Kai Havertz has opened up about his two favorite goals in an Arsenal shirt, a persistent wardrobe superstition, and his close friendships within the squad during a Reddit Ask Me Anything session hosted on arsenal.com. The German striker, who enjoyed a strong start to the current campaign, revealed the exact moments that define his time in north London so far.
Havertz scores early goals after strong finish
Havertz sits level with captain Martin Odegaard as Arsenal’s top scorer this season, having netted in three of his first four competitive games. He found the net against Manchester City in the Community Shield, followed by strikes against Coventry City and Chelsea.
These early-season goals build on a strong finish to the previous campaign, where Havertz scored the title-winning goal against Burnley in the final match, followed by an opening goal in the Champions League final two weeks later against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite the result in Europe, Havertz pointed to that specific strike as his top career highlight.
“The Champions League final, even though we lost the game, I feel like I never had a feeling like this before in my life,” Havertz stated via arsenal.com. He scored with Arsenal’s first shot of the match just six minutes in. “The emotional feeling after I scored the goal, after the celebration, the goosebumps, it was just incredible. In that minute, I think that was the best I’ve ever felt in my life on a football pitch, so I think that was my favourite one.”
His second favorite remains the decisive finish against Burnley. “When we won the Premier League, the last goal of the season before we won it. These two definitely are always going to be in my heart,” he said.
The Long-Sleeve Superstition Explained
Supporters frequently note that Havertz wears long-sleeved shirts during matches, regardless of external weather conditions. The forward maintained this preference during the World Cup with Germany despite temperatures exceeding 40°C.
“It’s a superstition,” Havertz confirmed. “I think it’s the thing I just feel most comfortable with on the pitch, I don’t know why, but I can’t look down and see my body and see my arm without a shirt.”
Teammates and opponents have taken notice of the habit during extreme weather. “People were laughing at me when I turned up in the World Cup or in the training camp in Singapore, 45°C with a long sleeve in training or in the game,” Havertz said. “But that’s how I like it, and my head just always tells me to wear long sleeves, so I can’t wear short sleeves anymore.”
Close Bonds With Ben White And Viktor Gyokeres
Off the pitch, Havertz discussed his relationships with teammates since joining the club in 2023. He highlighted Ben White as a close friend and rated him among the best full-backs he has encountered.
“I think for myself, he’s obviously a close friend of mine, and from the first minute I arrived, we were close friends. Our wives are close friends, so I spend a lot of time with him,” Havertz noted. “Personally, he’s definitely up there, and also football-wise I feel like he’s shown so many times how good he is, how much the team needs him, how good he is defensively, offensively.”
Havertz also established a quick rapport with summer signing Viktor Gyokeres following his arrival from Sporting CP. The pair share a dynamic both on and off the pitch.
“He’s just a top guy, funny guy,” Havertz said of Arsenal’s no.14. “He’s got top banter. I think I’m quite funny as well, and it just clicked from the first minute, and yeah, we’re just having fun together on the pitch and off the pitch.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Kai Havertz
How many goals has Kai Havertz scored at the start of this season?
Havertz scored in three of his first four competitive games, finding the net against Manchester City, Coventry City, and Chelsea to match Martin Odegaard as the team’s top scorer.
Which two goals does Havertz rank as his favorites for Arsenal?
Havertz rates his goal against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final as his favorite, followed by his title-sealing goal against Burnley at the end of the previous Premier League campaign.
Why does Kai Havertz always wear long sleeves?
Havertz attributes the choice to a personal superstition, explaining that he feels most comfortable wearing long sleeves and dislikes playing with bare arms.
Which teammates are closest to Havertz at Arsenal?
Havertz highlighted defender Ben White and forward Viktor Gyokeres as close friends with whom he spends significant time both on and off the pitch.
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