After suffering: German EM heroine becomes emotional in TV interview - "No pig expected us"
Created: 07/27/2022, 23:46
By: Patrick Mayer
Germany's top scorer at the European Football Championship: Alexandra Popp.
© Screenshot ZDF
Germany is in the final of the women's European Football Championship.
Match winner Alexandra Popp recalls her difficult path to the European Championship, the national coach explains the secret of success.
The reactions.
Munich/Milton Keynes - It's done!
The German soccer women are after a 2-1 (1-1) against France in the final of the European Football Championship 2022. In this they meet on Sunday evening (6 p.m., here in the live ticker) in London's Wembley Stadium on the so far outstanding hosts England, who had beaten Sweden 4-0 (1-0) the day before.
The 31-year-old Alexandra Popp secured the DFB women's entry into the final with a brace (40th and 76th minute) in front of almost 30,000 spectators in Milton Keynes, an own goal by goalkeeper Merle Frohms (45th) was not enough for the passive French women.
After the game, the German soccer players celebrated frenetically.
The focus of the celebration: match winner Popp.
After knee surgery and a long rehab, it was unclear to the Wolfsburg player whether she would be fit in time for the European Championships.
In an interview with ZDF, the striker was correspondingly emotional, keeper Frohms simply "didn't care" about her own goal.
IPPEN.MEDIA
summarizes the reactions to the EM semifinals from ZDF.
Alexandra Popp (scorer Germany) - huge buck on the final Wembley Stadium
... about reaching the final of the European Football Championship:
"I can't put it into words.
We played an amazing game and threw everything in.
Nobody expected us.
We're now facing 90,000 against England in the final at Wembley - there's nothing better.
That was our dream that we have fulfilled.
With such anticipation and such a desire - there is nothing better."
… about the support from her team
: “We earned our self-confidence.
The team, to be honest, is awesome.
She strengthens my back exaggeratedly, is happy with me after my story of suffering.
I can draw strength from that.”
In the video: EM dream final perfect - Alexandra Popp leads DFB women to Wembley
also read
Germany beats France: double packer Alexandra Popp heads DFB women into the European Championship final
Martina Voss-Tecklenburg: private life, career, successes - this is the German national coach
Merle Frohms (goalkeeper Germany) - "tears of joy" at the thought of the European Championship final
... about the European Championship semifinals against France
: "The whole team fought outstandingly.
What we did defensively, how we threw ourselves into it.
We fought to the end.
We wanted it more, scored our goals up front and consistently defended at the back.”
… about her own goal:
"It's bitter at the moment.
I had no choice but to go for the ball.
The fact that he hits the post and my back is unfortunate and cannot be avoided.
But that doesn't really matter to me now."
… about the final in Wembley:
“Of course, the tears of joy came after the final whistle.
It's a unique experience.
Before the tournament, we would not have imagined that we would make it to the final.”
With the final whistle came the tears of joy.
DFB goalkeeper Merle Frohms
National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg - Kudos to the DFB women
… about the EM semi-finals and her team:
“Pure pride in this performance, in these players, in the way we mastered it today.
We've worked so hard.
We've become such a bunch that supports each other everywhere.
(...) We defended with enormous passion, kept running back and blocked the shots.
Then we wanted to put pinholes in the front and that worked out.
Even if it was super exhausting.
(...) We had a lot of willingness from the players, each working on their details.
That's the only way something like this can happen."
(pm)
