"A Wonderful Soccer Player" Gruda Impresses Klopp

Brajan Gruda held his black debut jersey—number 10—in his left hand like a trophy as he disappeared once again down the long players’ tunnel toward the stadium’s interior after showering. The 22-year-old from Leipzig will remember this extraordinary evening of soccer in Belgrade—with the German national team’s 3-1 victory over Serbia at Red Star Arena—as a very special personal experience.

First international match, first goal, praise from all sides—it hardly could have gone better. “I’m very happy that I got to play from the start,” said Gruda as he spoke with reporters about his remarkable international debut in the drafty mixed zone between the locker room and the bus parking lot. “The fact that we won the game makes me happy—and the goal on top of that,” said Gruda.

Gruda’s “shock” during his solo run to the goal

The 3–0 goal in the 50th minute was Gruda’s big moment and a highlight of the game. The 22-year-old described the scene of his solo run from his own half after receiving a pass from captain Joshua Kimmich as follows. “Jo played me the ball. And with that first touch, I had so much space. I just took advantage of it. It was a bit of a shock that I wasn’t really challenged. And then I put the ball in the net.” So that’s how easy it was. 

Gruda had simply put into practice what the national team coach had told him. Jürgen Klopp had told him, “that I should just play freely, that I need to work back. He just gave me a good feeling. And I think you could see that on the field, too.”

Klopp raves about “risk-taker” Gruda

Klopp, too, was very impressed by what he saw from the “street soccer player” and “risk-taker” Gruda. “There’s no question that Brajan can play like that. What Brajan showed is Brajan Gruda. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to tell him not to dribble. He did a great job offensively—what a wonderful soccer player. I enjoyed watching him, too.”

The rookie with the strong left foot also impressed his teammates. “He has excellent timing in his dribbles. They’re very drawn-out. He often beats a second and even a third player. It often looks as though he’s not even relying on his top speed, but rather on his technical ability,” said striker Niclas Füllkrug: “He has an incredibly good touch, great timing for when to lay the ball off, when to cut inside, and when to cut outside. A highly talented soccer player.”

And what will happen to the debut jersey? Gruda clarified that as well. “Of course, I’m taking the first jersey home with me—I’ll keep it safe.”