World Cup winner says he’s lucky to be playing for Gunners.
Arsenal centre-back Per Mertesacker has admitted that he is very lucky to be playing professional football as he was never any good, the Daily Star reports.
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The Germany World Cup winner came under fire this morning from Wojciech Szcz?sny’s father, who said he had the agility of a rhinoceros.
And the 30-year-old has confessed that he is lucky to be where he is today as he only continued playing the sport for fun and not because he held any ambitions to play professionally.
“I was not the big talent, so I kept football as a hobby,” he said.
“The motivation was always to be fit and involved in a team, and not more – not to be a professional one day, not to be that keen on doing well every day.
“It was more fun for me, and that was good for me. It kept me grounded and very quiet.
“I took it as a hobby but I kept the belief inside me subconsciously and that was the key. No one went crazy when there was a defeat, no one went crazy when they said maybe I wasn’t good enough and went to the second team.
“That was very good for me. I stayed quiet and waited for the right moment, when I was 17 or 18.
“It’s all about opportunities and a bit of luck. It went so well for me.
“I needed a few injuries to some senior players to get to my first pre-season in the first team, and then some game time that was broadcasted on television. I did well then.
“You have to take that opportunity. It’s not only to get that, it’s to take it as well and perform solidly.
“That’s the key at that stage. I told myself it was now or never and I decided to take [the chance]. I could never predict that so many highlights would follow.”