Duty is duty. Awarded as the best player of the semi-finals, Alexandra Popp had to forgo the celebrations. She patiently posed with the trophy she had won before her teammates stormed the ceremony and embraced the doubles scorer.
"To be honest, I can't even put it into words. We played an amazing game again. We are so incredibly happy, no one was expecting us, and we are now facing 90,000 in the final against England – honestly, there is nothing better,” said Popp on “ZDF” after the 2-1 win for the DFB women against France in the semifinals of the European Women's Championship. The team, "to be honest, they're great". With such "anticipation, such a desire for a final - there is nothing better," added Popp.
National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said after the game that she was very “proud” of her players. "It's so deserved, we worked so hard for it. We've become such a bunch here that supports each other everywhere. I think we deservedly won this game.” There is now “singing and dancing” in the dressing room. But she wanted to hold back. "No one wants to see that," says Voss-Tecklenburg with a laugh.
In front of 27,445 spectators, Germany conceded their first goal of the tournament - of all things due to an unfortunate own goal by goalkeeper Merle Frohms (44th) after Popp's lead (40th), but then in the second half with a header (76th). again caused exuberant cheers from the German team.
"The tears of joy came as soon as the final whistle sounded, it's just an unbelievable feeling," said Frohms. But the goal she conceded was “so irrelevant”.
DFB director Oliver Bierhoff senses “the conviction, the fun, to achieve something” in the German footballers. After reaching the final, the 54-year-old responsible for the national teams said in an interview with ZDF: "We are overjoyed, not only because of the results, but also because of the way the team has been performing here all week, what energy they radiate, what determination, what willpower “. One senses that "now they also want to take this last step".
Bierhoff followed the 2-1 win against France in the semifinals on Wednesday together with DFB President Bernd Neuendorf and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in the stadium. "In Germany, I'm approached by an incredible number of people who not only say it's nice that you're showing women's football, but that it's really fun to watch." The DFB has a plane for the "dream final" against England at Wembley Stadium organized for families and friends.
There has not yet been a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz because of his tweet about equal pay for women and men in national teams. "The invitation is of course," said Bierhoff. "I hope that the meeting will take place."
