“Very glad that I remained patient” | OneFootball

Michael Zetterer has kept three clean sheets in the Bundesliga so far this season (Photo: W.DE).

Michael Zetterer marks a decade at Werder Bremen

Today marks exactly ten years since a then 19-year-old Michael Zetterer joined SV Werder Bremen from SpVgg Unterhaching. Initially bought in as a talented youth prospect, the Munich native had to surpass several hurdles and setbacks on his path to becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. Zetterer dealt with several injuries before being loaned out twice, returning to take part in Werder’s successful bid to earn immediate promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2021/22. He was then made the club’s first-choice goalkeeper in summer 2024. In an interview with WERDER.DE, Zetti spoke about his unconventional path and details a situation that could have been the end of his career.

WERDER.DE: Moin, Zetti. Congratulations on having been at Werder Bremen for a decade! Your journey to becoming the club’s first-choice goalkeeper has been defined by three specific traits: patience, perseverance and mindset. Would you agree?

Michael Zetterer: Thank you. In my case, patience is almost self-explanatory, considering I’ve been here for ten years now and I’ve only been the designated first-choice in goal for little over a year. Ten years ago, this is exactly where I dreamed of one day being. I’m very glad that I remained patient. As a goalkeeper, you have to persevere and in the end, it’s paid off for me. In terms of mindset, it’s something that tends to change a bit over the years, especially in terms of how you approach things. It’s a quality that I already had several years ago, but since you’re always growing and developing as a person, you also learn how to better express your emotions.

Michael Zetterer has been at SV Werder since 2015 (Photo: nordphoto).

WERDER.DE: Speaking of emotions: up until 2023, you were the goalkeeper that had already been shown two yellow cards in professional football, without having featured in a single Bundesliga game. Was that something that you were concerned about?

Michael Zetterer: On a personal level, not at all. I always wanted to help the club, regardless of my personal situation. That was the case during my time with the U23s, as well as during every first-team training session and even as the back-up goalkeeper. I wanted to make an impact on the game to the best of my abilities. It didn’t always work out so well when I was on the bench (laughs).

WERDER.DE: One of those yellow cards came during the derby against Hamburger SV in 2017 (0-0) when Deniz Aytekin booked you while you were on the bench. What difference of opinions did you have at the time?

Michael Zetterer: I think it was about a potential handball. I thought that he should have seen it better in that moment. I don’t think I’d react now the way I did then (laughs). But even then, I just tried to help the team and the club whenever possible, and that’s what I wanted to do at all times. I think my second yellow card in Frankfurt was actually meant for Bargi (Ed. note: Philipp Bargfrede), but I don’t think we’ll be able to change that anymore (laughs).

Injuries & loan spells

Michael Zetterer suffered an injury to his left hand during training camp in 2016 (Photo: nordphoto).

WERDER.DE: Let’s fast forward to 2016, a year in which you were plagued by several injuries. In January you suffered a second scaphoid fracture to your left hand and were sidelined for several months, before you then suffered a capsule injury to the same hand during pre-season training camp. What were you able to learn from this time?

Michael Zetterer: If you’d asked me a year ago, I’d have said that all I wanted was to erase that year from my memories as quickly as possible. But with time, I’ve come to really appreciate that year, as odd as that might sound. I learned a lot and it gave me a lot off the pitch as well, which helped make me into the man and the athlete that I am today. It’s obvious that there’s never  good time to be injured, but I felt like every time I was making good progress in terms of my development, I’d be dealt another setback.

WERDER.DE: There was also a time where you thought that you might have to give up on your dream of being a professional footballer. What helped you through that situation?

Michael Zetterer: I had one foot out the door already, and was on the verge of ending my career. I’m very glad that I didn’t go through with it. It all comes down to how you approach things and how you deal with the privilege of getting to be a professional footballer. You start to appreciate things differently than someone whose career is just a series of successes. I have a different appreciation for my career. I have a lot of humility towards my current situation and for how everything turned out.

WERDER.DE: Your time at Werder has also included two loan spells at Austria Klagenfurt (in the Austrian second division) and PEC Zwolle (Eredivisie). What role did they play in your developement?

Michael Zetterer: From a sporting perspective, going on loan to Klagenfurt in the second division in Austria wasn’t something I initially wanted. I had to adjust to it at first. But, in hindsight I also wouldn’t have wanted to not have that experience, and it was important for me to regain confidence in my hand’s abilities following my injuries. Playing in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands was then another step up. It was important for me to see that I was able to compete at that level and it was a good way to ensure that I could pursue my goals at Werder.

Michael Zetterer

WERDER.DE: You ended up making your professional debut for Werder on matchday 1 in the second division in 2021/22, in a 1-1 draw at home against Hannover 96. Did that moment give you goosebumps, especially after all the setbacks you’d experienced?

Michael Zetterer: Definitely. I can still remember how affected I was after the game. Even though I’d known for a few weeks already that I’d be starting, it was still a special moment. To have been able to achieve my dream after so many years was something extremely special, as was my first Bundesliga game and later being named the club’s first-choice goalkeeper. It will always be a special honour.

Michael Zetterer kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win in Munich in 2024, in what was a personal highlight for the goalkeeper (Photo: W.DE)

WERDER.DE: The 2023/24 season saw you earn yourself a spot in goal as the campaign progressed. As a Munich native, the 1-0 win at Bayern München must have been a highlight for you as well.

Michael Zetterer: As a kid, I was at the Allianz Arena on the day it opened and didn’t know what was all still to come. To have kept a clean sheet and won my first ever game at the Allianz Arena, as a Munich native, was something very special. It’s something you dream of, every time you travel to play a game like that. As a team, we delivered an exceptional performance, which is the only way you can be successful in a game like that. It will always be a memory that I enjoy looking back on.

WERDER.DE: You went into this season as the designated number one for the first time in the Bundesliga. Can your somewhat unconventional career path serve as a sort of guide for other goalkeepers?

Michael Zetterer: During that time, I always remembered my goal of one day being the first-choice goalkeeper at Werder Bremen. I’m extremely proud of what I’ve achieved. The path I’ve taken can be an example for young goalkeepers who might have also suffered injuries or had to go on loan to get to where they want to go. The truth is, though, that football is a fast-paced business due to the level of competition, and the path I’ve taken isn’t typical. I hope that I’ve able to continue being successful. I want to be successful here and achieve something with Werder Bremen, something that does justice to the club and the fans.

WERDER.DE: Goalkeeping coach Christian ‘Kiki’ Vander has been a constant companion on your journey here. What role has he played in your career, also with regard to your skills on the ball as a goalkeeper?

Michael Zetterer: I’m very grateful about the open and honest relationship we have and the way he treats me, both as a person and as a goalkeeping coach. He helps me improve and I think that my development is also testament to him as well. This also includes my ability to play as a goalkeeper, which is something that I want to be known for and something that I define myself by as a player. It certainly helped that I was an outfield player for a long time (laughs). I think everything has come together for me at the right time.

Thank you, Zetti!