The national players could make a real team at the Universiade, because in addition to football, they also have time for their further education. Many are studying, and one is even writing her doctoral thesis in neuropsychology. What brings fun and variety has a serious background.
You can talk to national player Lena Lattwein about stochastics, statistics, micro- and macro-economy as well as about the back four or attacking pressing. The 22-year-old from VfL Wolfsburg is a prospective business mathematician - "a very demanding, time-consuming course of study". And one of many German EM participants who are not only footballers full-time. Theoretically, the team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg could also compete in a Universiade.
While it is at least a cliché among many male soccer professionals that they mainly enjoy themselves on the Playstation in their free time, the DFB women even spend time with their university documents at the tournament in England. Lattwein has completed her bachelor's degree, is "in the middle of her master's" and recently admitted: "I've moved a few modules this semester and travel so much that my studies have to take a backseat."
Of course, the national coach knows about the double burden for almost everyone. "The fact that many players are studying is because they still need the dual career, even if we currently only have professionals with us," said Martina Voss-Tecklenburg in an interview with "Welt am Sonntag". "But they simply cannot afford to wait and see how things will continue after their football career. They will not have earned that much money."
Forward Klara Bühl from FC Bayern is doing her bachelor's degree in media management via distance learning. Her club colleague Lina Magull is studying sports marketing and sports journalism. France professional Sara Däbritz has dedicated herself to business psychology. Svenja Huth from Wolfsburg completed a sports management certificate last year because she somehow wants to stay connected to the sport after her active career.
At the age of 18, Laura Freigang went to the USA for two years on a sports scholarship to play football there - and to study at Pennsylvania State University. "I go to training with more enthusiasm when I haven't spent the whole day thinking about it taking place," says the attacker and aspiring sports scientist from Eintracht Frankfurt.
"It's very important for me to do something for my head," explains Lea Schüller. Her specialty: industrial engineering, a course with a clear surplus of men. "I'm fully involved - because I simply need it after my career. I always imagined working in the automotive sector, now I imagine doing something in the direction of architecture," says the Bundesliga top scorer from Munich.
At some point, Tabea Waßmuth will even be able to be addressed as "Frau Doctor". "It will take another year or two. Then hopefully," said the Wolfsburg striker in a Sky interview. Neuropsychology has always fascinated her. "I find the brain totally exciting." Her current topic, even if the doctoral thesis is suspended during the EM: patients after a stroke. "It's one of those projects that hopefully can help people."
Defender Giulia Gwinn is doing a correspondence course in sports management and has already gained some practical insights from the DFB and FC Bayern. "I don't think most men can imagine having a second source of income alongside football. We just don't know any different," she says.
Doing not only for the legs, but also something for the head and the future - that fits the trainer B plus license that twelve national players around captain Alexandra Popp acquired last year. That's another reason why Voss-Tecklenburg says: "Tactically, you make quick progress with women. I don't know many men who are already training as coaches during their active career." Incidentally, the DFB women still took the time for an internal FIFA competition on the console in preparation for the European Championship - with Magull as the celebrated winner.
