HSV wall Miro Muheim in height: ‘Going to the European Championship with the Nati would be a dream’

Tough and spirited in duels – disciplined down to the smallest detail. Miro Muheim is a wall in the 2nd Bundesliga. Hardly anyone can get past the defender from Switzerland at the moment. And that literally. “We saw that again in the derby, where no St. Pauli player had a chance against him,” says Jonas Meffert after the 2-2 draw in the top match against his arch-rivals.

The HSV captain explains how Muheim has developed since his move from St. Gallen to Hamburg in 2021: “Miro is becoming more and more stable and is now delivering incredible performances on the field. He has acquired incredible maturity here.” This maturity was rewarded at the end of October when Meffert had to sit out the DFB Cup against Bielefeld and head coach Tim Walter handed him the captain’s armband.

“It was a huge honor,” says Muheim about his debut as leader, which resulted in a penalty thriller and the victory over Arminia. “I like to move forward and have made a leap forward as a leader on the field,” says Muheim confidently – without losing his humility. “But I want to improve even more and take even more responsibility within the team.”

From Zurich to Chelsea as a teenager

Muheim had to take responsibility early on. At the age of 16, he gave up his apprenticeship as a structural draftsman and decided to move from the FCZ Academy to London. In the youth department of Chelsea FC he learns to deal with resistance and grows from teenager to man in the harsh conditions. “It was very difficult at first when you went abroad so young,” says Muheim. “It was a risk, but I didn’t want to regret missing this opportunity.”

The risk pays off: with a full backpack of experience, Muheim returns to Zurich after two years and is shortly later transferred to Eastern Switzerland by the new FCSG sports director Alain Sutter. He had only just started when he tore his cruciate ligament shortly before his twentieth birthday. “It was tough,” Muheim remembers, “but I always stayed positive.” Six months later he is back on the pitch and making a huge impact in St. Gallen.

With 33 appearances in the 2019/20 season, the left back became a top performer and narrowly missed out on the championship with St. Gallen, behind YB. Blick’s football editors still choose him as the best defender in the competition. With this title in his pocket, he moved to Hamburger SV at the age of 23, who wanted to return to the Bundesliga three years after relegation. “Physically it was very tough in the beginning,” says Muheim, “the second competition is much more physical compared to the Super League.”

HSV coach sees Muheim in the national team

After a season with a few appearances as a reserve player, Muheim is benefiting from the injuries of the German Tim Leipold. “Of course you don’t want to come into the team that way, but this was the opportunity to show myself – and I did that quite well.” He has retained his modesty in Germany, although he really likes the direct character of the Germans and now likes to act as a spokesperson on the field.

HSV head coach Tim Walter calls it “a great character” and almost calls for selection for the national team: “Miro would have deserved it. He has made very good development. He is a very good full-back who has improved enormously against the ball and also offers many attacking solutions with the ball.”

Or in the words of Captain Meffert: “Just a great guy, with a strong defense and a great shooting technique.” One assist, two goals and three yellow cards, that is the result after fifteen rounds in which he played eleven times.

Extreme rivalry with St. Pauli

Just a glance at the table obscures the image a bit. HSV is in third place – behind city rival St. Pauli of all places. “The rivalry between the clubs is extreme and the atmosphere during the derby is brutal. There is a lot of tension in the air, but you play football for these kinds of matches. It’s just great and a lot of fun,” says Muheim, admitting: “Of course we want to be ahead of St. Pauli, but we just have to stay true to ourselves and then I’m sure we can be at the top. the end .”

Promotion to the Bundesliga would put Muheim on the big stage – and therefore in the national team? “That would be a big argument for him,” says Murat Yakin, who saw him in the top match at Millerntor in the stadium before the European Championship group draw. «I really wanted to take the opportunity to see Miro play live. He is in his prime. And if he continues like this, he will be a real alternative for us at left back.”

Muheim himself likes to remain silent on this subject, but says: “With the national team at Euro 2024 would be a dream. I want to continue to show my performance and try to get promoted at HSV. Everything else is beyond my control.”