Union Berlin defender Marvin Friedrich has seen his displays improve this season and, as a result, it’s time for the 25-year-old to earn a call up to the Germany national side.
Germany Must Call-Up Marvin Friedrich
In-Form Union Berlin Defender Ready For Germany Debut
Marvin Friedrich is having a stellar season for Union Berlin. The 25-year-old centre back has found the net on four occasions and has kept five clean sheets this season. He is also the beating heart of an Union defence which has the fifth-best backline in the Bundesliga this season.
As a result, the time is now for Joachim Löw to give the central defender a call-up for the national side. The 25-year-old is yet to make a senior appearance for Germany but has featured at U19 and U20 level.
Solid in the air and confident with his feet, Friedrich has all the attributes to become a top defender for the national side.
Friedrich at Union Berlin
Marvin Friedrich joined Union Berlin in January 2018 from Augsburg. He played 12 games in 2. Bundesliga, missing just two matches through flu and then suspension.
The following season, Friedrich turned out in 39 games as Die Eisernen secured promotion the top flight of German football for the first time in their history. Union lost just five times in the league all season, with Friedrich keeping 14 clean sheets and playing all 34 league games. He was also given the captaincy for the second leg of the crucial Bundesliga playoff match against Stuttgart, in which the game ended goalless.
In the first season in the Bundesliga, Friedrich missed just two games through suspension, plus being dropped to the bench on matchday two (a draw against former club Augsburg). He kept seven clean sheets and scored twice as Union secured their Bundesliga status.
This season, he has gone from strength to strength. The 25-year-old has played every minute in the league, scoring four and keeping four clean sheets with the club suffering just two league losses. He has also been named in the Kicker Team of the Season so far.
Recent Germany Results
Germany’s most recent international result was a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Spain in their UEFA Nations League Group A4 fixture – the nations heaviest defeat in a competitive match since 1931.
It may have been their only defeat of the group but Die Mannschaft conceded 13 goals from their six group games and failed to keep a clean sheet. As a result, Joachim Löw’s side failed to reach the knockout stages.
Germany require a defensive reshuffle. The most experienced central defender is Antonio Rüdiger with 37 caps, followed by Matthias Ginter with 35 and Niklas Süle with 29.
Ginter is in form at Borussia Monchengladbach and has turned out 23 times this season. However, Rudiger is out of favour at Chelsea, while Süle has struggled this season in a leaky Bayern Munich defence.
Other options include Robin Koch of Leeds United, Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen and Hertha defender Niklas Stark.
Germany face Iceland, Romania and North Macedonia in World Cup qualifiers in March before the European Championships kick off in June.
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