As a professional of Hertha BSC one is not usually one of the first to record the national coach in his notebook. After all, the club is not Bayern Munich. In European Cup games, the Hertha rarely make international headlines, in the Bundesliga, the midfield is the natural home of the club. If you have managed to attract the attention of Joachim Loew, then nothing should interfere.
Niklas Stark has come a long way.
The 24-year-old has been nominated for each international match of the year so far, he has not played a single minute. So long was no newcomer under Löw in waiting. The Berlin had already received a start-up guarantee for the match against Argentina in October by the coach, but he had to pass because of a mucosal inflammation. When he was to play against Estonia, a table edge in the DFB Hotel prevented the appearance. During the night, Stark had run against the table and battered his shin. Not only that he could not play because of that, he was also sure of the ridicule in social media.
This time "only" a broken nose
But now. Stark was just one day nominated for the games against Belarus and Northern Ireland, because he broke his nose in the Bundesliga match against RB Leipzig, not the first time in his career. Cancel again? Not again. So Stark traveled to the national team despite a broken nose, in training a mask protected the damaged face. In the evening, against Northern Ireland in Frankfurt (20:45, TV: RTL, Liveticker SPIEGEL ONLINE), Löw wants to redeem his promise made in October. Strong is finally to celebrate his DFB debut, he runs with mask if necessary.
Annegret Hilse REUTERS
A leader at Hertha BSC
The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" has already christened Stark the "eternally disabled", a title that had previously worn Marco Reus, who in his early days at the DFB also repeatedly had to wave because of injuries. Stark has topped that up now, but at some point every pitch series comes to an end.
Joachim Löw is currently missing defenders Niklas Süle and Antonio Rüdiger at center-backs, but the time for Stark to play in the fore could hardly be better. However, it is currently running neither for his club nor for him personally very well. The former Nuremberg has played at Hertha for years continuously at a high level - just now that he has the chance of the A-team, he has landed in a small performance hole. But "if the national coach calls and says he wants me, then I come - if I can walk." And he can currently walk.
Only came after the World Cup in the focus
For four years Stark is in the service of the capital club, he has made for the Hertha now more than 100 league games, "with stable and very solid performance," as Löw attested him in October. Nevertheless, he did not make it to the squad before the World Cup in Russia, but his Berlin team-mate Marvin Plattenhardt. The state of emergency on the full-back position, which Plattenhardt recorded, was still much higher then in the center of defense. This has changed in the meantime. Plattenhardt is no longer an issue at Löw, Stark now has his chance.
Sven Pförtner DPA
But ever in the national jersey - but only in the U21
Stark proved to the DFB two years ago that he was able to compete and be tough at the same time as he drove to the European Under-21 Championship with the U21 selection. At that time, he already pulled in the first group match, well, an injury to, he broke his rib. He bit through anyway, played with analgesic syringes on - and was European champion. He then dropped out for seven weeks.
When Stark was asked about his ambitions a year ago by the "Berliner Kurier", he says: "At some point I also want to play national team - that's a big wish, but I have to stay injury free." As if he had guessed.