In the ARD show “Klein gegen Groß,” children challenge famous adults in various ways. This Saturday, eleven-year-old Luis from Erlangen will take on football star Niclas Füllkrug in an exciting duel. The adventure has been thrilling for him.
Host Kai Plaume regularly welcomes prominent guests and their young challengers on “Klein gegen Groß.” Viewers can tune in on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 20:15 to witness how celebrities like Helene Fischer, Niclas Füllkrug, Johannes B. Kerner, Ingo Zamperoni, and Hinnerk Schönemann prove themselves in various tasks. Füllkrug, currently playing in the English Premier League for West Ham United, will be going head-to-head with eleven-year-old Luis from Erlangen.
According to his mother, Jennifer Hack, in an interview with inFranken.de, her son is a huge fan of both football and the show. “He has always enjoyed watching the program and at some point said he would like to participate. So, we applied for him to take part.” The family had suggested a task involving football to the production team. Two weeks before the recording, they received the exciting call asking if Luis wanted to be involved.
Initially, Hack wasn’t sure if her son genuinely wanted to participate. However, for the fifth grader, there was no question about it. Preparations for the trip to Berlin around the third weekend of October required discussions with his workplace and school. “Everything went relatively well,” she recalls. One week prior, Luis received 75 portraits of footballers.
Two portraits were then blended using artificial intelligence for the duel. Luis and Füllkrug had to name both players and their nationalities, as well as identify whether they are right or left-footed. “He knew all the footballers. That was no problem for him at all,” his mother noted. Only with the footedness was he not entirely sure at first.
Of course, Luis was nervous before his big appearance. The dress rehearsal took place on Saturday, and the audience recording happened on Sunday. “At the beginning, he told me he had a terrible stomachache. I told him, ‘You’ve got this, there’s no turning back now.'” However, as soon as the door to the stage opened, his nerves disappeared. “He handled it like a pro.” Fans can tune in to the ARD to see if he wins the duel.
He will surely never forget his intense encounter with Niclas Füllkrug. The family has already traveled several times to watch games in Munich and also visited Herzogenaurach this year for the national team. During these trips, Luis met the former BVB player, who also played for Greuther Fürth and 1. FC Nürnberg, and even got his autograph.
“But it’s a different experience when they come in person for Luis.” During the show, Luis will receive a jersey from Füllkrug. “He obviously won’t wear it. We bought a special frame for it, and we’ll add some printed photos as well,” she shared. “We just have to find a wall for it since Luis’s room is already filled with football memorabilia,” she laughed.
A FCN player recently made headlines due to an insolvency, with the contents of his business going under the hammer. For more news from Erlangen-Höchstadt, check out our local section.
