Per Mertesacker has been criticised by Lothar Matthaus for admitting to feeling “sick” under pressure and welcoming Germany’s exit from the 2006 World Cup.
The Arsenal defender has enjoyed a lengthy career at the highest level, with the 33-year-old having made his senior debut for Hannover back in 2003.
He has won the DFB-Pokal, three FA Cups and the World Cup with his country in 2014, but those accomplishments have not always been enjoyed.
Mertesacker recently revealed that nerves often get the better of him, with those emotions peaking on home soil under a global spotlight.