- Leon Goretzka scored twice as Germany hammered Azerbaijan 5-1 on Sunday
- The win saw Germany set a new European record for World Cup qualifying
- Germany won Group C with 10 wins from 10 and a plus 39 goal difference
- Goretzka scored three of Germany’s 43 goals, having also netted against Norway
- Last summer he was the joint top scorer at the Confederations Cup, with three
- And now he is keen to make a big impact at the World Cup finals in Russia
Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka has targeted starring at the World Cup after the defending champions set a new qualifying record.
Joachim Low’s side beat Azerbaijan 5-1 to complete the best ever campaign by a European side in qualifying for the World Cup.
They won Group C with a 100 per cent record from their 10 games with a goal difference of plus 39, better than Spain’s 10 victories and plus 23 goal difference from their campaign before the 2010 World Cup.
Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka scored twice as Germany beat Azerbaijan 5-1 on Sunday
The 22-year-old broke the deadlock in Kaiserslautern with a clever back-heeled effort
Goretzka doubled his tally during the second half of the rout with a precised right-foot finish
Goretzka scored twice, including a brilliant backheel, with Sandro Wagner, Antonio Rudiger and Emre Can also netting.
Schalke midfielder Goretzka said on www.bundesliga.com: ‘I think we were very consistent throughout the qualifiers and we deserved to qualify with a perfect record.
‘I was happy with my role in the Confederations Cup, but now I think it’s time to play a big role in a big tournament like the World Cup.’
Goretzka opened the scoring with a clever backheel, but Ramil Seydaev levelled before the break.
Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi was then forced off, with boss Low confirming afterwards it was a serious muscle injury.
Wagner put Germany ahead ahead before Rudiger’s header was deflected in off Dan Mori and Goretzka added a fourth.
Can then capped the victory with his first Germany goal with nine minutes left when his 30-yard rocket beat Agayev.
Emre Can (right) also scored as Germany set a record in European World Cup qualifying
Germany won Group C with 10 wins from 10 and a plus 39 goal difference, having scored 43
Goretzka scored three of Germany’s 43 qualifying goals – which is just under seven per cent
But he said: ‘Now I think it’s time to play a big role in a big tournament like the World Cup’