Player duel: Peniel Mlapa vs. Fabian Johnson

Both men are familiar with this game, having had their fare share of Wiesn experiences. For professional footballers, one beer is allowed. Getting drunk is not, however. For this reason, we filled up the jugs with water instead of beer. To really get himself into the moment, ‘Penny' dons a traditional Bavarian hat, arousing hysterical laughter from his opponent. Two rounds of lifting are planned. But, shortly after starting, Fabian Johnson's slipped disc begins to give him some discomfort. Peniel Mlapa is awarded the win, and he certainly isn't shy in celebrating! Achtzeh99.de used the extra time to conduct an interview with the two men.

Would we be right in saying you two are from Munich 100%?

Fabian Johnson: Of course. I was born and grew up there.

Peniel Mlapa: Absolutely! I was born in Togo where my father is from, but I grew up in Munich too.

Peniel, when did you come to Munich?

Mlapa: in 1994, when I was three. Munich was the first place we came.

Do you remember any of your childhood in Lomé?

Mlapa: Not really. But I do try and go there as often as I can. A large part of my family still live there. The last time I was there was this summer.

You both ended up at 1860 München at an early age, correct?

Johnson: That's correct. I was nine when I transferred to the Lions from Sportfreunden München. Then Peniel came a year later.

Mlapa: I started at SC Unterföhring, and then moved to 1860 when I was eight. (Laughing) Johnny was already a bit of a star then.

Did you actually play together for the Lions?

Johnson: No because we were always in different teams. Peniel is a year younger than me, but we knew each other from the academy, and we trained together occasionally.

Mlapa: When I first got into the 1860 first team, Fabian had already moved to VfL Wolfsburg. The first time we actually played in the same team was here at Hoffenheim.

Fabian, your father is American and was a soldier stationed in Germany. Was he based in Munich?

Johnson: Funnily enough he was actually stationed just around the corner from here in Mannheim. Then my parents moved to Munich later.

Do you both grow up bilingual?

Johnson: Yes, I speak English with my father, English and German with my mother and German with my friends.

Mlapa: I did as well, but my mother tongue is German. The spoken languages in Togo are French, Kabiyé or Ewe. My family speaks French and Ewe, and I know a little of both.

Fabian, you were a ball boy for 1860 at the Olympic stadium, right?

Johnson: Yes I was, but then so was everybody in the youth team!

Mlapa: Yeah me too! It was always a lot of fun. You're right next to the pitch, and the view is great.

Is it true Fabian that, when you were a ball boy at an 1860 game, Lions' goalkeeper Michael Hoffmann shouted at you?

Johnson: Well, that's not quite true...

Mlapa: (laughing) …really? I want to hear this story!

Johnson: I was really young at the time. I was messing around with some balls behind the goal. Then Michael Hoffmann shouted over to us to stop messing around and concentrate. He was a bit annoyed, but we played together a few years later and we just joked about it.

Did you ever play against FC Bayern when you were youth team players at 1860?

Mlapa: Yes of course, they were always special games. The crowds were much bigger for those games…

Johnson: …both sides were really motivated. It was a real derby game.

Are there any current professionals that you played against in these games?

Mlapa: For the Under 19s I played against David Alaba und Diego Contento. We knew each other from the national team squad though.

Johnson: In the DFB Junior section I played against Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng and Nils Petersen.

Fabian, you recently decided to play for the USA national team, and were invited by manager Jürgen Klinsmann to join up with the squad. What were your first impressions?

Johnson: My first impression was one of delight, of course. I'm really excited to be playing for the country of my father's birth.

Did you consider doing the same, Peniel?

Mlapa: I considered it, definitely. It's something you can't help thinking about. Before the 2010 World Cup I was invited by the Togolese FA to play for the Togo national team. I decided against it at the time, because I'd just come through into the first team at 1860 and had played a few games for the German national youth team. Still, I wouldn't rule out playing for Togo. It's my heritage and I was born there – it's a second home for me though, after Germany

Emmanuel Adebayor is your role model. Why do you consider him to be such an important player?

Mlapa: Well he was born in Lomé. But he's also strong in the air, he's very agile and skilful for his size, and he scores goals. He's the complete striker, I think.

It's clear what Peniel's best position is, but with you Fabian it's not as clear-cut. Has that always been the case?

Mlapa: In the youth team you were always no.10!

Johnson: (laughing) Not always. I even played central defence for a while. But that's true, I don't really have a definite position. I like playing high up the pitch, but even as a full-back you can still get forward, so I don't mind really.

And finally, what is your favourite place in Munich?

Mlapa: The English Garden. It's an amazing place to relax and play some football.

Johnson: My parent's house!