For more than a decade, Marco Reus has alternated between on-field play and injury recuperation procedures.
Statistics show that the Dortmund player has missed 131 games and 1135 days, totaling more than three years of the Bundesliga schedule.
While the 33-year-old’s story stands as football’s most terrible medical reports, the 48-cap player has learned perseverance and a get-up-and-go attitude.
Setbacks appear to be continuing in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Mr. Injury of German soccer has begun his next delicate sprint to make it in time, despite the fact that his ups and downs seem to repeat ceaselessly.
National coach Hansi Flick made clear that he will be waiting for one of the country’s best performers until the last day possible, reports Xinhua.
Flick relied on Reus after a smooth finish to the previous season and a strong start to the 2022-2023 campaign.
After missing significant tournaments such as the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, as well as the 2016 Euro, the Qatar tournament appears to be his last chance to attend a World Cup.
Reus withdrew from the 2021 Euro to allow his abused body to recover in time for the 2022 World Cup season.
Bad memories could have played an important influence.
The 2018 World Cup in Russia represents a low point for Germany’s national team and Reus, since the team was eliminated early in the group stage.
Predictions for a return this time seem as hard to make as always. Germany’s 2019 footballer of the year will be out for three to four weeks as Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl put it.
Due to an ankle injury, Reus will miss vital preparatory games against Hungary this Friday and England next Monday evening.
Despite his 49th injury break, Reus declared that he would never give up after receiving first treatment at a Dortmund hospital. The Black and Yellow fans appeared stunned after their captain was stretchered off the field after 32 minutes in a Bundesliga game.
Similar emotions may have gripped German coach Flick as he met with his coaching staff to watch the league games on television.
Flick may overthink Reus’ nomination given his predecessor, Joachim Loew, picked an ineffective striker for 2018, followed by the sporting calamity with which Reus was not involved.
Aside from returning to Germany’s jersey after more than a year, Reus now expects to be back only four weeks before the 2022 World Cup, if all goes well.
Fans and Flick are now hoping that images from the 2014 Brazil tournament do not resurface, as the striker’s incident elicited heartfelt remorse among teammates. After scoring the game-winning goal against Argentina, Mario Goetze displayed Reus’ shirt.
According to reports, Reus witnessed the incident while sitting on his living room sofa in Germany, with tears in his eyes.
