Football
9y

U.S.'s John Brooks dislikes comparison to Jerome Boateng

John Anthony Brooks does not want to be compared to Jerome Boateng.

"I want to be my own character. I don't get anything out of those comparisons, and they don't help me in my development," the United States international told Berliner Morgenpost.

Just like Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng, Brooks came through the ranks at capital club Hertha Berlin.

However, their careers have taken different paths. The Germany international left the club aged 18, and following three years at Hamburg and one at Manchester City has matured into one the best centre-backs in the world at the German champions.

The 22-year-old Brooks, on the other side, is still at Hertha and needed over one season to fully arrive in the German top flight. Following a difficult debut season, he found his feet last year and has won a place in the capital club's starting formation.

Only this week, German football magazine kicker headlined a long feature on Brooks with "Berlin's new Boateng?" but the United States international does not like the comparison.

"First of all, it is a huge honour for me to be compared with such a world class defender. But the people only do it, because we both grew up at Hertha and are centre-backs. Not because we play at the same level," Brooks told the newspaper. "I want to be my own character. In the end, I don't get anything out of those comparisons, and they don't help me in my development."

The centre-back, who was on target for the U.S. team in their 4-3 win against the Netherlands last Friday, also elaborated his decision to opt for the United States rather than Germany in 2013, one year before the World Cup in Brazil.

"U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann made great efforts to get me. I had only played one season with Hertha in the second tier. And he called me on a nearly daily basis," Brooks said. "We had good talks, and that's why the decision was easy for me. I wanted to be part of Klinsmann's project. And I have not regretted it for a second."

He added: "When I needed to make the decision the Germany team was not an issue for me. Moreover, I dreamt of taking part in the World Cup in Brazil."

Brooks is one of several German-Americans to debut under Klinsmann. Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, Alfredo Morales and Timothy Chandler were all born and raised in Germany, but have since opted to play for the United States.

The German-born Klinsmann has faced criticism for his recruitment of German players. Brooks, although he admitted that the coach had made the team more German, he said it "is still an American team, a multicultural team with many different influences. That makes us strong."

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