Germany forward Kai Havertz is preparing for his second Champions League final. The Arsenal star is a decisive player.
At 26 years old, Kai Havertz boasts more experience than the majority.
The former Bayer Leverkusen player has a track record of scoring crucial goals. His most notable is likely his Champions League-winning strike for Chelsea against Manchester City in 2021. That goal denied Pep Guardiola and secured glory for Thomas Tuchel. However, it was not the only one for Havertz. A year later, he converted an extra-time penalty to claim the Club World Cup for Chelsea. This season, Havertz netted a stoppage-time winner for Arsenal in the League Cup semifinal against his former club.
His injury-time winner against Sporting in the Champions League quarterfinals proved pivotal for Arsenal and their journey to the final. And against Burnley, despite being fortunate to avoid a red card for a poor tackle, his header set up Arsenal’s Premier League title, which was confirmed shortly after following Manchester City’s draw. In short, pressure poses no issue for the Germany forward.
This achievement is even more remarkable given the amount of time he has missed due to injury. On the opening day of the season, Havertz sustained a knee injury that kept him out for most of the first half of the campaign. Shortly after his return, he picked up a muscle injury. Many players might have found it difficult to deliver so quickly with so much at stake, but Havertz is not like most players. The German has been back in regular action since March and quickly reminded observers why he is the man for big moments.
"That’s what kept me alive every single day," Havertz told Viaplay after winning the Premier League. "I have to be honest, some days I was in some dark places for sure, but I woke up every morning and just tried to work hard to be back as soon as possible. Now, to be here and celebrate that victory, it’s unbelievable and it shows you that everything is possible and you can work hard and you can always turn it around."
Hope for Germany
Julian Nagelsmann will be watching closely, hoping that Havertz retains his magic touch come the World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer.
Havertz has scored 21 goals for Germany, but he has been less decisive in national colors compared to his clubs. Nevertheless, he will be the man to lead Germany’s attack at this World Cup, and he has shown glimpses of how comfortable he is with that role as well.
His goal against Denmark at Euro 2024 set Germany on their way, and against Ghana in March this year, Havertz shook off his lack of match practice to spark Germany’s comeback. His form is trending in the right direction, and a second Champions League-winning goal in May would not only be a milestone for Havertz but would also give Nagelsmann and Germany fans hope that more is to come this summer.
The man whose career began at Leverkusen before he rose to prominence as a 17-year-old finishing exams and playing in the Bundesliga, Havertz’s career was at a crossroads when he joined Arsenal in 2023. Three years later, Havertz is in the right place at the right time. If he can deliver in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday, he will join a rare group of players who have scored in multiple Champions League finals. More than that, though, he will have cemented his place as one of the most successful German footballers of all time. Reaching such a peak in the weeks before a World Cup is exactly what Nagelsmann is hoping for. The pressure is on. For Havertz, that just means another day at the office.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold