Maximilian Eggestein explains what makes ‘the perfect Freiburg player’

Maximilian Eggestein explains what makes ‘the perfect Freiburg player’ SC Freiburg midfielder Maximilian Eggestein has spoken at length on his role within Julian Schuster’s side, the importance of sacrificing individual ambitions for the collective and his plans to remain in football after his playing career comes to an end. The 29-year-old covered a wide range of subjects in an extensive Kicker interview that appeared in the magazine’s Monday print edition. Germany’s latest squad, Johan Manzambi’s departure, Freiburg’s evolving style of play and even Eggestein’s relative lack of pace all came up. The national-team discussion proved particularly interesting given Freiburg’s recent success. Philipp Treu, Max Rosenfelder, Yannik Engelhardt and Derry Scherhant all received their first senior Germany call-ups as part of Jürgen Klopp’s 44-man squad. Eggestein – despite remaining one of Freiburg’s most indispensable outfield players – wasn’t especially bothered about missing out. “The disappointment isn’t really that great,” Eggestein explained. “It’s relatively clear which direction Klopp wants to go in and it’s completely understandable. That’s why I’ve said repeatedly over the last few years that the subject never really occupied me. It doesn’t this time either.” Eggestein never earned a senior cap despite twice sitting on Joachim Löw’s bench in 2019. His younger Freiburg teammates are now taking a different route. Scherhant’s journey from struggling for minutes in Berlin to starting consecutive senior internationals provides perhaps the most striking example. Eggestein, meanwhile, remains considerably more interested in what is happening in Breisgau. Perhaps most interestingly, he offered something approaching a definition of what it means to be a Freiburg player. Sporting director Jochen Saier recently described the former Werder Bremen midfielder as a “perfect Freiburg player.” Eggestein – now in his fifth season in Breisgau – appears to understand precisely what Saier meant. Maximilian Eggestein on what makes the ‘perfect Freiburg player’ “A player should make us better,” Eggestein explained. “He should bring sporting qualities that we either don’t yet have or that have just left the club. And, of course, he has to fit into the group character-wise and be able to integrate himself. A great deal of importance is placed on that here.” Eggestein’s own game offers a fairly useful case study. Last season, the Freiburg vice-captain regularly worked alongside Johan Manzambi in midfield. The Swiss international’s extraordinary ability eventually earned him a club-record move to Aston Villa, but his freedom to attack depended heavily on Eggestein remaining behind him. “Johan gave the team an immense amount with his individual quality,” Eggestein noted. “For the overall structure, however, he needed someone next to him who held the position, provided cover and had his back. Only then could he really play freely. One of my strengths is that I can take myself back, see the overall structure and then accept such a role.” The basic concept long predates Manzambi’s breakthrough. A little over a year ago, Christian Günter famously dubbed Eggestein and Patrick Osterhage Freiburg’s “twins” after both midfielders scored in a Europa League win over Basel. The nickname soon became something of a locker-room gag. Even then, Eggestein was keen to stress that the pair weren’t actually tactical duplicates. He described himself as the midfielder more inclined to hold the center and provide security, while the quicker Osterhage attacked space further forward. Things look somewhat different now. With Osterhage out, Eggestein has been playing almost exclusively alongside Engelhardt. Eggestein’s work has aided and abetted both his new midfield partner and Freiburg’s new No. 10 Yuito Suzuki . That redistribution became one of the central themes of Freiburg’s summer tactical evolution . Eggestein has two goals and one assist through seven competitive appearances after recording six goals and two assists in 53 outings last season. The midfielder nevertheless considers the broader development more important than his numbers. “From the overall package, I’m playing my best and most mature football,” Eggestein said. “You try to absorb everything during your career and at some point that is reflected in the experience that helps you implement things better than before.” Eggestein explains Freiburg’s dressing-room leadership Eggestein’s importance extends well beyond his positioning. Along with captain Christian Günter and Freiburg’s other senior leaders, the vice-captain helps introduce new arrivals into a dressing room regularly praised for its ability to integrate players quickly. The process, Eggestein insists, has little to do with making noise for the sake of it. “The most important thing is to remain authentic,” he said. “Shouting just for the sake of shouting achieves nothing. How do you contribute during video analysis? How do you contribute when discussing the way we want to play with the coaching staff? And, centrally, there is of course performance on the pitch, both in matches and in training.” “You can also give younger players concrete advice on the pitch,” Eggestein continued. “Beyond that, it’s about how you organize your life as a professional.” Eggestein specifically mentioned extra stretching, mobility work, strength training, sauna and cold-pool sessions and treatment routines as habits Freiburg’s experienced professionals attempt to model. New players, he says, quickly learn what is expected by watching those around them. It is a rather Freiburg explanation of leadership: less speech-making, more example-setting. The collective approach has accompanied substantial footballing progress as well. Freiburg’s record-breaking start to the new campaign has included a more confident possession game and greater willingness to control matches against strong opposition. Why do slow players make good coaches? Not everything in the interview was quite so serious. Pace and dynamism have never ranked among Eggestein’s defining qualities. Asked how a player can survive in an increasingly fast game without elite speed, the Freiburg midfielder supplied one of the interview’s best lines. “That’s why slow players often end up becoming good coaches,” Eggestein joked, “because they have to find other solutions.” Julian Schuster, himself hardly renowned as a sprinter during his playing career, provided an obvious example. Eggestein confirmed that he intends to remain involved in football after retirement, although the precise role remains open. “If you don’t run 36 km/h,” Eggestein added, “you simply have to concern yourself more with your surroundings. Whether I’ll become a good coach is written in the stars. But I definitely want to remain in football. As a coach, scout or in management. I can imagine all of it.” For now, Eggestein remains rather more important on the pitch. He may not possess the explosive athleticism of the players who often attract the headlines around him. He doesn’t especially seek those headlines either. What Freiburg receive instead is a player prepared to read the game, organize the structure, sacrifice his own role when necessary and quietly demonstrate to the next newcomer how things are done. Perhaps “perfect Freiburg player” isn’t such a bad description after all.