In the interview, Havertz discussed topics such as the Premier League title.
Yes, the final result of the World Cup was clearly not a positive for our German team. But of course, playing in the US was a great experience. Looking back, that period was still good, even though we didn't achieve our goals. We quickly took a three-week break afterward, and now we're back, the new season has started, and I'm feeling pretty good so far.
I know that World Cup wasn't the result Germany wanted, but for you personally, you scored on the biggest stage. How much confidence does scoring in those kinds of competitions give you? Yes, I think ultimately, you always want to score at the most crucial moments. Especially in big competitions like the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Premier League, scoring is always wonderful because it leaves your mark. I did the same in the World Cup. Of course, when you can showcase yourself on the biggest stage, there's always a boost, and that was true for me personally.
However, in the end, the result didn't go as planned, but as I said, it was still a great experience. Did this positive attitude of yours carry over into the Community Shield? Arsenal defeated their opponents quite strongly in that match.
You never know what you'll get in the first game, especially against Manchester City. Of course, they've gone through a lot of changes, but we wanted to win that game and prove we were back. I think we did that very well.
You then continued that performance in your home opener against Coventry City in the first round of the English top flight, where you scored your first goal of the new season. That goal was spectacular; tell us how you felt about that moment. Yes, I don't think I had much time to think; things happened very quickly. We first got the ball down the left flank through Christos and Ricky, then a little space appeared, Ricky delivered a perfect pass, and the final goal was beautiful. Of course, scoring your first goal of the new season is always fantastic.
Over the past few seasons, Arsenal has faced a lot of pressure chasing the league title, but now you've won it. As a team, are you playing with more relaxation? Honestly, I'm not sure. I've thought about that, but I think every team starts the new season from scratch. I've been in this industry for a long time, and I know you have to prove yourself every week; what happened a few months ago doesn't matter. We need to prove it again, and we want to prove it again. After winning the top flight in English football once, of course you want to do it again. I think that's what we want to continue doing this season. We also know it will be difficult; you can see every club making signings, everyone is getting stronger, and we're trying to do the same.
Everyone starts from scratch, and that's what we want. However, the wonderful feeling remains in our hearts and minds, and I think we'll cherish that moment forever. Clearly, you made history last year, winning your first title in 22 years. Now you have the opportunity to rewrite records, something no one has done since the 1930s—at least I wasn't even born then, though it's hard to believe. Can Arsenal, as players, as a squad, and as a whole, achieve consecutive league titles? If so, what would it mean?
This is significant. As you said, those numbers are staggering. Even I find it incredible to win a top-flight English football title when the last one was 22 years ago. I've always felt, or rather, I know, that Arsenal deserves more. We're all here for this. As I said, once you win it, you want to do it again. I think we now have a team that can truly compete for every title. Last year we only won one, but this year I think there's still a lot more to fight for. We want to win everything. But it's a long road, and right now, the most important thing for us is to focus on the next game each week. As a player, it's always difficult to look beyond what's in front of you; you want to know what's going to happen next, but ultimately, it's about taking it one game at a time and getting as many points as possible.
Now, you have Arsenal's most coveted medal in your cabinet—the Champions League trophy. How high off your list of goals should you place it? I think calling that loss a disappointment isn't quite accurate. You didn't just lose a football match; you lost a penalty shootout. So, where does it rank in terms of returning to the Champions League title race?
