From 1991 to 1996, the Society for the German Language published its list of the most popular first names separately for East and West.

But that makes no difference in this case, the name Julian is not found in the top ten in the relevant vintages, either in the old or in the new federal states.

Against this background, the fact that there are now three of them in the national team is a remarkable accumulation, of which it is not known whether the Academy of the German Football Association is already doing interdisciplinary research for connections.

Christian Kamp

sports editor.

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In any case, one thing is certain: Each of the three Julians – Draxler, born in 1993, Weigl, born in 1995, Brandt, born in 1996 – will be under special observation during the test internationals this Saturday against Israel in Sinsheim (8:45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker on internationals and on ZDF) and, even more, on Tuesday (8.45 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for international matches and on ARD) in Amsterdam against the Netherlands.

Hansi Flick opened the door again for the first measure of the World Cup year, maybe even more than just a crack, partly out of necessity, partly out of curiosity.

"If we don't do it now, we don't have to do it anymore," he said last Friday when presenting his squad.

But the players have to go through it alone.

On Thursday Julian Weigl sat at the press conference in the team quarters in Neu-Isenburg, tidy, relaxed and eager to share information.

If you wanted him badly, you could ask him after his comment that he had "physically gained a bit": where?

But that's probably simply because most people don't have a younger picture of Weigl since he left Borussia Dortmund for Benfica Lisbon a good two years ago in the winter.

And how slender he was back then, despite all the sensitivity on his feet, it's hard to imagine today.

"Mature and Grown Up"

Weigl, also strengthened by Benfica's entry into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, is loaded as a stabilizer, as someone who can give the German game security and structure in the six-man position if the worst comes to the worst.

He is someone who “is good at organizing, who speaks well with the other players, coaches them,” says Flick, one of whose advantages as a national coach is that he is actually constantly on the go to get an idea of ​​​​his players.

Flick is looking for people who can step in as a backup for Joshua Kimmich or, who knows, at his side if Leon Goretzka fails.

Both are currently not there, Kimmich is released because of the birth of his third child, Goretzka is still in the development program, so it would be obvious if Weigl auditioned - his last appearance in the national jersey dates from March 2017, 1-0 against England, it was Lukas Podolski's farewell game.

The 26-year-old Weigl now said of himself that he had "mature and grown up" and that he was a player who "tries to organize, create stability, has his strengths in building up the game, a clear six".

For the days with the national team, he has made it his goal to “show the same presence as in the club”.

He wants to lead the way, not hide.

why?

Weigl is the valuable type of player who you can always give the ball to – he is “proud” that he still holds the Bundesliga record for the most ball contacts in a Bundesliga game, 214.

But it is also clear to him that this is of little help in the competition for a place in the national team.