These four virtues are good for the sick giant Germany

Germany loves “gap”. That's certainly down to his all-important goal against Spain. However, it is also due to the type of filling jug. In the virtues that he stands for - that he lives.

Loving gap is one thing. However, it would be much nicer to take the filling jug as a model. It may sound like an exaggeration to invoke the values ​​of the Niclas Füllkrug as a symbol for the whole country. Especially since the author of this comment is an ardent Werder Bremen fan.

But as a supporter of this club, I've been looking at this guy for a long time, at his ups and downs. People like me have known and loved "Lücke" for a long time. In addition, I'm not just a fan, I'm also a business editor, so I know about the difficult economic situation this country is currently in and the reasons for it.

The striker embodies many of the virtues that this country is lacking right now. Learning from Füllkrug means learning to win, you could say – even if Niclas Füllkrug himself would call that a total exaggeration.

That's where it starts, with his modesty. He gave up a lot of money this summer and extended his contract with Werder Bremen. "I have to die if I want to stay here," he said in July. "We all earn enough money to feed our families and lead a great life." He gave up so that the financially troubled club could continue to employ him - despite other good offers.

In these difficult economic times, it would do this country good to do without and not to insist on ever greater privileges. Just like Füllkrug, most Germans are still doing well. While few of us are millionaires, most live well.

Just like the national striker, we made sure of that ourselves. Füllkrug would like to stay in Bremen, even if he has to make financial cutbacks there for the time being. Even the Federal Republic cannot afford to heed every call for help.

With the aid packages that have now been put together, the maximum has been reached. In addition, it is now time for renunciation to be announced. The constant whining and demanding for more is inappropriate. Instead, we would do well to have a greater awareness that, despite all the problems, this country is still very liveable.

Niclas Füllkrug is a pragmatist. He doesn't do anything on principle. For him, team and success are paramount. Unnecessary gestures or symbols are foreign to him. It also has nothing in common with the vanities of the TikTok or Instagram generations.

More pragmatism would also help us these days. Tackling the current problems instead of delaying them with inhibiting ideology would give Germany a decisive boost in the current energy crisis, for example.

Whining less, just getting back up instead. This is how Füllkrug did it. This is how the Germans should think and act. The move away from the social market economy towards the excessive welfare state creates the opposite mentality. Full pitcher is considered a term of a so-called mentality player and is not a ruthless egoist.

But someone who demands unconditional will and commitment from his team to succeed. Solidarity yes, Samaritanism no. German politicians must finally understand this. A financially bloated and inefficient welfare state weakens Germany as a business location.

to be of age. Speak your mind - even if it hurts. For yourself and others. Niclas Füllkrug opened his mouth, gave vent to his anger - and almost lost his job a year ago. But it made him stronger and more believable.

The growing fear of not being able to say everything is also growing in this country. This inhibits society and the economy. Criticism is necessary and purifying. She must even be allowed to overshoot the target. For example, Füllkrug had a nasty argument with his strike partner Marvin Ducksch.

He was even threatened with a "bell" in the dressing room. But the two are friends, got together and then shot Werder Bremen together to get promoted.

Filling jug as a role model for all of Germany? Maybe that's putting him too high. Might be. What is certain, however, is that his virtues would do our country good. I am positive that apparently millions of Germans appreciate these virtues in him. The road to living it yourself more in the future is then not that far.

"Everything on shares" is the daily stock exchange shot from the WELT business editorial team. Every morning from 7 a.m. with our financial journalists. For stock market experts and beginners. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music and Deezer. Or directly via RSS feed.