Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah on adapting to the Bundesliga, Harry Kane and his England World Cup hopes
From bit-part player at Liverpool to Bayer Leverkusen defensive bedrock and full England international, Jarell Quansah's debut Bundesliga season could scarcely have gone much better. We sat down with the 23-year-old to discuss life at the BayArena, Harry Kane, his FIFA 2026 World Cup hopes and more...
Bundesliga: Your first season in Germany seems to have gone quite well, wouldn't you agree?
Jarell Quansah: "I’ve really loved it, to be honest. It’s been refreshing for me. I’ve started loving football again. Being able to play week in, week out against some of the best teams in the world. Showing what I’m capable of, what I can give to this team and to the fans as well. I’ve really enjoyed it so far, but it’s not over yet. We’ve got an important month ahead of us."
Watch: Quansah was a candidate for the February Rookie of the Month award
Bundesliga: What are your aims for the rest of the season?
Quansah: “It’s the business end of the season. We hoped at the start of the season to be in a position where we’re fighting for something, fighting for cups and obviously for Champions League qualification. It's important for the club and the fans that we’re playing in really important competitions next season. In the DFB Cup, it’d be great if we could get to the final and try our best to win it."
Bundesliga: Was it difficult to settle into a new club and league?
Quansah: "It’s never easy moving to a different country. I think coming from the pressure of being at Liverpool, it’s not easy to come away from such a big club and try to build your own career off the back of being at one place for 17 years. It’s never easy, but I’m happy it’s gone well so far."
Bundesliga: You've got three goals this season already, and we've heard you've challenged Edmond Tapsoba on who can score the most. Is that right?
Quansah: "That’s very true, yes. We got on well right away. When we both scored a couple of goals, we sort of looked at each other and said we might as well make it a bit of a competition and had a little wager on it, to see where that got us. To be honest, we’ve both contributed with a good amount of goals, so it’s probably helped us both. I’ve been told Edi’s not really scored before this season. So I’m glad I could help him get a few goals. He’s helping me, of course, as well."
Bundesliga: You gained your first England cap this season too in November, how did that feel?
Quansah: "It was a surreal moment I’ve been waiting for all my life. I'm just so glad I could make it happen. Harry Kane even presented me with my cap. It was a super moment for me."
Bundesliga: You will play against Kane soon in the DFB Cup semi-finals. Are you looking forward to facing him or does his record frighten you?
Quansah: "He’s an all-round centre-forward. He can do everything. He’s an unbelievable finisher, strong, good hold-up play, good link-up play – everything you’d want in a striker, to be fair. He scores a lot of goals. Obviously he's tough to play against, but that’s why you want to play football. You want to play against the best in the world and try and show you’re at that level, show you can deal with them the best way you can. I’m looking forward to it."
Bundesliga: If all goes well you might be travelling with Kane to North America this summer for the World Cup...
Quansah: “Yeah, of course. I'm just focusing on what I do here, though. That’s all that matters at the moment. I’ve got to just keep playing well for Leverkusen, and hopefully that will put me in good stead for the summer."
Bundesliga: What is it like to play for Thomas Tuchel?
Quansah: "He’s really good. He’s a breath of fresh air we needed in the England group as well, just sort of giving us something different tactically. You saw the qualifying campaign we’ve had with him. It’s been perfect - we didn’t concede a goal and we won every game. It’s just about bringing that momentum into the tournament now. It’d be a privilege if I was able to be a part of that as well."
Bundesliga: What memories do you have of the World Cup as a youngster?
Quansah: "As an England fan, we’ve not had loads, unfortunately. The most memorable for me is probably the first one I remember, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The whole tournament was like a big party. It didn't end well against Germany back then, but if I’m part of the squad, I’d love to change that."
Bundesliga: Do England have a good chance of winning the World Cup?
Quansah: "It’s not for me to say if it's a good chance or not. I’m not a bookmaker. I think we go into it with confidence. Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win the tournament you’re in, so we’ll see where that takes us."
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