we also need young players,” Nagelsmann explained. In the 2:1 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pascal Groß (33) and Robert Andrich (30) formed the deep-lying midfield partnership. Pavlovic and Stiller have only collectively amassed five caps so far, and they have played exactly nine minutes together on the pitch.
© German Press Agency
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