Pascal Groß: From Germany's Euro Heartbreak to Brighton's Star

Pascal Groß watched the drama unfold from the sidelines.

Germany’s Euro penalty shoot-out slipped away without him, the DFB side bowing out after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. As the tension rose and the list of takers ran dry, TV cameras caught Joshua Kimmich desperately searching for volunteers once it became clear a sixth man would be needed.

Leon Goretzka said no.
Jonathan Tah stepped up instead.

Tah, a centre-back, walked into unfamiliar territory and smashed his effort over – the first missed penalty of his professional career. Groß, a specialist from the spot and dead balls at club level, never left the bench.

“I was prepared for this scenario, but I don't want to rake it over now,” he told kicker when asked about his possible role in the shoot-out. The conversation ended there. It never turned into a debate with national coach Julian Nagelsmann.

“No, there was no conversation. It hurt him enormously too, of course, everyone was devastated,” Groß said, underlining how raw the exit still feels inside the camp.

From World Cup cameo to quiet goodbye

The story did not change at the next major tournament.

At the World Cup in North America, Groß’s role shrank to a 17‑minute substitute appearance in the group match against Ecuador. That was it. No further minutes, no late surge into the starting XI, no heroic arc.

When Jürgen Klopp took over as Germany head coach, Groß’s name disappeared from the squad list. Given his age – now 35 – the omission surprised nobody, even if he had not yet officially drawn a line under his international career.

“After the World Cup, with a bit of distance, I had already decided that the matter was over for me,” he admitted. There was no showdown, no emotional phone call, no plea for one last dance.

“I did not have a conversation with the head coach. For me, not being nominated is not a problem.”

With that, his Germany chapter effectively closed – 19 caps, one goal, and the lingering thought of a penalty he never got the chance to take.

Brighton’s metronome in peak form

If the national team has moved on, his club certainly has not.

At Brighton, Groß has opened the new Premier League season in ferocious form. The Seagulls head into the international break sitting third in the table, driven by their veteran playmaker’s intelligence and precision.

Three goals. Four assists. Five league matches.

Those numbers are not padding; they are match-shaping contributions from a midfielder who seems to read the game half a second quicker than everyone else. At 35, when many slow down, Groß is dictating tempo, carving open defences and carrying Brighton’s attacking rhythm.

For Germany, his story feels complete. For Brighton, it looks like he is only just getting started.