Latest news with #DFB
Associated Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
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.' ___ AP soccer:
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Germany coach trusts his women's Euros team on social media, visits
Germany coach Christian Wück is not setting up strict rules on his players' social media activities and is also convinced of their maturity when it comes to planned visits from family and friends at the upcoming women's Euros. Wück told reporters on Saturday at Germany's pre-tournament camp in Herzogenaurach that the players have been educated on social media from the junior level onwards at the national federation DFB. Advertisement "If we now have to talk to grown-ups about what they are allowed to and what not then it is more or less too late," the former men's U17 coach said. Wück said the DFB is paying a lot of attention to "prepare the young players for what happens in social media." Spokeswoman Annette Seitz referred to the DFB's social media department which is monitoring various platforms. She said that "the players are handling it very responsibly" and added on potential shitstorms and hate comments: "Should something be coming from the other side about which we have to talk then we will do that." Advertisement Wück also expects common sense from his players when it comes to planned visits from family members and friends the day after each match at the team hotel in Zurich - into which they will move on Monday ahead of their first game against Poland on Friday. "That's exactly how I envisage the whole thing: We want a feel-good oasis, so to say. But of course we also want the players to perform at their best," Wück said. "I think it's a give and take. And so far it's working very, very well."
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Women's Euro 2025 team guides: Germany
This article is part of the Guardian's Euro 2025 Experts' Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 16 countries who qualified. is running previews from two teams each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 2 July. The past few years have seen Germany lose a European Championship final, exit the 2023 World Cup at the group stage, and finish third at the Olympics. Which begs the question: how good (or bad) is the German national team? No one seems to know, not even the players, as some of them have admitted. The past two years have also been a period of upheaval. The urgently needed analysis of the World Cup had to wait, as Martina Voss-Tecklenburg took a break but remained in post. She later revealed that she had suffered from depression and panic attacks before the World Cup. Voss-Tecklenburg's departure was eventually announced in November, with the DFB saying a fresh start was needed. Horst Hrubesch was appointed interim coach and they finished third at Paris 2024 but did not always play well. Several important players – such as Alexandra Popp, Svenja Huth, Marina Hegering and Merle Frohms – retired from international duty after the Olympics. In March 2024 Christian Wück was finally given the full-time job. Under the 51-year-old things have been up and down. A very poor first half might be followed by an outstanding second, or vice-versa. Wück has not held back with his criticism. 'Unfortunately we are not yet where we would like to be,' he said in March. Klara Bühl admitted in a Kicker podcast 'that there had been many 'ups and downs'. But she added that could be to Germany's advantage because 'maybe people aren't expecting so much from us'. Germany have had a successful 2025 (five wins and one draw). They were in fine goalscoring form for their last two Nations League games, beating Netherlands 4-0 and putting six past Austria without reply. The main selection headache for Wück was whether to pick Lena Oberdorf. The coach was naturally reluctant to be without arguably the best Germany player but she had not played a game in 2024-25 after tearing her ACL and was left out in the end. Wück said Oberdorf was on the right track 'but that the European Championship will be too soon for her'. Eintracht Frankfurt's Elisa Senß has taken her place. There has been a lot of talk about the new national team coach not talking enough. Two players, Felicitas Rauch and Nicole Anyomi, complained about a lack of communication from Christian Wück. The result? Wück and his team talked things through and the coach admitted he had got it wrong. Communication is key and he should know that now. Wück ended his playing career (having played 168 Bundesliga games and won goal of the month in May 1993) at the age of 29 because of injury and pursued a coaching career. He has spent more than a decade with the German FA and in 2023 he won the World Cup with the men's under-17 team. He tends to favour an attacking style. It made perfect sense for Wück to choose Giulia Gwinn as captain. She is only 25 but has more than 60 caps, despite having torn cruciate ligaments in both knees. 'Giulia is an absolute key player. She is opinionated and a personality who leads the way both on and off the pitch,' Wück said. In May she released her biography, which went to No 1 on Der Spiegel's bestseller list. Gwinn, who has more followers on Instagram than any other female German footballer is the face of the national team. Linda Dallmann is not new on the scene. She is a four-time German league winner and, at 30, one of the most experienced players in the side. But somehow the technically gifted midfielder has often been overlooked. Not any more, though. Wück is counting on the playmaker, who, he says, has the ability to change a game. Dallmann has good spatial awareness and is calm in possession. It is very difficult to take the ball off her. With her, the wingers finally have a teammate they can exchange passes with: a cross into the penalty area is not the only option. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion In two words: in crisis. Between 2002 and 2015, Bundesliga teams won nine Champions Leagues but since then other leagues, especially the WSL, have overtaken the German top flight. The move to professionalism is not fast enough and that is why the gap between teams is still huge. In 2024-25 Turbine Potsdam (two-times Champions League winners) were relegated without winning a game. In Europe, Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg were not competitive enough to go as far as the semi-finals. Wolfsburg, in fact, were demolished 10-2 on aggregate by Barcelona. After the early exit from the 2023 World Cup targets have been lowered. However, reaching the quarter-finals is still seen as a must. There, Germany could face France or England, when they would be considered underdogs. The Germany team guide was written by Nicholas Horn for Die Zeit.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
🤯 Woltemade a cheat code? Web reacts to latest U21 masterclass
The German U21 national team has reached the final of the European Championship with a convincing 3-0 victory over France. Here are the best reactions from the web to the DFB youth team's coup. Even the former captain of the senior national team has caught U21 fever. On Saturday, it's all about bringing the title home to Germany against England. Advertisement This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here. 📸 Christian Hofer - 2025 Getty Images
Sharjah 24
5 days ago
- Business
- Sharjah 24
DFB convicted of tax fraud in 2006 World Cup case, fined €130,000
Court highlights deliberate deception According to the judge, former DFB officials 'deliberately defrauded the tax authorities, without a shadow of a doubt.' Although prosecutors had requested a fine of €270,000, the court settled on a reduced penalty. Case centres on dubious gala payment The fraud case, which began in March 2024, involved a €6.7 million payment made to the World Cup organizing committee. The funds were reportedly intended for a gala event that was ultimately canceled, making the expense non-deductible for tax purposes. Millions in unpaid taxes The court revealed that the total unpaid taxes related to the 2006 World Cup amount to more than €13.7 million, spotlighting financial irregularities that have long dogged the tournament's legacy.
