Germany eye return to women’s football summit at Euro 2025
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Germany during training ahead of the Women's Euro 2025.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BERLIN – Ambitious and hungry, Germany’s women head into Euro 2025 in Switzerland feeling they are on the cusp of another era of dominance.
By far the most successful side in the history of the European Women’s Championship, eight-time winners Germany have not lifted the trophy since 2013. But with a core of young players eager to honour the achievements of past generations, Germany are hopeful of a return to the summit in 2025.
Germany open their campaign against newcomers Poland on July 4 in St Gallen, followed by matches against Denmark in Basel, which will host the final, and Sweden in Zurich. Two-time World Cup winners, a run spanning more than 20 years as the dominant team in the women’s game in Europe shaped Germany’s history and identity as the continent’s top side.
Since winning their first European crown as West Germany in 1989, the Germans have hoovered up seven more titles. Norway, the next best, have won two while Sweden, England and the Netherlands have one apiece.
In recent years however, the Germans have been inconsistent at major tournaments as other nations have started to catch up. After going out in the quarter-finals in 2017, Germany finished runners-up at Euro 2022 after losing 2-1 in extra time to England.
Coach Christian Wuck’s side are young – only two of the 23 squad members are over 30 – but many have several years of experience in the Germany set-up.
In May, striker Laura Freigang said her team was ripe for a shot at a record ninth European Championship.
“We believe in the title... We know we can do it. That’s the motivation,” Freigang said, adding her side had “absolute conviction” they could go all the way.
Her strike partner Lea Schuller mirrored those sentiments. “We’re Germany. We definitely want to win a title,” she said in an interview with Web.de in May.
“We’re not just taking part in the tournament for the sake of it.”
Forward Alexandra Popp’s retirement in 2024 could have hampered Germany’s preparations, but the Germans are well-stocked up front, with Schuller, Freigang and Klara Buhl posing a consistent threat.
Wuck, who led Germany to the boys’ Under-17 World Cup title in 2023, has been in the hot seat for less than a year but has the side in terrific form.
Germany have five wins and a draw from six Nations League matches heading into the tournament, with their recent 4-0 win over the Netherlands and a 6-0 thumping of Austria particularly impressive.
When announcing the squad, Wuck said Germany were “good and balanced” and that their recent form would “boost” their self-confidence. “We want to play with a mix of joy, enthusiasm, desire and conviction. That’s what the team stands for,” he said.
“If we manage to do that, we’ll go very far.” AFP
