Marcus Weber will likely never forget his first World Cup nomination: He only received final confirmation on Sunday evening – and the next morning he boarded the bus to Zurich. For the 33-year-old, this is his first ever World Cup appearance – and his anticipation is correspondingly high. In this interview, he talks about the special moment of his nomination, the slowly developing World Cup feeling, and his goals with the national team. After Rick Boehm, Benedikt Schopper, and Len Soccio, he is the fourth oldest player on the roster. DEB-Debutant at a World Cup.
You arrived in Switzerland on Monday afternoon – less than 24 hours after you found out you'd be at the World Cup – have you been able to process all of that yet?
Marcus Weber“Yes, I’m in the middle of it. On Sunday evening after the game, I found out that I would be at the World Cup, and then on Monday morning I went straight to Zurich by bus. It all happened very quickly.”
This is your first World Cup. Can you take us back to the moment when Harry told you you were going?
Marcus Weber"That was right after the USA game in Mannheim. A lot of the guys had to go back to the coaches' room. One or two came out before me with their heads down – so it was clear they'd unfortunately have to go home. You never know who it's going to be. I was actually still feeling positive, though. I had a slightly different role in the preseason this year and I had a good feeling overall. Harry then asked me how I thought my game against the Americans was. I said it was pretty decent. Then he said, 'No, that was good – and we'll see each other on the bus tomorrow morning.' It all happened pretty fast. I initially thought we were going to talk about the game for a while longer. So I was a little taken aback for a moment. But of course, I was thrilled that it worked out this year."
Who was the first person you told about your nomination?
Marcus Weber“First I tried to call my wife, but she didn’t answer. Then I called my parents and told them – so they were the first to find out.”
How does it feel on site? Is there already a World Cup atmosphere or are you still more in preparation mode?
Marcus Weber"On Monday it was still relatively normal, because we only arrived and checked into the hotel. On Tuesday, however, we already had our first training session and you can really tell that things are heading towards the World Cup. The arena is completely set up, you can see other national teams and we're already wearing the World Cup training jerseys. The World Cup feeling is slowly starting to kick in."
So far, is everything as you imagined it would be at a World Cup?
Marcus Weber“It’s probably still a bit too early for that. Our hotel is a little outside of Zurich, but that’s perfectly fine – we’ve still been able to see some of the city. The arena is really top-notch, a very nice stadium. The guys also said that we got a really good locker room compared to other years. I think the World Cup feeling will get even stronger in the next few days when all the teams are here and the first matches are about to start.”
Your roommate, Samuel Dove-McFalls, is also attending a World Cup for the first time. Does that create an additional bond between you?
Marcus Weber“Yes, absolutely. He definitely deserved it, especially after his strong season in Nuremberg. Of course, he was also happy that he wasn't the only Nuremberg native here (laughs). We've talked about it quite a bit in the last few days, since the four-week preseason is pretty long. So it's all the better that we both made it.”
There's a lot of talk about you being the fourth oldest World Cup debutant of the DEB You are. What do you think?
Marcus Weber: "To be honest, I don't feel 33. We have a young team in Nuremberg and here too, and that automatically keeps me young as well. Age is just a number in the end. Maybe it's even good to bring a bit of experience with you. I haven't played in a World Championship yet, but I've experienced a lot in ice hockey overall, and maybe I can help the team with that."
The sporting ambition of the DEB It's clearly stated: to reach the quarterfinals. What are your personal goals?
Marcus Weber"I simply want to fulfill my role to the best of my ability. We still have individual talks with the coaching staff, where everything will be defined in more detail. For me, it's about playing my best hockey and helping the team. Personal goals are secondary for me. In hockey, the team matters most."
Switzerland isn't far from home. Have any friends or family said they're coming?
Marcus Weber"It all happened pretty spontaneously, of course. But I do think a few friends from Garmisch will be coming over. Maxi Kastner and I have a WhatsApp group with him and a few others for years, and I think two or three of the guys will definitely come to a game. I'm not sure about family yet, but I think they'll find their way to Zurich too."
What are you most looking forward to in the next few days?
Marcus Weber"Definitely focused on the World Cup matches. Before that, we have some time to get to know the team better. We'll train together a few more times and also do a team-building activity. But the matches are obviously the main focus. I'm extremely excited for the first World Cup match – and after that, we'll just take it one game at a time."