From almost failed young talent to Bundesliga goalkeeper: Marwin Hitz tells blue Sport how he stagnated in Switzerland, but learned to persevere in Wolfsburg.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- At 38, Marwin Hitz is experiencing his second spring at FC Basel and is impressing with his experience, calmness and new physical strength.
- In an exclusive interview with blue Sport, the Basel goalkeeper talks about his hunger for titles, coach Magnin and his time in the Bundesliga.
- Hitz reveals that he thought about quitting several times as a young player in Switzerland.
- His move to VfL Wolfsburg was ultimately a turning point for him, where he learned discipline and perseverance under Felix Magath.
Marwin Hitz was trained as a youngster at FC St.Gallen. At FCSG, however, the talent only played in the second team. In 2007, the goalkeeper was loaned out to Yverdon in the Challenge League (no appearances) and one season later to Winterthur (15 appearances).
At the age of 21, Hitz took the plunge abroad and joined Wolfsburg. "From a sporting point of view, it was a lifesaver for me. In Switzerland, I kept getting stuck, didn't really get on, had difficult phases. I even considered quitting several times."
Hitz continues: "When I talk about my junior years, there aren't many good stories. I had to fight my way through everything - maybe that even helped me in the end. The move to Germany was a great stroke of luck, both athletically and personally," he recalls in an interview with blue Sport.
Wolfsburg as a turning point in his career
Felix Magath was the coach in Wolfsburg - the number 1 was Diego Benaglio, a fellow countryman. "I certainly wasn't at my best level back then - neither physically nor in terms of goalkeeping," Hitz looks back. Nevertheless, various people within the club believed in him: "I'm just glad that they saw something in me - I don't know exactly what."
The time in Lower Saxony was the most important of his career. "It was a huge challenge in sporting and personal terms. Many people probably thought that I would return to Switzerland in the winter. But I fought through it - mentally and physically. In the end, I didn't contribute too much to the championship title (2009), but it was confirmation for me that hard work is the only way forward - and you can't get there without it," Hitz sums up.
Bundesliga goal unforgotten
In 2013, Hitz moved to Augsburg and became a regular goalkeeper in the Bundesliga. "It was a fantastic time. My dream was always the Bundesliga. The fact that I was able to experience it like that felt almost surreal at first. I often asked myself how I had even earned it. It was a really wonderful time - also because my two sons were born back then," enthuses Hitz about the chapter at FCA.
On February 21, 2015, he achieved the feat of scoring a goal as a goalkeeper in the championship. "Yes, that was even my password once - so I know exactly what happened there," laughs Hitz. "I often went forward in vain or went back too early. At that moment, the coach asked me to go with him. The corner kick was initially blocked and then I was in exactly the right place."
BVB switch not a mistake - missed DFB Cup digested
In 2018, the player from eastern Switzerland took the plunge and moved to Dortmund: "Because I became number 1 relatively late, I thought I would have to skip the intermediate step between Augsburg and Dortmund. Dortmund is a top 15 club in the world - if you get an offer there, it's a dream," said Hitz, explaining the reasons for the move.
"I knew it would be difficult and that it might take longer for me to become number 1. Nevertheless, it was enough for half a year. Many said it was a risk - but I would do this transfer again in exactly the same way," says Hitz.
At BVB, Hitz was competing with compatriot Roman Bürki for the position of regular goalkeeper. In the spring of 2021, Hitz came out on top. However, he suffered an injury shortly before the end of the season and missed the DFB Cup final.
"That annoyed me for a long time. I even hung a picture of the trophy presentation in my garage - I'm not on it. I wanted to remind myself that I would like to experience it myself one day," Hitz admits. With FCB's double win, however, the bad feelings have disappeared. "It hasn't bothered me since last summer. It was worth the wait," says Hitz.
