The San José Earthquakes forward spoke about the MLS Cup playoffs, Messi’s retirement from Argentina and Germany’s new World Cup process.

Timo Werner has found consistency with the San Jose Earthquakes and has quickly adapted to Major League Soccer since arriving for the 2026 season. The German forward has contributed to 11 goals (six goals and five assists) in 16 appearances. His performances have been instrumental in helping the California club climb to fourth place in the Western Conference, with 46 points and six games remaining in the regular season. With the 2026 MLS Cup playoffs fast approaching, Werner spoke exclusively to AS about his first 10 months in the league, the challenges of adapting to American soccer, his playoff ambitions, the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry and Germany’s new era under Jürgen Klopp. “There are lots of things I like. Visiting new cities, for example. The quality of the games is pretty high. It’s a very competitive league and there are some good matches. I’m really enjoying it. It’s fun being out on the field,” the former Germany international said. “The downside of MLS is definitely the travel. If you want to see lots of places, you have to travel. But sometimes flying five or six hours to play an away game at the weekend is tough. Americans are used to it. I’m still a bit too European in that respect: I’m used to one-hour flights, whereas here they’re four or five hours. That’s one of the negatives, but the positives outweigh them,” he explained. “Adapting to a new league is always different, because you’re also moving to a new country. You have to get used to different ways of doing things, different cultures and the style of soccer in each league. When I moved from Germany to the Premier League, and when I went back, I always had to adapt. It’s been the same here,” Werner said of his adjustment to MLS. “Maybe the technical quality on the ball in MLS isn’t quite as high as it generally is in Europe, in the Premier League or the Bundesliga. But a lot of players have extraordinary physical attributes: they run a lot and they’re quick. That also makes it very difficult because, even if you’re good on the ball, you always have to be alert. Opponents come at you and press you. They’re difficult to get past, and the physical demands they impose in every game are very high,” he explained. “In that sense, playing here is very difficult, because you have to match that physical intensity. On the other hand, it’s always difficult to compare leagues. Of course, MLS might not be at the level of the Bundesliga or the Premier League, but it’s a very competitive league. A lot of teams, especially those near the top of the standings, could also compete in some European leagues,” he concluded. “Yes, I’m definitely excited. It’s a bit like a knockout tournament, like a World Cup or a European Championship.That’s always fun. And that’s what makes it so interesting, because our season has shown that we can beat anyone,” Werner said when asked about the playoffs and their elimination format – a wild-card round, a best-of-three first round, followed by single-elimination conference semifinals and finals – which is unfamiliar to most European leagues. “Any team can beat any other team. That’s what makes the playoffs so interesting,” he added. “It will be very interesting to play in my first playoffs. I’m really looking forward to the challenge of being at my best, both mentally and physically. I also see an opportunity: if we can produce our best performances on the field, we can reach the semifinals, the final or even win the whole thing,” he said. October 6, 2026, will be remembered by many soccer fans as the day Lionel Messi played his final game for Argentina, bringing an international career spanning more than two decades to an end. Although he continues to play for Inter Miami, his retirement from international soccer marks the end of an era for one of the greatest figures in the sport’s history. Cristiano Ronaldo is also approaching the end of his career. For Werner, the departure of these icons from the biggest stages also creates opportunities for a new generation. Players such as Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are already among the game’s leading stars, while others will look to make their own mark. Nevertheless, the German emphasized that fans still have the opportunity to watch Messi in MLS. “First of all, on Messi, I think he’s the greatest player ever to play the game so far, and maybe he always will be, because it will be very difficult to surpass what he’s achieved. Of course, there’s also Cristiano Ronaldo, who’s at a similar level. I think choosing one or the other comes down to personal preference, but Messi is undoubtedly among the greatest,” said the former Chelsea and RB Leipzig player. “It’s sad to see a generation defined by the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry over roughly 20 or 25 years practically coming to an end. But there’s also a positive side: it makes room for new players. Lamine Yamal and Mbappé are already there, and others will come through. Even so, it’s always sad to see such an extraordinary player leave the biggest stages. Fortunately, we can still enjoy watching him in MLS,” the San Jose Earthquakes forward said. Jürgen Klopp’s tenure with Germany has got off to an uncertain start, with five points from four UEFA Nations League matches. Nevertheless, Werner is confident that the new era will prove successful. “In general, we’ve had a lot of great coaches. Germany is fortunate to have so many quality coaches, both at club and international level. He’s trying to build a new team. The generation I was part of has pretty much reached the end of its cycle. Now the younger players are coming through, starting to take over and make their mark. It’s something that’s really exciting,” Werner said. “I think Klopp is a very good coach. He’s shown at several clubs what he’s capable of and has been one of the best coaches in recent years. So having him as national team coach isn’t bad at all. It could be a lot worse,” he added. “I also think his predecessors did a great job, even if the results didn’t quite go their way. There are always periods like that: sometimes things work better than others. Now he has to find the right balance to get our national team back on track. It will be very interesting to see whether they can do that. And if they succeed, we’ll all be looking forward to seeing Germany winning again,” the forward concluded. Get closer to the game! 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