Niclas Füllkrug’s Werder Bremen Revival Fuels Germany Return Debate
Niclas Füllkrug has wasted little time reminding German football fans what he can do when fit. Since returning to Werder Bremen on loan from West Ham United, the 33-year-old striker has rediscovered his scoring touch, producing goals at a rate that has put him back in the conversation for a Germany recall.
Whether national-team coach Jürgen Klopp should bring him into the squad is now a growing talking point. Former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus believes Füllkrug’s recent performances deserve serious consideration, particularly as Germany continue to search for a dependable centre-forward. The debate is not simply about reputation: it is about current form, available options and what the team needs in the months ahead.
Matthäus: Goals Make the Strongest Case
Speaking at an event hosted by his sponsor Interwetten, Matthäus argued that Füllkrug’s goals should count heavily in any selection decision. He described the striker as likeable and well regarded, but stressed that his output on the pitch is the most important point.
“He finds the net, he scores goals, more than anyone else,” Matthäus said, questioning what stronger evidence a forward could provide. In his view, Germany’s lack of a consistent central striker makes Füllkrug’s return particularly relevant. The team has often discussed its promising young players, Matthäus noted, but Füllkrug is currently making his case with goals at senior level.
Matthäus also pointed to uncertainty among some of the striker’s competitors. Kai Havertz, who has recently left the Germany squad through injury again, is not viewed by Matthäus as a natural centre-forward. Tim Kleindienst has also faced injury problems at Borussia Mönchengladbach, while Nick Woltemade is still searching for consistent form.
Woltemade’s Difficult Spell in Italy
Woltemade has shown flashes of promise since joining Juventus on loan, including scoring his second goal for the club in the Europa League. However, he has yet to find the net in league competition, and Italian media have criticised his recent performances. Juventus have also endured a difficult run, including a 3-0 defeat to Lazio.
Against that backdrop, Matthäus has suggested that a return to the Bundesliga could help the young forward regain confidence and regularity. His comments underline the different challenges facing Germany’s current attacking options: some are struggling with fitness, others with form, and several are still adapting to new clubs and leagues.
Why Füllkrug Missed the World Cup
Füllkrug’s current scoring run marks a sharp contrast with the difficult period that followed his move from Borussia Dortmund to West Ham. He last joined the Germany squad in early September 2025, but recurring muscle injuries and persistent Achilles tendon irritation repeatedly disrupted his progress in England.
Across roughly a year and a half with West Ham, he made 29 competitive appearances, scoring three goals and providing two assists. A loan spell at AC Milan did not deliver the revival he had hoped for: he made 20 appearances and scored once. With fitness and form both proving hard to maintain, he missed last summer’s World Cup.
His return to Bremen has so far been a different story. Füllkrug has scored seven goals in seven competitive appearances, including a brace against SC Paderborn and a late goal against former club Borussia Dortmund. That run has helped Werder and restored the striker’s visibility in the national-team discussion.
Füllkrug Wants the Speculation to Stop
For all the attention surrounding a possible recall, Füllkrug himself has made clear that he does not want to fuel the debate. Speaking to DAZN at the weekend, he asked the media to respect his repeated requests not to discuss a Germany comeback.
His response suggests that the striker would rather focus on his performances than on predictions about future squad lists. Werder coach Daniel Thioune, however, has been more direct. He noted that Füllkrug is currently alongside Bayer Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick at the top of the Bundesliga scoring chart, adding that a player leading the standings must be doing plenty right.
Thioune’s message to Klopp was simple: if Germany need goals, they should call Füllkrug. The decision ultimately rests with the national-team coach, but the forward’s form has made it increasingly difficult to ignore him.
Germany’s Next Fixtures and the Selection Question
Germany are scheduled to face Serbia on 13 November and the Netherlands on 16 November during the Nations League international break. Those matches could offer Klopp an opportunity to assess the team’s attacking balance and decide whether experience, youth or a combination of both is the best solution.
DFB sporting director Rudi Völler has already indicated that a Füllkrug return is possible. He highlighted the striker’s ability in the air and said that goals of the kind he has recently scored would naturally make the forward worth considering. Völler also confirmed that Klopp would be monitoring the coming matches.
Age remains part of the discussion. Füllkrug is 33, and Völler cautioned that Germany must also consider the longer-term picture, with the next European Championship two years away. Matthäus, meanwhile, believes the striker could still help the team in the short term, even if he sees him as a solid rather than exceptional option.
Germany’s Emerging Strikers Offer Longer-Term Hope
Füllkrug is not the only forward attracting attention. Nicolo Tresoldi has made headlines with his goals for Club Brugge and Germany’s under-21 side, while also setting Champions League records. The German-Italian has not yet decided which national association he will represent in the future and plans to wait until after next summer’s under-21 European Championship.
Dzenan Pejcinovic and Younes Ebnoutalib are also part of the wider discussion. Pejcinovic has struggled to make an impact since his €25 million move from Wolfsburg to Stuttgart and is still waiting for his first Bundesliga goal for the club. Ebnoutalib, by contrast, has been productive for Eintracht Frankfurt, recording six goals and two assists in seven competitive appearances.
Paris Brunner has also impressed for AS Monaco and Germany’s under-21 team. He scored twice on his youth-team debut and has added seven goals in eight matches for Monaco, establishing himself as a valuable attacking option.
What the Latest Form Means for Germany
Germany may have promising young forwards emerging, but potential does not always provide an immediate answer to a senior team’s needs. Tresoldi, Pejcinovic, Ebnoutalib and Brunner could shape the country’s attacking future, yet their development will take time and their form will need to be judged over a longer period.
For now, Matthäus’s suggested hierarchy is clear: Havertz remains his first choice, Füllkrug offers experienced depth, and Tresoldi deserves attention because of his goals. Klopp’s eventual prediction and selection decision will depend on more than statistics alone, including fitness, tactical fit and the demands of each opponent. Still, with Füllkrug scoring consistently again, a Germany recall has become a credible possibility rather than a distant talking point.
