Actually, Alexandra Popp is required as a center forward. When things get dangerous in the opponent’s penalty area, the 31-year-old from VfL Wolfsburg regularly shows up at the front and underlines her goal threat. 59 goals in 119 international matches are a testament to her impressive qualities, and she even scored six goals in five games at the European Championships in England. A world class value.
In the semi-final against France, however, Popp was not only in demand in the front line, but also as a shadow of the opponent’s grande dame: Wendie Renard is 1.85 meters taller than the German and at 67 kilograms also four pounds heavier. Whenever the French defender set out to use her guard in standard situations and climb up to head the ball, Popp was there as a shadow.
In the end, Renard, the eight-time Champions League winner with Olympique Lyon, remained goalless – and Popp even advanced to the match winner of the semi-finals in Milton Keynes thanks to her two goals and persistent defensive work in the 2-1 (1-1). For the first time in nine years, Germany is back in the final of a continental showdown.
When the coup succeeded, however, the German captain didn’t quite know how to classify the whole thing. Like her colleagues, she first lay on the pitch before she had the strength to celebrate in front of 27,445 spectators. “I’m a little speechless, to be honest,” said Popp after her lap of honor in the stadium. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve put back on the pitch – with incredible energy, with defensive work that was really brutal. When we were in front of goal it was always very, very dangerous. All in all, we’re deservedly in the final,” said the attacker.
“Nobody was expecting us and now we’re in front of 90,000 spectators in the final against England. Honestly, there is nothing more beautiful. In the last few weeks and months we have spoken of a very, very strong quality that is in this squad. That we just have to manage to bring this concentrated power onto the pitch. And we worked hard to achieve that.” The way her team stands together on the pitch makes her incredibly proud. “I’ve been with the women’s national team for ten years and, to be honest, I’ve never experienced such a team spirit, such a team structure.”
In fact, something has grown in the German women’s squad since the tournament began on July 6th. While there were still doubts about the quality of the kickers in spring after a 2:3 in the World Cup qualifier against Serbia, the team at the European Championships in the mother country of football swept over their opponents almost like a hurricane. First there was a 4-0 win over co-favourites Denmark at the start of the tournament, followed by a 2-0 win over the strongly rated Spaniards and a 3-0 win against Finland at the end of the group phase. Then followed a 2-0 victory in a neighborhood duel with Austria in the quarter-finals and finally the success over France in the semi-finals. The fact that only one goal was conceded documents the resilience in the squad of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
The change within the team can also be seen in the role model: Popp was only a substitute at the beginning of the European Championship after recovering from corona disease and a persistent knee injury and only came on as a substitute for Lea Schüller in the last half hour of the game against Denmark . Despite this, she scored to make it 4-0 and scored at least one more goal in every subsequent game, something no other player had ever managed to do at a European Championship finals.
“Poppi” is what they call their most experienced player in the German team, but in the semifinals against France the captain earned another nickname: “Poppi is just a beast in there,” said Lena Oberdorf after the match. The midfielder had the scene in mind when Popp skilfully broke away from opponent Renard and kicked in the winning goal (76th). “Outstanding headed again,” Oberdorf praised her teammate, with whom she also plays at VfL Wolfsburg. It was Popp’s fourth European Championship goal with a header.
With the beast up front and a great sweeper like Oberdorf in defensive midfield, even the really big throw seems possible. Host England is waiting for Popp on Sunday (6 p.m. CEST, ARD and DAZN).
He seems to be seized by the concentrated force that Germany’s soccer women have kindled. The broadcast of the game against France on Wednesday evening generated a record viewing figure: an average of 12.187 million people (market share 47.2 percent) watched the entry into the final of the European Championship on ZDF. At the finale there should be more.
While the German team is the record winner with eight European Championship titles, the opponent is still waiting for a triumph in a major tournament. This starting position, they agree in the old master’s circle, could create an unbelievable atmosphere. “I think the whole stadium will be against us,” said Oberdorf. “We’re not just playing against England, we feel like we’re playing against the whole nation.”
The German soccer players have reached the final of the European Championship in England. The team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg won the semifinals against France 2-1 and now meets hosts England.
Source: WORLD
