Interview with Jonas Urbig in '51': 'I hate losing'

Just 19 months ago, Jonas Urbig was still playing in Bundesliga 2; today, he is regarded as a potential successor to Manuel Neuer. How did he manage that? His goalkeeping coaches explain – and Urbig explains why FC Bayern is the perfect fit for him.

“It's quite funny,” says Uwe Gospodarek. The former Bayern goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach to Jonas Urbig at 1. FC Köln has never forgotten a particular day in October 2024. At the time, Urbig was preparing for an international with the Germany Under-21s at Säbener Straße. And Gospodarek, who had stopped working in Cologne by that time and had moved back to Munich, arranged to meet him for a coffee at the FCB training ground. Gospodarek can still picture that reunion clearly: “Jonas said to me: ‘Uwe, I have a dream: I want to train here every day.’” Gospodarek pauses briefly and laughs. “It happened quicker than we thought it would.” Three months later, Urbig joined FC Bayern – and realised that reality is sometimes even better than you could ever have dreamt of.

Jonas, when FC Bayern approached you, you were playing as a goalkeeper in Bundesliga 2 for 1. FC Köln. What drew you so strongly to Munich that you decided to take this big step?
"I saw the move as the best opportunity to continue developing – with an excellent goalkeeping coach, a strong group of goalkeepers and a terrific team. That was a huge benefit for me. It wasn’t about which big names play here. For me, the key thing was to become part of this group, to develop and to help the team."

The first person you met in the dressing room after arriving at FC Bayern was Thomas Müller. What do you remember about that moment?
“I was really nervous. And then Thomas just came up to me and said ‘Servus’ – in that really relaxed way you’d expect of him. That immediately took a lot of the pressure off me. Of course, I was a bit reserved at first, as you tend to be as a new player. But I have really fond memories of that first training session. It felt completely natural to be part of this group. The fact that I got my first few appearances so early on helped me to settle into the team even more.”

How difficult was it for you to join another club after more than ten years in Cologne?
“I’ll always have an emotional connection to FC Köln. I wish the club nothing but the best – unless, of course, they’re playing against us. At first, all I knew of FC Bayern was the façade. Once I got to know the club from the inside, I quickly realised how down-to-earth and open everyone is throughout the whole organisation. From the outside, this ‘Mia san mia’ often sounds like a cliché, but now I know: it’s genuinely lived out here. And that feels really good. That was certainly one of the reasons why I very quickly felt I was in the right place here.”

What other reasons were there?
“Above all, the meticulousness and professionalism with which everyone works here every day. I can totally relate to that – the hard work, the attention to detail, and the commitment to doing things properly. When I saw the attention to detail with which Manuel Neuer still works on his game, I realised straight away what the standard is here. For me, that’s a huge incentive and also a commitment to match that standard. I find that extremely valuable. Because I’m convinced that only by focusing your training and your life entirely on performing as well as possible can you get the very best out of yourself.”

Uwe Gospodarek understands Urbig’s situation better than almost anyone else. He himself was once a young reserve keeper at FC Bayern, first below Raimond Aumann, then below Oliver Kahn. He made nine appearances – Urbig has already played 32 times after one and a half years in Munich. “We already saw it back in Cologne: there’s no stopping Jonas. He knows exactly where he wants to go: right to the top. That’s what he lives for, eats for and sleeps for. He leaves nothing to chance. Even when a ball is truly unstoppable, he still looks for a way to save it in his analysis,” says Gospodarek.

Michael Rechner is currently a goalkeeping coach at FC Bayern. The young Urbig was aleady on his radar whilst he was still working at Hoffenheim. What he saw in the youth goalkeeper back then has been fully confirmed. Urbig possesses “a positive obsession” that is characteristic only of great sportsmen, says Rechner. “He has this total willingness to work extremely hard on every detail. And: he performs well even under pressure. I actually think he thrives on pressure.” Rechner openly voices what many are hoping for: “Jonas has everything it takes to eventually succeed Manuel Neuer.”

Jonas, how do you deal with comments like that about yourself?
“Of course I’m pleased to receive positive feedback from my coaches and my teammates. That goes without saying. However, it’s also important to put it into perspective. I always try to stay in the here and now. I focus on what I can influence: giving my absolute best in every training session and every match. Everything else isn’t up to me.”

Your name is also being bandied about more and more in connection with the national team. Although you weren’t part of the official DFB squad for the World Cup, you were there with the German squad as a training goalkeeper. What are your thoughts on your future with the national team?
“I was proud and happy to be able to go to the World Cup. That really made me happy. In March, I was called up for a training camp for the first time, but then, unfortunately, I had to leave straight away due to injury. It’s certainly an incentive for me to become an established part of the squad. But here too, my stance is quite clear: I don’t dwell on what might happen at some point in the future. I’d rather focus on what I can influence every day.”

During the World Cup, we kept seeing photos of you and Manu together. You also spent your free time together. What was it like for you at first, training alongside Manuel Neuer?
“Manu is, of course, an icon. You look up to him – but what I quickly realised is that he doesn’t look down on you. Manu always treats you as an equal. We hit it off straight away. Of course, he’s Manuel Neuer, and of course I want to play too, but for me he’s first and foremost just a person and a teammate. That’s why you could also say we’re friends who compete against each other.”

What exactly do you take away from him and also from Sven Ulreich?
“The key thing for me is that I can go to them with any question and I always get good advice. Manuel and Sven’s vast experience is simply invaluable to me. And I’m really eager to learn.”

Goalkeepers are always rivals, too. Only one can play. But in your goalkeeping group, you really sense a strong sense of camaraderie. Where does that come from?
“Each of us feels that we’re needed. When Manu was injured in the second half of the season and I had a concussion, Ulle then played against Leverkusen – as if he’d been in goal every weekend for three years running. The chemistry between Manu, Ulle and me is just right. Our goalkeeping coach, Michael Rechner, has played a big part in that too.”

You can learn a lot from Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich. How much can you copy from them without losing your own style? Where do you draw the line?
“I’m very grateful for the help from Manu and Ulle. When I ask them something, it’s not with the thought: ‘Tell me how to do it, I want to be like you.’ Rather, it’s: ‘Show me how to do it, and I’ll pick out what suits my own style and my own character.’ For me, that’s a completely natural process; I don’t have to consciously control it.”

In his career as a player and coach, Michael Rechner has come across goalkeepers who have tried to copy other keepers. “That’s a big mistake,” he says. Everyone is unique, and anyone who loses their uniqueness loses themselves. “What sets Jonas apart is that he wants to learn from everyone around him – from Manu, from Ulle, from Harry Kane and all the other top players. But what also sets him apart is that he remains true to himself.” Goal-line defence, zone defence, build-up play from the back – Jonas is “a complete goalkeeper. But he’s not yet at 100 per cent in any area. He can and will continue to make progress in every aspect.”

How would you describe yourself as a goalkeeper, Jonas?
“I see my strengths in goal-line defence, one-on-ones and playing the ball. I like luring the opposition in with short passes and then playing a long ball in behind the back line. I also like to position myself high up the pitch to defend the space behind our back line. And I believe I bring a certain mental strength to the table, which is particularly needed in the FC Bayern world: you have to stay true to yourself and not let yourself be distracted by what’s going on around you – by discussions, expectations or comparisons.”

How hard do you find it to block all that out, especially when you’ve perhaps made a mistake?
“I learnt early on to view match situations rationally and to let my emotions influence me as little as possible. Whether it’s after conceding a goal or after a failed move in which I played a part: during the match, there’s no point in getting hung up on it . Those are things to deal with afterwards. And then I like analysing things and I’m also self-critical. But during the match itself, I reassess every move.”

What does Vincent Kompany expect from his goalkeepers?
“First and foremost, of course, to save shots. But not just that. It’s also about influencing the game when we’re in possession, finding solutions during build-up play, staying high up the pitch, protecting against counter-attacks, tracking back for balls played in behind the back line, and helping to organise the rest defence.”

That also means communicating a lot and coaching a lot. What’s it like for you to give instructions to players like Upamecano, Tah or Kimmich?
“Off the pitch, I’m not really the sort of person who gives orders. I’m more laid-back. On the pitch, it’s different. It’s all about the job at hand, about winning. Whether someone’s come through our own youth setup or whether there’s an Upamecano, a Tah or a Kimmich standing in front of you, it doesn’t matter at that moment. I address issues head-on so I have a positive impact on the game.”

Vincent Kompany has described you as a “battler”.
“I hate conceding goals. And I hate losing. Even in training, I want to win every ball, block every shot, win every drill. I’m certainly not alone in that at FC Bayern – that’s exactly what makes this club what it is.”

Uwe Gospodarek is impressed by how Jonas Urbig is making his dream come true in Munich, step by step. “He’s really coming into his own there now,” he says, referring to two things: FC Bayern and the FC Bayern goal.

The interview appeared in ‘51’, the FC Bayern members’ magazine.

FC Bayern take on 1. FC Heidenheim tonight in their final pre-season friendly: