Wöber credits Schalke medical staff for physical turnaround after injury woes

The Austrian defender says he has full confidence in his body again after a lost season and a missed World Cup, following his stoppage-time goal at Union Berlin.

Maximilian Wöber says he no longer doubts whether his body can handle the demands of professional football, a shift he attributes to the medical staff at Schalke 04. Speaking at Austria's training camp, the defender described a careful buildup that has let him train and play without worrying about overdoing it.

His route back runs through a difficult stretch. After a thigh injury in Werder Bremen's opening DFB-Pokal match against Arminia Bielefeld in 2025 sidelined him far longer than first expected, he managed just three appearances all season. A further setback against Hoffenheim on May 9 ended his World Cup hopes, a blow he said left him in tears and questioning whether he could stay at this level without breaking down again.

Schalke, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, signed him from Leeds United on a free transfer structured around performance-related payments and an appearance-based extension option. He has come off the bench in all four of the club's league matches so far.

Against Union Berlin, with Schalke leading 2-1 in the 13th minute of added time, Wöber sprinted forward from his defensive assignment, reached the box and finished Hee-chan Hwang's low pass from about nine meters to seal a 3-1 win. Coach Miron Muslic praised the run as a signature of his attacking philosophy. Wöber previously made 25 Bundesliga appearances for Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2023/24 and played 109 matches for Red Bull Salzburg.