Germany's Jonathan Tah eager to take on Ivory Coast in 'special' World Cup clash

Germany have opened the tournament in emphatic fashion, with a 7-1 win over Curacao in their first group match.

Speaking about the media environment around the national team, Tah has made a deliberate effort to block out external narratives and stay locked in on performance, saying: "To be honest, I don't really listen to the noise from the media around the World Cup and around our team."

The defender, born to an Ivorian father and German mother, described the upcoming meeting with Ivory Coast as emotionally charged, while stressing that his priority remains sustaining Germany's momentum.

"It's going to be a special game for me against Cote d'Ivoire, as I have a history with the country. I'm really looking forward to it," he told the press.

The Bayern Munich defender also heaped praise on Germany team-mate Antonio Rudiger, who had earlier complimented Tah.

"It's quite special to hear that praise from him," Tah said. "He is a great player who has achieved a lot in his career.

"I'm even more impressed by him as a person. He contacted me when I was injured, he always pushes me to be the best version of myself. He is a great team player." 

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