Despite the friendly loss in Mainz, Paris goalkeeper Kevin Trapp remains upbeat. And he makes it clear: His personal ambition remains undiminished.
Even the 0-4 loss by Paris FC in the friendly at Mainz’s Bruchweg Stadium couldn’t dampen Kevin Trapp’s spirits. Especially since the former Frankfurt player, between the posts for the visitors, only had to concede the first two goals—two absolute dream goals by Fabio Gruber and Phillip Tietz. After the final whistle, the 36-year-old had a lively conversation with 05 coach Urs Fischer and former Eintracht goalkeeping coach Manfred “Moppes” Petz.
He also remained composed when speaking with the journalists present: “I believe we can take a lot away from this game, despite the 0–4 loss. We have a very young, talented team. And preseason is, after all, there to try things out.”
Former PSG goalkeeper Trapp, who returned to the French capital last summer initially as the backup for the then-Ligue 1 promoted team, has clearly found happiness in Paris: “I feel incredibly fit, both physically and mentally, even at 36. I’m under contract for this season and the next, and I’m fully focused on that. As for what might happen after that—we’ll see.” In any case, he has cemented the status as the number one goalkeeper that he fought hard to earn after just a short time.
Could entirely different ambitions be taking root? When asked whether he had closed the “national team chapter” for himself, Trapp explained candidly: “You actually never close that chapter. Last season was one of my best ever. If I can build on that and we continue to play successfully, we’ll have to see what happens. I always follow the national team, but the last time I was part of it was in November 2023.”
Klopp “can captivate people”
Regardless of any potential chance for a comeback, Trapp assesses the national team coaching situation: “We all know what kind of coach Jürgen Klopp is. He can inspire people, captivate them, and energize them. He’s been successful everywhere he’s coached.”
At the same time, he’s optimistic about his former club, Eintracht Frankfurt, under returning coach Adi Hütter: “I still know him, and I believe they’re on the right track. Of course, I’ll always keep an eye on Eintracht, too.” The fact that, following his departure last summer, the goalkeeper position unexpectedly became a problem area for Eintracht Frankfurt doesn’t bother Trapp—at least according to his own statements: “The decision was made by all parties involved. You have to accept that; you don’t look back.” Especially since his move to Paris has turned out to be a real home run for him.