Kai Havertz has admitted that he initially thought Arsenal would cancel their Premier League trophy parade following the heartbreak of losing the Champions League final. The German forward, 27, scored in the final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest, breaking the deadlock after just five minutes. However, Arsenal lost on penalties, just 11 days after clinching the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years.
Havertz's Doubts About the Parade
Speaking to the Guardian, Havertz said: "To be honest, it was tough. After the match, I initially thought we would call the whole thing off. By the next morning, things looked different." The parade went ahead as planned, with 1.5 million people lining the streets of North London, according to the Metropolitan Police. Havertz described it as an experience he had 'never experienced anything like' before.
A Celebration for the Fans
"We had a huge season behind us," Havertz added. "The club had gone 22 years without a league title so that had to be celebrated properly with the fans. I have to say I've never experienced anything like it. So many people on the streets, so many supporting us. It ranks among my top three experiences as a professional."
World Cup Ambitions
Now Havertz is focused on lifting another trophy: the World Cup. Germany have started well with two wins, thrashing Curacao 7-1 in their opening game before beating Ivory Coast 2-1. With top spot in Group E confirmed, they will play Ecuador on Thursday before a last-32 tie next week against a third-placed side. Julian Nagelsmann's team were not among the pre-tournament favourites, but Havertz is confident.
"Qatar was anything but successful for us as a team and for me personally," the forward acknowledged. "There's a different energy in our squad now. I was quickly convinced that things would go better this year. We knew we had a duty not to fail early on again. We are Germany. But now the tournament is really just beginning."
