BERLIN, March 21 -- Manchester City forward Leroy Sane is turning to Germany's ray of hope in the attempt of the struggling 2017 World Champion to return to a top international level.
The 23-year-old's story with the national team couldn't be more curious as one of the country's most promising attacking talents got ruled out of the squad shortly before the 2018 World Cup start due to a lack of attitude.
One year later, Sane not only proved his outstanding quality with enchanting fast runs, but also became the decisive factor in calming down the mounting disappointment among supporters.
While the home team was booed off the pitch at half time in their friendly against Serbia (1-1) in Wolfsburg, the Premier League top act addressed his coaches demands to deliver increasing speed and encouraging dribbling's in the second half.
Facing the crucial 2020 Euro qualifier this Sunday in Amsterdam against the Netherlands, the draw against Serbia provided some conclusions after a disastrous 2018 containing Germany's early group exit at the World Cup in Russia and the team's demotion in the Nations League.
While the newly formed defense needs to improve, Sane gave the all-clear for the Netherlands clash after he was substituted against Serbia in the dying minutes, almost suffering an injury from a rude foul by Milan Pavkov who saw a straight red card. "Everything ok with my ankle, it could have been much worse," Sane commented.
"It was a vicious foul," Loew said. "Sane was lucky and got away with not getting hurt, but such fouls can break bones."
Still, it was apparent the youthful Germany squad is ongoingly stumbling over a stony road trying to regaining sovereignty after national coach's Joachim Loew's decision to no longer count on experienced forces such as Mats Hummels (30), Jerome Boateng (30) and Thomas Mueller (29/all Bayern Munich).
Against Serbia, seven German performers were 23 or younger. That might change Sunday as Toni Kroos (29/Real Madrid), Marco Reus (29/Borussia Dortmund) and Antonio Ruediger (26/Chelsea) will return to the starting 11.
"It might have hurt not to be selected in 2018, but it helped him to develop. He learned from this, he changed his approach and made his conclusions; apparently, it was the right ones," former U.S. and German national teams' coach Juergen Klinsmann commented.
The young upstart has developed to a determined professional after he became a father of a daughter last September and made his way in one of Europe's best side' counting on the support of his Manchester coach Pep Guardiola.
And, maybe most important, the son of a German mother and a Senegalese father strictly followed the Spaniard's advice to take more responsibility for his action on and off the pitch after having won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2017/2018 when he scored 10 goals and assisted 15 times.
For the German national team, he was struggling to find his place.
Not everyone applauded when Low's team headed to Russia without one of the country's greatest talents, and Low came in for criticism.
At the same time, Sane's image took a hit of its own, when photographs emerged of a big tattoo on his back portraying him celebrating after having scored a goal.
Germany's young charges may not challenge for major international honours in the immediate future, but coach Loew seems to have enough role models to develop his rejuvenated squad.
Sane is one of them as he has become irreplaceable and one of the team's inspiring sources. Enditem