Kai Havertz wants to be Germany's go-to man on big days

The last 32 match between Germany and Paraguay in the early hours of Monday, 29 June (2.00 am IST), rather surprisingly, will be the first knockout appearance for the four-time champions since their 2014 World Cup crown. Kai Havertz, the star German striker who played a key role in Arsenal’s Premier League triumph last season, is keen to maintain his scoring streak in big games against the South Americans.

“In general, I just like bigger occasions. I don’t know why! I just feel comfortable. I hope I can continue that streak on the biggest stage, at the World Cup. Of course, [my confidence] comes always from the hard work, from believing in your own abilities. That’s what I try to do when I go on that pitch, and I hope I can do that again,’’ Havertz told FIFA media.

It’s no idle claim, as the German has found the net in two UEFA Champions League finals, bagged the winner in a FIFA Intercontinental Cup decider, and has an impressive tally of four goals in five World Cup matches. Germany progressed to the round of 32 as group winners, having followed up a 7-1 trouncing of Curaçao in their opening game with a 2-1 defeat of Côte d'Ivoire. They stuttered in the final league game, losing 2-1 to Ecuador, but it didn’t alter their standing in the group.

Unheralded coach Julian Nagelsmann’s side are now primed for another battle with South American opponents, and Havertz expanded on the challenges he expects Paraguay to pose. “You’ve seen [during the tournament] how hard the World Cup is," he said. “You see many big teams struggling against different nations. Against Ecuador, we saw how much quality the South American teams have. In Europe, we don’t play them a lot of times. You feel the intensity, how aggressive they are on the pitch, how united they are as a team, combined with their fans.

“We will need to be at 100 per cent. Every action counts, every action is important. In the last days, you were able to see how hungry the boys are. I’m optimistic that it is going to be a very good match.’’

Asked about the weight of expectations on any German team, Nagelsmann said: “When you talk about a German national team, it’s all about trying to win every game. To deal with expectations, it’s about having good self-confidence, and [as a coach] trying to give the players a good plan so that they can feel comfortable on the pitch. We want them to be able to do the right things, show what they are, and just win the game. It’s all about winning in soccer.”

Commenting on Paraguay’s strengths, he added: “They are team that defend well — they stay compact. They fight for the second balls and they have strong physical presence. They are uncomfortable opponents for us. We need a perfect game.”