Germany's new stars have a post-Popp point to prove at Euro 2025
BERLIN (AP) — Germany has unfinished business at the Women's European Championship after losing the final of the previous edition and following up with a shock group-stage exit at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Inspirational captain Alexandra Popp has left since those disappointments, leaving it up to a new generation of young stars to restore Germany's reputation as the most successful team in European women's soccer.
Two-time world champion Germany has won eight of the 13 European Championship tournaments played so far, including six in a row from 1995-2013. But it hasn't won any major titles since.
Germany looked poised to end that barren run when it faced England in the 2022 final, but Popp injured herself in the warmup and the team was already without Bayern Munich forward Klara Bühl because of a COVID-19 infection. England won 2-1 after extra time.
The 2023 World Cup provided another opportunity. But a loss to Colombia followed by 1-1 draw with South Korea meant Popp's team failed to emerge from Group H – the first time Germany failed to reach the quarterfinals at a Women's World Cup.
'Times have changed,' Germany coach Christian Wück said. 'Everything has become closer, the other countries have become very strong, maybe even overtaken us. For us it's a big challenge and also a great honor that we can even challenge for the title at a European Championship.'
Wück took over in August last year from interim coach Horst Hrubesch, who took over after the German soccer federation ended its five-year collaboration with Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. She was on sick leave after the World Cup disappointment.
Wück previously worked with Germany's men's youth teams, leading the Under-17s to European and World Cup titles in 2023, and he acknowledged in an interview with news agency DPA that he still sometimes calls his players 'guys' when he's shouting instructions from the touchline.
'I don't think they think much about it. They just laugh their heads off when I say, 'Hey guys, pay attention!'' Wück said.
But Wück has faced public criticism from some of his players. North Carolina Courage defender Felicitas Rauch and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Nicole Anyomi complained about a lack of communication from the Germany coach before they were omitted from his Euro 2025 squad.
'If there were irritations — and there were — then they have to be cleared up,' said Wück, who added he spoke with both Rauch and Anyomi.
The 16-team tournament in Switzerland comes too soon for Bayern Munich star Lena Oberdorf, who's still working her way back from a knee injury sustained almost a year ago in a win over Austria.
But Germany will have plenty of pace in attack through Bühl, Lea Schüller, and Jule Brand, while Selina Cerci was the Bundesliga's joint-top scorer last season with 16 goals for Hoffenheim.
Bayern defender Giulia Gwinn will captain the team, which starts its campaign Friday against Poland. Germany then faces Denmark on July 8 and Sweden on July 12 in Group C.
Germany warmed up on June 3 with a 6-0 rout of Austria in Vienna, where Bühl scored one goal and set up three more. That came four days after a 4-0 victory over the Netherlands and stretched the team's winning run to five games.
'I said from the start that I wanted to instill in the team the belief that they are capable of seeing it through to the end and perhaps even (winning) this title and lifting this trophy,' Wück said. 'I believe we're on the right track.'
___
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