Kevin Großkreutz passionately urged against being nominated.

Kevin Großkreutz passionately pleads for his exclusion.

Currently, the national coach is selecting his team for the 2024 European Championship in his home country. A decade ago, Jogi Löw did the same thing, but Kevin Großkreutz's scandalous activities interfered. Incidentally, Großkreutz probably didn't expect to be flying to Brazil himself!

"Kevin's behavior is inexcusable." In May ten years ago, BVB's sports director, Michael Zorc, had no choice but to publicly admonish Kevin Großkreutz. A major German sports magazine had just published shocking details about the chaotic night following Dortmund's 2014 DFB Cup final loss to FC Bayern Munich, titled "Großkreutz: Raging, urinating, stomping!" And the news was truly shocking. It not only tarnished the Dortmund champion player's reputation in the public's view, but even within the DFB.

Jogi Löw had included Kevin Großkreutz in his preliminary squad for the World Cup in Brazil in early May 2014. The Dortmund player was considered a versatile asset for the national team, capable of playing various positions and providing needed vigor.

Former DFB goalkeeper Oliver Kahn saw a different quality in Großkreutz at the time: "The German national soccer team is a very cohesive group. The players are quite similar in character. It makes sense to include one or two individuals like Kevin Großkreutz, who is a different kind of player and can definitely help a team during certain situations." Kevin Großkreutz was already seen as a distinct figure back then. One who stood out. And not just occasionally.

"The Kevin Kebab"

Think back to the celebration of Dortmund's 2011 championship, when the nation watched as Großkreutz left the stage at the Westfalenhalle's title party, accompanied by two strong security guards, to process the events of the day in a portable toilet. Gleefully, he emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later to join the stage celebration again. The ecstatic Black and Yellow supporter was rightly delighted by one of their own.

However, the national coach's endurance was tested just a week before the cup final and the next scandal. And this time, the incident might have removed 99% of other players from the DFB squad. But with Großkreutz's story, these events were almost expected. So what actually happened back then?

A week before the training camp, news broke about another incredible misstep by the BVB player. Sports Bild reported that Großkreutz had "urinated in the hotel lobby" while drunk on the night following the cup final against Bayern Munich (0:2) on May 17, 2014. This deeply offended another hotel guest, who called the police in reaction to this incident. However, Großkreutz had already left by then. The BVB star didn't deny these and other acts that night, but later apologized to the media: "I was completely frustrated after the game, we had planned so much, we really wanted to win the trophy. I blacked out. I'm sorry."

In May, ten years ago, Kevin Großkreutz's quick and truthful confession possibly spared him from being left out of the World Cup team. Eventually, during the summer of 2014, the "World Cup scandal" emerged, involving Max Kruse's exclusion and gossip that is still relevant today. This news even involved a clash between Max Kruse and Jogi Löw, the then-national coach. (https://www.n-tv.de/sport/fussball/Was-fuer-ein-Zirkus-Kinderquatsch-mit-Loew-und-Kruse-article24766170.html)

Despite not playing a single minute during the World Cup, Kevin Großkreutz was praised by his teammates. Bastian Schweinsteiger, one of his FC Bayern colleagues, mentioned him in his final tweet and expressed thanks for an enjoyable time "without any shenanigans." The well-liked Dortmund player became the focus of the celebrations in front of and behind the Brandenburg Gate. For instance, he willingly offered a sip from his beer bottle to a policewoman.

"Serenade" from Draxler

Julian Draxler, his teammate and fellow competitor from FC Schalke 04, joyfully serenaded him on stage. With the excited cheers of the crowd, Draxler passionately sang: "Großkreutz, get the kebab out, Großkreutz, get the kebab out, Großkreutz, get the kebab out!" Großkreutz jokingly responded in his native region using social media: "Dear Julian, I may not be able to get a kebab out, but I can always bring out the bowl again."

Bastian Schweinsteiger told another outrageous story related to the 2014 World Cup Final a few days ago. Schweinsteiger was bleeding from an elbow strike and was about to be replaced. However, he continued playing and now says with a grin, "I defended the entire nation from Kevin playing in the six." Since Kevin was warming up and felt thoroughly upset after being left out, he angrily punched Schweinsteiger on the shoulder. "I needed treatment, which is why I had a blue tape strip on my arm at the Brandenburg Gate," Bastian Schweinsteiger recalls today about another impact from Großkreutz. However, Schweinsteiger forgave him after a while. He also secretly wished that Kevin Großkreutz had participated in Brazil's Campo Bahia, despite Großkreutz's plea not to be selected.