World Cup the pinnacle for Hannover's Zieler

A product of 1. FC Köln's youth academy, Ron-Robert Zieler had a three-year spell in England playing for Manchester United 's reserves before returning to the Bundesliga – joining Hannover 96 in 2010. A year later, he won his first cap, and was a member of Germany's 2014 FIFA World Cup winning squad. The 25-year-old tells UEFA.com about the tournament in Brazil and reveals his aspirations for 2015.

UEFA.com: How was 2014 for you?

Ron-Robert Zieler: Overall, very positive. Of course, winning the World Cup surpasses everything else. The entire final day – those were quite special moments and for me the highlight of my career so far. Playing 90 minutes and winning 1-0 in Spain [in a friendly in November] was of course a great way to end the year. With Hannover, there were ups and downs this year, but I think the general development of the team is very positive.

UEFA.com: Has winning the World Cup changed your life?

Zieler: People tend to treat me differently.Fans don't just see me as goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, but also World Cup winner Ron-Robert Zieler. The title is something that will stay with me forever, but nothing fundamental has changed for me personally.

UEFA.com: Hannover have had a few ups and downs this season in the Bundesliga. What makes teams inconsistent?

Zieler: That's a good question. One factor is that simply that there are a lot of teams of a similar standard, so small factors decide the games between them. If you are on a good run, you take a positive attitude into the next tie and play in a liberated way. If things are going badly, you can become distracted and lose focus, which results in a defeat in an even league. Nevertheless, our goal for 2015 has to be to perform more consistently.

UEFA.com: What are your goals for 2015, on and off the pitch?

Zieler: I hope to play in Europe again with Hannover [Die Roten reached the round of 32 in 2012/13]. However, before we can think about that, we have to develop. But, we are on the right track – of that I am convinced. With the national team, it is our goal to put in good performances in the remaining European qualifiers and get the points we need [to reach UEFA UEFA EURO 2016]. Personally, I hope to stay healthy and free of injuries. Also, I have this dream of one day going on safari in South Africa, when time allows it. Observing the wildlife there would be a great experience.

UEFA.com: Where will you be spending Christmas?

Zieler: With my girlfriend and our families, together in Hannover. [Celebrating Christmas] in a traditional fashion with nice food and lots of time at home.