BERLIN, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Manchester City winger Leroy Sane remains an unsolved mystery for Germany's national team.
The 22-year-old is one of the hottest young stars in the English Premier League, having won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2017/2018 when he scored ten goals and assisted 15 times. For the German national team though, he is still struggling to find his place.
With the 2014 World Cup winners set to face the Netherlands this Saturday and France next Tuesday in the newly-formed Nations League, the extroverted forward is making a new attempt to satisfy the demands of his national coach Joachim Low.
If successful, he could develop into one of Low's key performers for the future, with the coach desperately seeking to inject some pace into his squad.
Sane insisted last summer's disappointment of not having been picked for Germany's World Cup squad is a thing of the past, adding he has learned the message and is prepared for a new challenge.
"I am here to prove my skills. I am looking forward to every game as things around the national team haven't worked out too well for me so far. I am trying to be more open," Sane commented, adding that he does not have a problem with criticism of his attitude from other players such as Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos.
"He's a player who has everything you need to be a world-class player, but sometimes you have to tell him he has to perform better," Kroos said. "Sometimes you have the feeling with Leroy's body language that's its all the same whether we win or lose."
It should not be forgotten that "Leroy is still a youngster, but his behavior in the past hasn't always addressed our expectations," Low's assistant coach Markus Sorg emphasized, indicating that Sane remains a promising talent for the team in the future.
Not everyone applauded when Low's team headed to Russia without one of the country's greatest talents, and Low came in for criticism at the time. At the same time, Sane's image took a hit of its own, when photographs emerged of a big tattoo on his back portraying him celebrating after having scored a goal.
The winger continually refused to give interviews and seemed to not care about the incendiary headlines, not helping to improve his perceived image among fans as arrogant and aloof.
Now things have changed, as he became a new father only a few weeks ago. Sane claims to be comfortable with having to take more responsibility off the pitch caring for his young family and daughter Rio Stella. "It is great to be a father," he commented.
Now his new role is expected to help him make the next step when it comes to the German national team, with Kroos and others hoping for further improvement. "What is crystal clear is his quality, his pace, his left foot. If he performs well, he's a real weapon," noted the four-time Champions League winner.
