Sebastian Rudy's brilliant strike helped Germany qualify for the World Cup and furthered a growing reputation. He has slowly risen up the ranks to the point where he is one of Joachim Löw's top options in midfield.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/GES/M. I. Güngör
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Sebastian Rudy's second-minute strike against Northern Ireland was a powerful moment in his Germany career.
Not only did it help secure the country's qualification for the World Cup, but it was also a well-deserved reward for the Bayern Munich midfielder, who has clawed his way to a prominent position in one of the world's best national teams .
Rudy was left out of Germany's 2014 World Cup squad. He was left out of the squad that competed at the 2016 European Championship in France. But his patience may now be rewarded as he seems in a good position to land one of the 23 spots in Germany's squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
"He is a really good player – great technique, good vision for his teammates and strong shooting skills, like we just saw," Jerome Boateng said of Rudy after Germany's 3-1 win against Northern Ireland.
Settling in midfield
Versatility was once regarded as the 27-year-old's best quality. In his career, he has played all over midfield and on the right side of defense. His flexibility bought him regular game time – he has played at least 25 games per season since joining Hoffenheim from Stuttgart in 2010.
Goalkeeper Michael McGovern could not get a hand to Sebastian Rudy's spectacular shotImage: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Hassenstein
But that aspect of his game didn't get him anywhere with Germany because he didn't excel in one position. Germany coach Joachim Löw used him mostly as a defender or a right-sided midfielder at the beginning of his national team career – which coincided with the retirement of Philipp Lahm. He did not prove to be a better option than Joshua Kimmich or Emre Can, the two equally-versatile players Löw brought to Euro 2016 instead of him.
Then came Julian Nagelsmann, who made Rudy the central figure of Hoffenheim's midfield. The young coach sat Rudy in front of the defense as Hoffenheim's deep-lying midfielder. Rudy put together his best season in that role, recording seven assists in 32 Bundesliga games. Löw then used him in the same manner with the national team, and the midfielder helped lead a "watered down" Germany team to the Confederations Cup crown.
Before that, in January, Rudy agreed to join Bayern once his contract with Hoffenheim expired at the end of the 2016-17 season. The move appeared to be a signing designed to add depth to Bayern's squad, but once Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso announced he would retire at season's end, Rudy was billed as his replacement.
Sebastian Rudy (right) moved to Bayern Munich with Hoffenheim teammate Niklas Süle (left) before the seasonImage: picture-alliance/dpa/S.Simon
"It was a brilliant chess move by Bayern to get him," Sandro Wagner, who was Rudy's teammate at Hoffenheim, said on Thursday. "It hurts us that he doesn't play for us anymore."
Though there is a lot more competition for starting places in Munich, Rudy has played in all but two of Bayern's 11 games this season. In September, he was the midfield partner for three-time Champions League winner and World Cup champion Toni Kroos. On Thursday, Löw again chose Rudy to anchor his midfield with Kroos.
Rudy may have benefitted from the fitness troubles of Ilkay Gündogan, Sami Khedira and Julian Weigl, all of whom have participated in a major international tournament. But when Löw is deciding who he is going to take to Russia this coming June, Rudy will undoubtedly be a strong contender.
Winners and Losers in Germany's World Cup qualification
After not dropping a single point in their first nine matches, Germany have cruised to another World Cup qualification. Who has made himself indispensable and who has struggled? Here are DW's winners and losers.
Image: Getty Images/B. Mendes
Winner: Timo Werner
No player has risen faster in Germany's team than RB Leipzig's Timo Werner. He received his first cap back in March and now appears to be Joachim Löw's main man up front, despite missing the latest match through injury. Germany have already won a tournament - the Confederations Cup - with Werner playing up front. Can they win another in 2018?
Image: picture-alliance/GES/M. Ibo
Loser: Mario Gomez
He had a renaissance at last year's European Championship – two goals in four games – to the point where Germany fell apart when he got injured. But Gomez has played just twice in World Cup qualifying. Euro 2016 may have been the last hurrah for a striker who once again appears to have found himself down the pecking order.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Winner: Lars Stindl
Several Bundesliga stars got an opportunity at the Confederations Cup, but Lars Stindl was the one who made the most of it. The Gladbach attacker received his first cap in June, and now Löw is choosing him over some more established players. With the depth Löw has in attacking midfield, Stindl may not make the World Cup squad, but he has made a strong case for his inclusion.
Image: Reuters/G. Dukor
Loser: Andre Schürrle
He assisted the winning goal in the World Cup final, but now André Schürrle can barely get on the field, for club or country. As the Dortmund forward has struggled with his form, several others have passed him on Germany's depth chart. He got two goals and an assist against Azerbaijan in March, but he looks unlikely to win another cap anytime soon.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Winner: Leon Goretzka
Germany has a plethora of central midfielders yet Leon Goretzka has still found a way to break into the squad. The Schalke midfielder was arguably Germany's best player at the Confederations Cup, scoring three goals in four starts. His spot may not be completely secure if Ilkay Gündogan and Julian Weigl return strongly from injury, but he has certainly made the decision tougher for Löw.
Image: picture-alliance/GES/M. Gilliar
Loser: Julian Brandt
After a strong performance at last year's Olympics and a solid season with Leverkusen, Julian Brandt seemed poised for an extended run in Germany's first team. But it wasn't to be. He made just one start at the Confederations Cup and played poorly in the World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic last month. Considering Germany's depth, he may need to wait a little longer for his World Cup debut.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Eisenhuth
Winner: Marc-Andre ter Stegen
The back-up goalkeeper spot is no longer up for grabs. Marc-André ter Stegen has secured his place behind Manuel Neuer after another solid performance against the Czech Republic. He was named as starter after just two matches at the Confed Cup, a tournament where Löw was supposedly going to try out several players. In truth ter Stegen has made the number two spot his own.
Image: Reuters/G. Dukor
Losers: Kevin Trapp and Bernd Leno
With Neuer injured, 2017 was the year these two were to solidify their standing with Germany. Neither of them have. Bernd Leno (right) made two big errors in his only Confed Cup start. Kevin Trapp (left) got his first cap in June, but a lack of first team football at Paris Saint-Germain may be his downfall. The pair's issues mean the third goalkeeper spot in the World Cup squad up for grabs.
His performances with Germany have been far from perfect and he may not live up to the €35 million ($40.3 million) price tag placed on him when he signed for Chelsea in July but Rüdiger he seems to have Löw's backing. He has played in seven of Germany's 10 matches in 2017 and although he may not be in the country's top tier of central defenders, he appears to be in the mix if injury strikes.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
Losers: Niklas Süle and Jonathan Tah
A year ago, the two seemed to be Germany's defensive future - Jonathan Tah made the Euro 2016 squad while Niklas Süle (left) played at the Olympics. But neither has made a big enough recent impact to warrant a spot in the World Cup squad. Tah has had injury problems but even Matthias Ginter, who was not good enough for Dortmund, seems to be ahead of the youngsters.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/A. Nasyrov
Somewhere in between: Thomas Müller
He has scored five goals in World Cup qualifying, so it may seem harsh to call him a loser. But Müller hasn't moved past his Euro 2016 woes, so he's not a winner either. His recent decline with Bayern Munich doesn't seem to have carried over too much in the national team, but he's still not the Müller Germany fans know. Hopefully he becomes a winner in 2018, or Germany may not be winning anything.
