Niko Kovac hails Beier after Stuttgart heroics
Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac revealed that he is 'thrilled' for Maximilian Beier after his strike on Saturday help them earn a narrow 1-0 win away to VfB Stuttgart.
The 23-year-old was the difference-maker for BVB with his first official goal of the season, as Beier struck in the 70th minute from a lovely pass by Jobe Bellingham.
Prior to this, he had bagged three assists in the 2026-27 season so far, two in the Bundesliga and one in the DFB-Pokal.
Despite such an encouraging start to the campaign, Beier, who played at the World Cup with Germany, wasn't called up to the national team this month by new coach Jurgen Klopp.
Kovac laments this, but praised the star for his impact at the MHPArena on Saturday and added that Beier can rest for the next three weeks of the international window.
Speaking to the press after the game, the Dortmund manager said:
Life writes the most beautiful stories. Maxi Beier isn’t with the national team, but today he was the one who scored. I’m thrilled for him, and it ultimately shows that we have a great squad and a great player in Maxi, and that he has rewarded himself with this goal today. Now, he can take a few days off and work from home.
Signed from Hoffenheim in 2024, Beier was one of Dortmund's underrated stars of 2025-26 season with 10 goals and assists each in all competitions.
Only Serhou Guirassy (28) had more direct goal-contributions than him in the squad as the forward enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough during Kovac's first full season in-charge of the club.
However, fierce competition for places in the international setup means his blistering exploits didn't transition into regular football with Die Mannschaft.
Despite coming off such a fabulous individual campaign, Beier played only 26 minutes of Germany's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, coming off the bench against Ecuador for his only appearance.
He remained an unused substitute in all other three matches for the four-time champions.
Yet, the former Hoffenheim player was earmarked to become one of their key attackers in the near future with the Euro 2028 widely touted as his potential breakout campaign in the national team.
However, with Germany undergoing massive changes following a poor showing in the north American showpiece, he's now been completely axed from the team. At least temporarily.
It could yet be a blessing in disguise, as Beier now gets three weeks of rest, which should help him rest and recharge for a busy period ahead that sees BVB play nine times in 30 days.
