Timo Werner on the hostility he faced: “I was really down”

Former national soccer team player Timo Werner has spoken openly about the strain caused by years of hostility and booing. “I’ve been through a lot of crap in my career. I had to go through a lot of crap in Germany, too. There were moments when I was sitting at home and really felt down,” Werner said on the podcast “The Late Run.”

The constant taunts and hostility, in particular, really took a toll on him. “I asked myself: What the hell? No matter which stadium I go to, I get booed everywhere,” Werner said. “They sang songs about me, constantly made things up—it was really tough.” 

The hostility followed him for a long time. “There wasn’t a single city I went to where I could be left in peace.” Looking back, he’s proud of how he handled that period.

Werner on diving: “It’s been following me for years”

Werner was a regular target of opposing fans, especially during his time at RB Leipzig. After his transfer from VfB Stuttgart to RB Leipzig in 2016, the forward was booed in numerous stadiums. In particular, a dive during a match against Schalke 04 in December 2016 made the striker an even more controversial figure.

“I went through a lot in Germany because I dived once. After that, they were after me there for years. It was similar at Chelsea. I missed a few chances there, and after that, they had it in for me,” Werner said in retrospect.

From Leipzig and Chelsea to the MLS

On the field, Werner was one of the best German forwards at the time. In the 2019–20 season, he scored 28 Bundesliga goals for Leipzig and subsequently transferred to Chelsea FC. With the London club, he won the Champions League in 2021. Werner has played in 57 international matches for the German national team. The 30-year-old now plays for the San José Earthquakes in the North American professional league, MLS.