Kai Havertz has already recorded 26 goals and 20 assists in 98 Bundesliga games. So far the 20-year-old midfielder has quickly developed into a key player for both Bayer Leverkusen and Germany.
The German wonderkid, along with Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, was ranked within the top three of this year’s European Golden Boy Award.
Sancho and Havertz were rewarded for their incredible performances in the Bundesliga during 2019 with places on the podium of the prestigious Golden Boy award.
The prize is given to Europe’s best player aged 21 or under, and is voted for by a selection of sports journalists from across the continent.
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Atletico Madrid and Portugal forward Joao Felix won the award, having received 332 votes. Dortmund and England winger Sancho earned 157 votes, while Germany international Havertz finished third with 75 votes.
Over the years, world-class midfielders including Michael Ballack, Toni Kroos and Arturo Vidal have worn ‘Die Werkself’ shirt with pride.
In Havertz, who first joined the Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 11, they have another name on that list. In this week’s interview, one of Europe’s best young midfielders answers questions about his career.
How did you get into football?
I always watched the Bundesliga and I was a huge football fan. The whole family enjoyed football.
For us, there was nothing bigger in Germany than the Bundesliga because football was our family sport. I always looked forward to the games at the weekend, both as a fan back then and now as a player. It is a dream come true for me.
How do you wrap this season up so far?
We [Bayer Leverkusen] are doing well and you can see this year that a lot
of good teams are involved at the top. We can count ourselves as one of these teams, but there are still a lot of games to be played this season and a lot of points up for grabs. We will try to be more consistent in picking up points and I am confident that we can do this and that we can be near the top at the end of the season.
How is the season going for you personally at Leverkusen?
Last season was like a benchmark for me and so it has been difficult to keep up with that. This was my aim
and I started this season well with two goals in the first two games. It is normal for a young player like me to
then experience a small dip, but these are phases that shape you as a player and as a person. You learn the
most in these situations.
