A new challenge in a new country, a new league, a new club. I'm looking forward to the upcoming season and hope to achieve great things with Benfica and these insane fans.
Glorioso SLB
Being one of the best footballers in Germany and representing our country in an international setting fills me with pride every time.
2014, Deutsche Nationalmannschaft
2010/2011, Schalke 04
2017, Deutsche Nationalmannschaft
2011/2012, Schalke 04
2017/2018, 2018/2019 & 2019/2020, Paris Saint-Germain
2016/2017, 2017/2018 & 2019/2020, Paris Saint-Germain
2016/2017, 2017/2018 & 2019/2020, Paris Saint-Germain
2017/2018, 2018/2019 & 2019/2020, Paris Saint-Germain
Gladbeck - Family city, sports city, my city - the current slogan of my hometown fits perfectly to my career.
Only 300 meters away from our apartment I wandered around with my first BV Rentfort football jersey at the age of five. I am still in contact with the club.
I switched to SSV Buer at the age of just seven. I recommended myself for a trial training on Schalke in the game of the BEST GROUP against the S04 youth.
I went through all U-teams of the S04 constantly learning something new. International tournaments against Barca, PSG and Arsenal were on the playing schedule at the time.
As part of the World Cup 2010 I left Europe for the first time and flew with the Westphalia selection to Namibia. I discovered my interest in foreign cultures on this trip.
In the 83rd minute I was the youngest Schalke professional ever to substitute Ivan Rakitic against HSV. I was 17 years and 117 days young.
Coming in as a substitute at the 116th minute with the score of 2:2 against the 1. FCN, I scored the winning goal 3 minutes later catapulting us into the DFB Cup semi-final.
Unfortunately, I have not made it past this point in the Champions League so far. Despite the disappointment of being eliminated I still like to look back on this moment.
I was able to contribute to turn the 1:0 to the 5:1 victory over MSV. We took the DFB cup back to Gelsenkirchen and celebrated with the fans.
The first national anthem with the eagle on my chest and my substitution for Poldi in the 62nd minute were indescribable moments.
I broke my forearm in the 55th minute of the UEFA Champions League group game after scoring a goal for the final 2:2 draw.
I scored my first brace in my 99th Bundesliga match for Schalke in a 4:1 victory in Wolfsburg. I contributed the 1:0 and 2:1 goals.
100th Bundesliga game as the youngest player of all time - 2:1 derby victory - derby goal. Made this footballer's heart race - what more do you want?
At the Señor's farewell match on Schalke Raùl and I succeeded in scoring THE goal of 2013 - a small thank you from me to my mentor.
On this day, I led the young national team in a test match against Poland as the youngest captain of all time. A great feeling!
In the historic 7:1 victory against Brazil I had my first World Cup match. I am proud and grateful for every moment of this tournament.
Five days after my World Cup debut, I actually held the World Cup in my hands. What an honour to be part of DIE MANNSCHAFT!
In the 50th minute I succeeded in scoring the 2:2 equalizer against Frankfurt with a header (!). 21 minutes later I saw the first red card of my career. Congratulations!
After just 4 minutes, I tore a thigh tendon in the home game against Augsburg. I was forced to be a spectator for almost six months.
I decided to change to Wolfsburg during the summer transfer period of 2015, to develop myself further as a player and human outside of my comfort zone.
At the beginning of the CL group phase we received CSKA Moscow. My first goal for VfL also meant a 1:0 winning goal.
The "man of the match" award in the round of 16 against Slovakia is a nice reminder of the EM'16 despite being eliminated in the semi-finals.
I followed the call from France and signed my first contract outside the Bundesliga at Paris Saint-Germain in the winter of 16/17.
This game is still one of my most painful sports experiences. After a 4:0 victory in the first leg in Paris, we were eliminated after losing 1:6 in Barcelona.
In the final of the Coupe de la Ligue, we defeated the eventual champions AS Monaco 4:1 in Lyon. That meant my first title win with PSG.
We won the Confed Cup with a 1:0 victory over Chile in the final. I owe it to a great team that I was later named "Player of the Tournament".
We won four national titles - the championship, the Coupe de la Ligue, the Coupe de France and the French Super Cup - with PSG this season.
At the moment I am 100% focussed on the World Cup in Russia. We want to defend the title!
Unfortunately, losses are as much a part of a career as successes.
I was able to reach this milestone in the European Championship qualifying match against Belarus.
In the preliminary round against Bruges I played my 50th CL game. Hopefully many more will follow...
After roughly two years at Paris Saint GE, I played my 100th competitive game for PSG against Olympique Lyon.
With a 3-1 win over Monaco with five game days to go, we aquired our second championship in a row.
tbd
A new milestone in European club football for PSG and me. The close defeat against Bayern Munich is nevertheless painful (0:1).
For the 2022/23 season, I will proudly wear the Benfica Lisbon jersey. I'm looking forward to this sporting challenge.