In the first match of this home European Championship 2024, the German national team was already able to celebrate a clear victory with Niclas Füllkrug on the scoreboard.
The “Lücke” struck in the 68th minute to make it 4:0 in the meantime. It was the third time in his career that he had scored in these minutes.
But what about the other minutes of the game? We took a look at the data and analyzed it for you: This is the time in his career – whether club or national team – when Füllkrug likes to score the most
Niclas Füllkrug goals: Better late than too early
171 goals have been scored by the ice-cold striker in his career to date, 12 of them in national dress. A sensational rate in just 17 appearances!
And a look at the stats immediately shows: Füllkrug loves late goals! He has never scored more often than in the 86th minute, a whopping six goals! Only just behind (5) is the 92nd minute (or 90+2).
In fact, the 31-year-old has scored 12 goals in the 90th minute or later! His latest goal came in 90+9 minutes, in a 1-1 draw against Schalke 04 in Werder Bremen kit. In November 2021, he converted the penalty to equalize late on.
It turns out that only two of his favorite minutes are in the first half. He scored four times in the 24th minute and five times in the 6th minute. So he can also shoot quickly from the starting blocks
Füllkrug, man for the important DFB goals
The explanation for the late goals is of course also that he often came off the bench and was therefore only able to score late on. However, he simply did that.
This was also the case in the DFB jersey, where he was mostly used from the bench. He only scored four times in the first half (6th, 12th, 33rd & 44th minute).
He scored just as many goals from the 80th minute alone, also four. He scored for Germany in the 80th, 83rd, 85th and 89th minutes.
Something similar can of course be expected at the European Championship, where Julian Nagelsmann will probably bring him on late more often to turn the tide further in Germany’s favor
Harry Kane for England
By the way, Bayern star striker Harry Kane has a similar role for England in terms of goals. Of course, he is a clear starter for England and, where possible, plays every single minute of every game.
As a result, many of his 63 goals for the Three Lions have also come in the first half, with four minutes in the first half-hour in the 18th, 19th, 24th and 27th, in each of which he has scored twice.
However, it is all the more astonishing that he also scored the most goals in the 90th minute (4)! So his power obviously lasts until the end to score the important goals just before the end.
And not just before the end of the game, but also before half-time. Kane scored just as many goals (4) in the 45th minute. Spectacular!
Incidentally, the striker scored his latest goal in an England shirt in the 104th minute. Where? At the 2021 European Championship against Denmark, scoring the late winner and advancing to the final.
But for one of the hottest contenders for top scorer at the European Championship, such superlatives are hardly surprising
