Overview
- He recalls signing his first pro deal in February 2009, losing his father to cancer in March, and making his Bayern debut in August as he channeled the grief into motivation.
- He summarizes a trophy-laden rise with Bayern—five Bundesliga titles, three German Cups, and the 2013 Champions League—plus 31 Germany caps with two outings at the 2010 World Cup.
- He details how repeated injuries curtailed his trajectory, including ACL ruptures in 2012 and 2013, a tendon tear in 2014, a thigh muscle tear in 5 2015, and an ankle injury in 2016.
- He notes Pep Guardiola’s 2014 on-camera praise after his comeback training session, calling him the best player the coach had worked with at that time.
- He retired in September 2022 and uses the same interview to urge 17-year-old Bayern prospect Lennart Karl to stay grounded through hype and learning phases.