Reactions to the DFB defeat in the European Championship final: "It hurts like hell"
Created: 08/01/2022, 10:35 am
By: Marcus Giebel, Christoph Klaucke
Loud and energetic: Svenja Huth (right) captained the DFB team in the final.
© Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
In the European Championship final, the DFB team faced England.
More emotions is probably not possible.
We deliver the reactions at Wembley Stadium.
Munich - EM final!
At Wembley Stadium, record winners Germany faced hosts England - in front of a breathtaking backdrop.
It was about the successor to the Netherlands and the new European dominance in women's football.
Both teams reached the big final of the European Women's Championship with five wins.
There they played an evenly matched game for more than 120 minutes, which the English won 2-1.
Here are the voices surrounding the biggest game of the summer.
National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg after the game over ...
… the game:
“We were close, especially after going 1-1 we want to score second.
The second goal was very unfortunate.
Goals decide the games, the English women have done one more.
Therefore: congratulations, you withstood the pressure, let yourself be carried.”
… Alexandra Popp's failure:
"That would probably have triggered something.
Poppi scores six goals here.
But it just didn't work.
We trusted Lea Schüller, she did a good job.
We also missed Klara Bühl, you could tell.”
... the backdrop with almost 90,000 spectators:
"We noticed it in the first half.
We weren't quite as into it, not quite as brave.
But we went into half-time 0-0.”
... a possible penalty for Germany:
"Handball, you have to see.
I don't even know if it was checked.
Then you don't understand it at all.
That's stupid, the people who are responsible have to think about it.
But I don't want to harp on about a situation.”
… her speech in the circle after the game:
“We can be proud of ourselves and gave everything.
What am I to blame?
We grow from games like this and just keep going.”
... the tournament:
"We are very sad that we lost.
We have to let it sink in, we can be proud of what we've achieved.
We are in a process.
So we have to do a little bit more.
We grow on games like this.”
also read
Women's EM: England is European champion - Germany experiences final drama in extra time
After defeat in the final: Olaf Scholz visits DFB women in the dressing room - and leaves an impression
Consolation after the final drama: national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg hearts Giulia Gwinn.
© Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
DFB clearer Lena Oberdorf after the game over ...
... the finale:
"We planned to go out here to celebrate today, but unfortunately that didn't work out.
There is also a little bit of luck involved, and unfortunately we didn’t have that.”
… Alexandra Popp's failure:
"We just had to deal with it, we know that can happen.
It was a feeling from now on.
But Lea (Schüller) did well today, you mustn't forget that she's coming back from Corona.
We gave everything, but unfortunately it wasn't enough.”
... the enthusiasm at home:
"You got a lot of messages from home that we would have liked to have crowned it with the European Championship title.
We showed that we can play football.
I hope we stay on this wave.”
DFB captain Svenja Huth after the game over ...
… the defeat:
“It just hurts right now.
We pushed hard for 120 minutes and didn't let the deficit put us off, we came back.
It hurts like hell to get the 1:2 so late.”
... the short-term absence of Alexandra Popp:
"Poppi was still warming up and wanted to see if it worked.
Lea (Schüller) was then in the starting XI for them.
It's incredibly sad for Poppi not to have been in the final.
We fought as a team but weren't rewarded."
… the reception in Frankfurt on Monday:
“I think we have to let the next few hours sink in.
We are glad that we were able to inspire so many people.
Faces will surely look different tomorrow.
We look forward to welcoming many people to Frankfurt tomorrow.”
Final day: The DFB team (photo) meets the English team at Wembley Stadium.
© IMAGO / PA Images
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf after the game about ...
... the performance of the DFB-Elf:
"Our team did an excellent job of representing German football at the European Championships, and the defeat in the final against the great hosts from England doesn't change that.
Our players have inspired the whole country, they are personable, authentic and approachable, they exemplify real team spirit.
I would particularly like to single out our national coach, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
The development of the team bears her signature.”
National team manager Oliver Bierhoff after the game over ...
... the performances of the German team:
"This great tournament by our team deserved winning the title as a worthy conclusion.
In the DFB we have set the motto for our teams: back to the top of the world.
Despite the defeat in the final, our team's performances in England were great from the first game to the end. This tournament will be a milestone in the development of women's football in Germany.
This performance by our national team gives the entire DFB extra motivation with a view to the men’s World Cup at the end of the year.”
DFB general secretary Heike Ullrich after the game about...
... the defeat in the European Championship final:
"It's a pity that we didn't win the European Championship for the ninth time today.
Nevertheless, the team played an outstanding tournament and can be very proud of itself.
With their courageous and passionate nature, our players triggered a huge wave of enthusiasm in Germany.
It is now important to take exactly this enthusiasm into the new season of the women’s Bundesliga, because most of our EURO heroines can be seen in the league.”
National coach Hansi Flick after the game over ...
... the performance of the German team:
"I'm very sorry for Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and her entire team that they couldn't crown their great performances with the title.
But after the first disappointment they can look back on this tournament with pride.
The passion and at the same time lightness, enthusiasm and team spirit with which the team went through this tournament inspired me.
That was outstanding on and off the pitch, the players were a tight-knit unit and could therefore only be defeated by the hosts in the final.”
National team manager Oliver Bierhoff at half-time about ...
… the planned meeting with Scholz:
"We talked a bit in the stands, I invited him to the campus."
... the short-term absence of Alexandra Popp:
"I was surprised too.
She probably had a slight strain yesterday.
I'm incredibly sorry for her."
... his contact with the DFB team and his tip:
"I've been in contact with one or the other player throughout the tournament, including Martina.
This will be a tight box until the end.
I'm confident that the good energy of the team will make the difference in the end."
... the wave of euphoria:
"There is a lot of attention.
Women's soccer is attractive, they play great soccer.
We need to create better conditions, with more coaches and talent.
Of course we still have to do more.”
... the first half:
"The game is a little disorganized.
We have to use the English weaknesses and be ice cold."
Video: DFB team loses EM final in Wembley against England
ARD expert and ex-national player Nia Künzer before the extension over ...
... the performance of the DFB team in the regular 90 minutes:
"It's crazy to come back here in front of 90,000 from a deficit.
Another amazing mileage from the team.
The team surpasses itself.”
ARD expert and ex-national player Nia Künzer before the game about ...
... the tournament performance of the DFB team:
"I think they don't have to prove anything to anyone anymore.
They played a tournament that none of them expected.
They were convincing on the sporting front, but they were also convincing off the pitch.
I don't know anyone who doesn't love her."
… her expectations for the final:
“You can only stop England as a team.
(...) The German team can work very well against the ball, move it.
Maybe pull a tactical foul to disrupt the rhythm of the English women.”
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf before the game about ...
… the performances of the DFB team:
“I think they got the whole country in a little frenzy.
That was not to be expected from the start.
We hope that this frenzy will continue and that disillusionment will not set in again after the tournament.”
National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg before the game over ...
... the feeling before the final:
"It's not about me, it's about our team.
It's about representing Germany.
We want to do a great job.”
... the special challenge:
"We're going out here and we're going to enjoy it, we're going to give it our all and stay with us.
We see it as a challenge, but also as a privilege.
We will fight back to the last second.”
… her husband's suggestion that he buy a house in Mallorca if he wins the title:
"If it comes out of it in the end, I will invite every single player so that they can vacation with us permanently."
Ex-national player Anja Mittag before the game over ...
... the performances of the DFB team:
"Wow, how they went through the tournament, it was very different from us back then (at the EM 2013)."
… the importance of the game against England:
"Of course the players know what that means, but you just want to win the game."
A guest at Wembley Stadium: Chancellor Olaf Scholz cheers on the DFB team in the stands.
© Franck Fife/afp
Chancellor Olaf Scholz at half-time over ...
… his EM consumption:
“This is now a premiere at Wembley Stadium.
I watched the games while on vacation.
The performance of the German team is very special.”
… his proposal for equal pay for footballers:
“Mr. Bierhoff and I have made an appointment, we will not shy away from this topic.
I believe that equal pay plays an important role.”
… his tip for the second half:
“It was tight and exciting.
I think it will end up with a lead for the German team, even before extra time.”
(ck, mg)