By Oliver Trust

BERLIN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Kai Havertz has grown accustomed to playing multiple roles in his football career.

While regarded abroad as one of the Premier League's leading German players, including in World Cup co-host the United States, the 27-year-old remains an underrated leader in the national team.

"I am used to that, and it doesn't affect me," Havertz said ahead of Germany's Group C opener against underdog Curacao on Sunday in Houston.

German fans may still follow the Bundesliga more closely than the Premier League, he suggested. In that sense, Havertz drifted from the domestic spotlight after leaving Bayer Leverkusen for Chelsea in 2020 before joining Arsenal in 2023.

Fans may know about his devotion to animals, including his dogs and donkeys, but his achievements on the biggest stage have sometimes faded into the background. Havertz has scored in two UEFA Champions League finals, winning the competition with Chelsea in 2021 before helping Arsenal to the Premier League title in 2025-26.

While Kicker magazine has called him a "guiding light," and Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann remains firmly behind him, debate has continued at home. Some pundits and fans have called for Deniz Undav to start instead.

Havertz has taken the discussion calmly, but the 2026 World Cup offers him a chance for a domestic breakthrough.

"I see myself as a leader, leading the way," he said. "It's time to deliver after two disappointing World Cups."

Havertz is not a loud voice in the dressing room or in public, but the Arsenal forward has built his reputation in decisive moments.

"I love pressure situations; I love to be in the first line when things get tight," he said.

Being only the third German to score in two different Champions League finals is almost a side note for him.

"What matters now is to play in a successful World Cup; nothing else matters," he said.

The former Leverkusen talent said his rise has moved quickly, and some may have missed his development from promising youngster to senior figure.

"I myself feel how quickly things moved on," he said.

While fans abroad, including those in the United States, see him as one of Germany's biggest football names, winning over the public at home remains a challenge.

"I don't want people to love me, because I know my qualities, but I am who I am," Havertz said.

For him, the 2026 World Cup is about action rather than words.

"We want to turn things around for the better," he said. ■