DGiulia Gwinn doesn’t show her disappointment about her second cruciate ligament tear, her second rehab and many missed football months. The national player from FC Bayern Munich has long since accepted the next major setback in her young career. “The injury will make me stronger again. That was already the case with the first cruciate ligament tear,” says the EM second with conviction. In an interview with the German Press Agency, the 23-year-old talks about rehab friendships, unusual gifts – and about the World Cup in summer. Is Gwinn there?
The full-back is sitting on the second floor of the Bayern campus in a lilac knit sweater. Again and again, Gwinn’s gaze wanders to the soccer field, which she has not set foot on since October. For the second time after 2020, the 33-time national player, who was one of the outstanding forces at the European Championships in England in the summer, is slowing down a cruciate ligament rupture. Rehabilitation center instead of a Champions League stage.
WM not a fixed goal of Gwinn
There is no telling when Gwinn will return to the field. Participation in the World Cup as the ultimate goal? “I’ve moved away from setting a tournament as a fixed goal because in the end it’s not in my power. I haven’t even started to run yet.” From July 20th, the DFB selection will be chasing their third World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand.
Before the national player can sprint across the field with the ball, there are countless treatments, strength exercises and cardio units. Gwinn looks positively at the mentally difficult time, but negative thoughts cannot be avoided. “Of course there are days when it hurts to see my teammates in team training.”
Cruciate ligament tear – that’s a topic that keeps the DFB selection busy. Playmaker Dzsenifer Marozsan from Olympique Lyon fell out before the European Championship. Immediately before the tournament started in England, world footballer Alexia Putellas from FC Barcelona was hit. In November, Paulina Krumbiegel from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim made a promising comeback for Germany – a good year after her cruciate ligament tear.
According to national team doctor Tobias Schmenn, the average time it takes to return to action after a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is around nine months – under optimal conditions. Amazing: This bad diagnosis falls more often in women in competitive sports than in men. “Depending on the study, the risk of a cruciate ligament injury for women is described as three to six times higher than for men, and some authors assume an even higher risk,” says Schmenn.
“Men land in the squat”
The specialist in orthopedics and accident surgery explains the reasons: “In women, a more prevalent knock-knee axis, a predominance of the front thigh muscles over the rear ones and a more upright landing from the jump play a role. Men are more likely to land in the squat.”
In addition, there would probably be certain additional anatomical differences, such as a somewhat narrower bony situation in the area of the upper, anterior cruciate ligament attachment and a possibly somewhat increased slope of the tibial plateau. “Hormonal factors are also being discussed. Studies have shown that estrogen leads to a loosening of the tissue and a decrease in the tensile strength of the cruciate ligament,” said Schmenn.
After all: Gwinn can share her rehab suffering with fellow defender Hanna Glas, who is also out after her knee operation. “Wednesdays are always strength exercises, which we don’t really enjoy. Then we put on good music and dance. Our rehab trainer has to do a lot with us,” says Gwinn and starts to laugh. Especially popular: “Sweet Caroline” and “Country Roads”.
But Gwinn’s daily highlight hangs in the kitchen. “My teammates gave me a giant poster that said ‘We stand behind you’. With 130 hidden images,” says the Munich native. The pictures show current or former teammates. “I scratch one free every day and see who is symbolically behind me”.
“I used to be a little girl”
At second glance, the injury even has something good. More time with the family, the dog Lui or a wellness weekend with friends distract Gwinn. But no matter how nice the free time is, Gwinn wants to play football. “I was once a little girl who had this big dream of becoming a professional soccer player at FC Bayern. I dreamed of titles and trophies.” Gwinn wants to pursue this dream as soon as possible.
