Lothar Matthäus is a German football legend.
That word gets thrown around often, but for Matthäus it’s fitting. 150 caps for the national team would likely be enough, but when added to 7 Bundesliga titles, 3 Pokals, a Serie A title and 2 UEFA Cups, it’s beyond question.
Oh, and then there’s a World Cup, European Championship, Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Footballer of the Year.
But he’s not universally liked. Often coming across as conceited and arrogant, Matthäus manages to combine that with sometimes appearing ill informed, and has been a gob-on-a-stick for so long that his words are largely ignored in Germany.
Comments aimed at Per Mertesacker this week have still managed to annoy many. The Arsenal defender has openly spoken about his troubles dealing with pressure at the highest level.
Speaking honestly, Mertesacker made it clear just what a pressure it has been for him to represent Arsenal and Germany, and deal with all the scrutiny which comes with it.
Matthäus’ reply was to tell Mertesacker he could have quit, shouldn’t have felt the way he did, and explain a career in coaching is ruled out because the Arsenal veteran wouldn’t be able to tell his players they simply have to deal with situations.
Former West Germany international and teammate of Matthäus’ at Borussia Monchengladbach, Uli Borowka has clearly been left disgusted by the comments, and has spoken to German newspaper Bild.
In a fierce defence of what the Arsenal player shared, Borowka said: “We have learned nothing from the Enke tragedy, it is getting worse. So we accept that every few years a footballer is hanging dead over the fence.”
Robert Enke killed himself in 2009, unable to cope with pressure and a set of tragic circumstances which hit his life. The death of the goalkeeper’s young daughter Lara was then followed by a fear that sharing his depression and struggles, going public like some players have since, would see his family lose their adopted daughter Leila.
Borowka said of Matthäus’ implied criticism of Mertesacker: “This is autocratic, stupid and pathetic of Lothar.
“I know how Lothar was almost crushed by the pressure. And then he blurts something out and condemns a person because he talks about his feelings.”
Borowka’s comments on Mertesacker were rightfully full of praise: “Great respect! He will help many young footballers with this confession and later also with his work in the Arsenal youth. And also many people outside of football. We all have pressure in everyday life, from morning to night pressure. Per is a role model because he made a taboo public.”
And this is likely another reason why Lothar Matthäus isn’t the national treasure he could have been.
