Bayern's Pavlovic sets sights on World Cup after missing Euro 2024
Bayern Munich's Aleksandar Pavlovic celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt at Allianz Arena. Pavlovic has returned to training after a short lay-off due to a hip problem, the Bundesliga champions and leaders said on Friday. Harry Langer/dpa Germany midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic is anticipating his first major tournament, the World Cup in summer, but first has big aims with his treble-seeking club Bayern Munich.
Pavlovic, 21, missed Euro 2024 due to tonsillitis which means that the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will be his first big event. National team coach Julian Nagelsmann sees Pavlovic in defensive midfield together with Bayern team-mate Leon Goretzka, because his Bayern midfield partner Joshua Kimmich plays in his old role of right back for Germany. "Of course I'm pleased when the national coach speaks positively about me.
The World Cup is a clear goal of mine, but at the moment I'm still looking at it from afar," Pavlovic told Bayern's club magazine in an interview published on Thursday. "For now, I still have big goals with FC Bayern. That's where my focus is and I'm continuing to work hard for that.
And then, come the summer, the World Cup. " Missing the home Euros hurt but he said that "these things happen, so you have to get over them quickly and move on, even if it's not easy of course. " Munich-born Pavlovic has had a meteoric rise for club and country.
He made his first team debut at boyhood club Bayern in 2023 and got his first national team call-up in 2024, choosing Germany instead of Serbia, the home country of his father. Due to illnesses and injuries he so far has only nine caps, and also missed the latest games against Switzerland and Ghana with a hip problem. He is now back in training and is to help Bayern in their bid for a third treble.