Former Bayern Munich defender Niklas Süle has battled his weight and fitness at times during his professional career, but underwent a transformation this summer to re-shape himself (figuratively and literally) as the world class footballer that he was once well on his way to being.
For Lothar Matthäus, the story is nice, but also a reminder of what could have been, which makes the German legend disappointed in Süle.
“I’m not enthusiastic about Niklas Süle. I’m more surprised that a professional footballer could go in such a different direction,” Matthäus told Sport.de (as captured by Sport Bild). “He was more than careless with his professional attitude. He simply behaved unprofessionally. Maybe he got it, maybe he has a dream and realizes that he has to change something. Or he has realized that he has an obligation to do what he deserves, to the club, to the fans, to his colleagues, but above all to himself.
“I like Niklas and wish him more playing time, because he has talent. I hope his performance is right again and that Julian Nagelsmann doesn’t just have two potential defenders at BVB in future, but three.”
When in shape, Süle is among the best, most versatile defenders in the world. However, fans have rarely seen that version of Süle in recent years. A lack of discipline and issues with his work ethic have betrayed him, which has left him scrambling to pick up the pieces. If Süle can keep this lifestyle change as part of his routine, he could help make Borussia Dortmund a serious threat for the Bundesliga crown in 2024/25, along putting himself back on the radar of the German national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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