Julian Brandt, the Borussia Dortmund midfielder, spoke to journalists during the team’s US tour about his experiences in the previous season and his goals for the upcoming season. Brandt admitted that he and the team were devastated by losing out on the Bundesliga title on the final matchday, and he even felt the desire to get away and have time alone to think. However, he quickly focused on moving on from the disappointment and turning it into motivation for the next season.
Brandt had a successful season individually, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists in the Bundesliga. He attributed his development to a long process of continuously working hard and finally finding his momentum. Despite his progress, Brandt expressed frustration at not reaching his personal goal of scoring more than ten goals and ten assists in the season.
With Jude Bellingham leaving Dortmund for Real Madrid, Brandt acknowledged that it would be difficult to replace him directly. He praised Bellingham’s mentality and highlighted that the new signings, Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha, would need to contribute, along with other players, to fill the void. Brandt drew comparisons to last year when Erling Haaland left and the team distributed the goal-scoring responsibilities among multiple players.
Brandt also discussed his evolving role as a leader on and off the pitch. While he acknowledged the traditional expectation of a leader being loud and aggressive, he believed that the idea of leadership was changing, and he was taking on more responsibilities, including speaking before games. Brandt emphasized the importance of multiple players stepping up as leaders and expressed his desire to continue developing in that direction.
Overall, Brandt’s interview highlighted his resilience in the face of disappointment, his personal development as a player, and his determination to contribute to Dortmund’s success in the upcoming season.
