#mertedes

[maddog023]

Throwback to 2014

[seventeenlovesthree]

DFB.de: You have been described as the personification of team spirit – Per Mertesacker’s successor. What do you say to that?

Benedikt Höwedes: I read that too! (laughing) I would call myself a real team player too, but personification is a bit over the top. I am the sort of person who will give everything for the team, who dedicates themselves to the team, who plays in positions that may not be their favourite. I don’t need to shine. If you want to be successful, and this is something we all realised at the World Cup in Brazil, you absolutely need to have team spirit. I try to set an example for this, with the national team and with my club.

[seventeenlovesthree]

11FREUNDE: For our photoshooting as football pensioner in our EURO special magazine, you chose to wear the DFB jersey of Benedikt Höwedes - why?

Per Mertesacker: Because he's a good friend. Maybe the EUROs 2012 were the reason why we grew on each other, Benni spent the entire tournament on the bench, just like I did. We could tackle this challenge together, it's natural that you get closer this way.

[seventeenlovesthree]

"We had the best of times at our ride back to the hotel after the final." - Per Mertesacker

[seventeenlovesthree]

And then you rewatch this goddamn Google+ Hangout with Per, Benni and Jule and all you wanna do is crying all over again... ALL THE SMILES AND LAUGHTER AND THE INSIDE JOKES AND TEASING. ;A;

~

Benni: "We were in control of the match from the beginning and-"

Per: "That's not true. You really like to say that you're in control, don't you?"

Benni: "Well, okay, you're right, the first 10, 15 minutes, Arsenal has been the better team."

Per: "See?! It wasn't from the beginning!"

Benni: "Yeah, I agree with you!"

Per: "Then, why did you say that you were in control from the very beginning?"

~

Kavka: "Per, would you like to play alongside Benedikt as centre back pair at the NT?"

Per: "I'm always up to play with Benni."

~

Kavka: "What about you, Julian, are you friends with Benedikt?"

Per: "TWINS!"

Julian: "Yes, Bene helped me quite a lot when I started at Schalke - just like Per did at the NT."

Per: "Yes!"

~

Julian: "I know more stories about you than you think!"

Per: "Well, you don't have to brag about that everywhere!"

Julian: "Don't worry, I will keep it to myself."

Per: "Good."

~

Per: "I wanted to switch jerseys with Benni, but he was already gone, celebrating with the crowd, this is why I've got Timo's jersey instead."

Benni: "Hey, I gave the jersey to one of the staff members, he should have handed it out to you."

Per: "Hand it out? You're not even doing things like this yourself. That's not how I raised you."

[seventeenlovesthree]

[seventeenlovesthree]

Drunk Selfie Kings glued to one another.

[seventeenlovesthree]

Per and Benni's bromance is giving me so much life, you have no idea.