Marco Reus Speaks To SoccerBible: PUMA, Football Boots & Borussia Dortmund - Football News

Few other players have commanded the same attention as Marco Reus this year. The talent that has been associated with his name is becoming widely recognised. He was voted as the best player of 2012 by the association of German sports journalists. A mercurial, slight and extremely talented footballer, Reus continues to show that he is worthy of the hype.     

We recently sat down with the Borussia Dortmund star to chat about his relationship with PUMA, football boots and who he thinks should win this season's Ballon d'Or. Check out what he had to say as he spoked exclusively to SoccerBible.   How are you enjoying working with PUMA – are they an exciting brand to be partnered with? Marco Reus: I really enjoy working with PUMA. I have done a few photo shoots, which were really fun and different to what I usually do. I also get on very well with the PowerCat boots I am wearing, I like the support and comfort they give me on the pitch which is obviously important. The people at PUMA are nice and I feel very comfortable in this partnership. I already extended the contract once and I am looking forward to the coming years with them.

Much like at a football club, is it important for you to feel valued by a brand?

MR: Absolutely. I actually think this is necessary for both parties, the brand and the player. To me it is important that I feel comfortable and I really do with PUMA. I get a lot of support and they help out whenever possible, which is very important too. All in all I am very pleased with this partnership.

What first attracted you to the PowerCat and what are the boots best qualities?

MR: The boot is very flexible and it suits my foot very well. As a player you just develop a feeling for which boots suit you and which ones don’t. From the beginning I had a positive feeling about this boot. In general it is very light, and every new boot PUMA bring out in the PowerCat range is even lighter than the one before. PUMA also asks for my input and ideas, which I really appreciate. 

Have you considered testing other PUMA boots - such as the evoSPEED or KING? (You wore the KING for a brief period in 2011.)

MR: Yes, I used to wear the KING for a while, but I preferred the PowerCat. I never tried the evoSPEED, but I would be interested to try it eventually. But anyway, I am happy with my choice and like to wear the PowerCat.

Do you have a favourite colour when it comes to your boots?

MR: Yes, I like to wear white football boots. I like colourful boots as well, but only as long as they don’t stick out too much like neon colours do.

Can you remember some of your earliest pairs of boots growing up?

MR: Yes, I can remember my first pair and they were actually PUMA boots. They were black leather; I believe it was a KING. They only existed in black and in white back then.

Have you kept any of the boots you've worn throughout your career?

MR: Definitely. I have kept a few ones so far, for example the ones that PUMA made me one season when I had a broken toe. It is nice to keep boots like that, so when you have children one day you can show them the boots and tell your stories from the past. 

Off pitch, what PUMA lifestyle gear do you like to wear? Do you have a favourite style of PUMA trainers?

MR: I really liked chilled-out and comfortable styles, no matter if it is a hoodie, some jogging pants or sneakers. My favourite trainers are the PUMA Suedes in all different colours and I also like high tops, especially in winter.

Who is your favourite midfielder in world football?

MR: Tough question. Off the top of my mind, I think of Iniesta at FC Barcelona, he plays incredible football and he is definitely someone I like to watch. But also Mario Götze is brilliant, he is such a talent and I really like his style of play.

Borussia Dortmund are admired by many separate sets of fans across Europe. What is it about the club that makes it different and special?

MR: Borussia Dortmund are like a family. You can already tell it by the fans, every match is sold out and this support shows a great solidarity. The club’s philosophy that was developed in the past and reinforced by our coach Jürgen Klopp, and the manager Michael Zorc supported this family feeling and I believe that the fans just make it really special.

Dortmund continue to show they can compete with the best teams in Europe. How exciting is it to be part of this team?

MR: It is very exciting, every single day actually. It is amazing to be part of it and it’s great to contribute something to it.  

Who has the best tricks/skills in training? MR: Mario Götze for sure has some great tricks. Chris Löwe has an incredible shooting technique, a little bit like Christiano Ronaldo. But in general we don’t really do many tricks in the training sessions. What are your long term football ambitions? Would you like to play abroad at some stage in your career? MR: The most important thing for me is to stay healthy. Apart from that I would of course like to be successful and win titles. So far I haven’t won many titles, but I hope that this will come at a later stage in my career with the club team and also with the German national team. In terms of moving abroad, I don’t look too far into the future, I live from season to season.

Which Dortmund player would be the worst to share a hotel room with on an away trip?

MR: In general we always stay in single rooms when we travel. But if I have to name one, I would say Moritz Leitner (laughs). I am only kidding, he is actually a friend.

How much football do you watch when you're not playing? Are there any specific European teams you like to follow and watch on TV?

MR: It really depends. If we have a match on a Saturday for example, I really enjoy chilling out at home on a Sunday and watching some football. But I wouldn’t watch every day. If I watch football I especially like to watch Arsenal and Barcelona. 

Who would you award this seasons Ballon d'Or to?

MR: Lionel Messi.

Marco Reus wears the PUMA PowerCat 1.12. To see our full feature on his latest Black/Green/Blue colourway, click here. Don't forget to leave your opinions on Sebastian, Dortmund and PUMA online, on Twitter and on Facebook.