“My Least Favourite Club”: Max Kruse Pulls No Punches on His Former Side

Max Kruse‘s time wearing the VfL Wolfsburg shirt left him with little warmth for the club. Now 38, the former forward is openly scathing about the Wolves, who are battling to preserve their top-flight status.

In an interview with DAZN, Kruse shared his thoughts on the three-way survival battle heading into Matchday 34, with St. Pauli and Heidenheim also fighting for survival: “My feelings toward VfL are no secret. It’s not that I hold any deep-seated grievance against them, but if I’m ranking those three sides, Wolfsburg sits at the bottom of my list — if I can put it that way.”

Reflecting on the Lower Saxony club’s troubled campaign, Kruse was blunt: “When you consider the financial power and infrastructure Wolfsburg commands compared to what the other pair have available, finishing outside the top 15 is simply unacceptable. Out of all three, it’s Wolfsburg who have been the biggest disappointment from a purely footballing standpoint. That’s why, as far as I’m concerned, going down would be the logical outcome for them.”

Kruse had two stints at Wolfsburg — one during 2015/16 and another run of roughly eleven months across 2022. He added: “There’s serious money flowing through that club, and they invest heavily — yet somehow it never quite comes together. The squad gets assembled incorrectly, and it happens season after season.”

Kruse: “People Who Barely Understand the Game”

Kruse also took aim at the outsized influence of sponsor Volkswagen. “A fundamental conflict exists between the VW factory and those running the club. Individuals who, in many instances, have little real understanding of football are demanding a voice in decisions,” he said. “When too many hands are on the tiller, steering a straight course becomes nearly impossible. That’s the root cause of Wolfsburg’s instability over the years.”

In his view, both St. Pauli and Heidenheim enter the final round with a psychological edge, largely because their squads are mentally prepared for what lies ahead. “When you’re in that position alongside VfL Wolfsburg, and a large portion of the players have never been through a survival fight before, it creates real difficulties,” he observed. “Ultimately, everyone is aware that careers are on the line — but plenty of those players also know their deals wouldn’t extend to the Bundesliga 2 anyway. Frankly, for some of them, the outcome doesn’t matter much.”

A Season Finale Loaded with Drama

Kruse continued: “What’s been lacking all along is the type of player who thrives under relegation pressure. That’s the plain truth. Even with some marginal progress in the final weeks, the points haven’t materialised, and across 34 rounds of football that tells its own story. Personally, I think VfL Wolfsburg will scrape through — but in terms of what they’ve shown this season, going down would be entirely justified.”

With the curtain about to fall on the campaign, the stage is set for a dramatic finale: St. Pauli are rooted to the bottom, Heidenheim sit in 17th and Wolfsburg occupy 16th, with all three sides sharing the same points total.

A late run of results allowed Heidenheim to overtake St. Pauli, leaving both clubs sharing an identical goal difference of -29. Wolfsburg sit three goals ahead of that pair and now face a trip to the Millerntor.

The picture for the final day is straightforward: Wolfsburg are away at St. Pauli, while Heidenheim take on 1. FSV Mainz 05 at home. Should Heidenheim claim victory, two sides could end up inseparable on both the points tally and goal difference.