In an informative interview with Sports Illustrated, Bayer Leverkusen’s increasing star Florian Wirtz shared his ideas on the value of stepping beyond one’s convenience zone in the ever-evolving world of expert football. His reflections expose both his aspirations and the obstacles that lie ahead as he browses his profession.

Wirtz comes from the borders of Köln and has actually devoted his young profession to 2 significant clubs: 1.FC Köln and Bayer Leverkusen, both positioned near his home town. This nearness to home may recommend he is sticking to his convenience zone. When inquired about possibly looking for chances beyond this familiar environment, he reacted:

“I’m pretty lucky that I have so many excellent clubs right on my doorstep and that I can now play for one of the best clubs in Germany and Europe. I have a lot of respect for the lads here in Leverkusen who come from South America or Africa, for example, and leave their families and surroundings behind for their careers. It definitely appeals to me to leave my comfort zone at some point and experience something new. I know football locker rooms well enough and I’m convinced that I would quickly settle in wherever I go.”

This desire to check out brand-new horizons is carefully connected to his future. The concern of where the 22-year-old will play next season has actually ended up being a hot subject in German football media, triggering extensive speculation and dispute. Despite the buzz, Wirtz stays unfazed by the chatter surrounding his possible relocations.

“I keep seeing posts about me on social media. Every now and then, I have to laugh when people write about where I’m supposedly playing next season. Nobody but me can know that. That’s why I don’t pay any attention to such news and deal with them in a pretty chill way.”

When the conversation turned towards the monetary elements of football agreements, Wirtz used a peek into his worths and concerns concerning his future. He highlighted that his shift from Köln to Leverkusen was inspired by profession development instead of monetary gain:

“When I moved from Köln to Leverkusen, I didn’t think for a second about my salary, but only about what was best for my career. I don’t even think about how much money I have in my account or what I could earn in the future. Of course you should make sure you get a good contract. But the sporting perspective is much more important to me than the money. And I think my parents would get angry if I was too focused on money. Why? Because I was brought up to believe that you have to take good care of your money and can’t just throw it out the window. After I moved to Leverkusen when I was 16, my parents managed my salary and paid me 150€ a month. That shaped me. It was important to my parents that I didn’t do anything nonsensical with my salary. That’s why they still help me to invest my money wisely today. I was never the type to buy flashy things. And it was also always important to my family that I didn’t lose my grip on things.”

Despite Bayer Leverkusen dealing with obstacles in the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, Wirtz has actually delighted in a good season, attaining 10 objectives and 10 helps in 29 Bundesliga matches. This achievement is especially notable, thinking about the 22-year-old missed out on a considerable part of the 2nd half of the season due to injury.

This summertime assures to be essential for Bayer Leverkusen, as they will likely look for to change head coach Xabi Alonso. Additionally, losing Wirtz might represent another significant problem for pass away Werkself, additional complicating their future methods.

GGFN | Jack Meenan