“Still a long way to go”

Despite impressing for Germany recently, Tim Kleindienst says he still has “a long way to go” to secure a place in the World Cup squad.

With Niclas Füllkrug out injured, Tim Kleindienst has started three games in a row for Germany and he made the most of his opportunity against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday, scoring a brace in an impressive 7-0 win.

But while things are going his way at the moment, the 29-year-old Gladbach striker knows he must continue to work hard if he is to secure a place in the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

“I am not a delicate technician, but when it comes to commitment and intensity, I can help. The best way for me to prove myself is in the league. If my performances at club level are good, I have a good case to make. But the World Cup is still a year and a half away, so I don’t want to make any predictions,” Kleindienst told Kicker.

“I will be a year and a half older at that time. Of course it’s a dream of mine to be at the World Cup. But there’s still a long way to go for me.”

He added that he sees Niclas Füllkrig as more of a direct rival than Kai Havertz because the West Ham striker is more similar to him in terms of his style of play.

Kleindienst has six goals and five assists in 12 games for Gladbach this season.