National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg has named the provisional squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. There is trouble about the players of FC Bayern.
Without the long-term injured Giulia Gwinn, but with mother Melanie Leupolz, the footballers of the DFB are preparing for the World Cup. The national coach announced the preliminary squad of 28 for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday (05/31/2023) in Frankfurt/Main.
Anger for Bayern players
There is unexpected trouble about the release of the five players from FC Bayern Munich. They will only arrive at the training camp on June 23, which is three days later. “Unfortunately, contrary to agreements made at the beginning of the year, one club decided not to release its players on June 20, as agreed.”said Joti Chatzialexiou, sporting director of national teams, in a DFB announcement.
“We were still in talks until yesterday evening to find a solution in the interests of the team and all the players, without a result that was satisfactory for us. We are disappointed because it has a significant impact on preparation.”so Chatzialexiou.
Voss-Tecklenburg: “Breaks up preparation”
National coach Voss-Tecklenburg also reacted angrily to the late dismissal. “Of course it messes up our preparation,” she said. They thought about it on many levels and made a conscious decision to have an international match in which all players should be on board.
That’s not the case now. Voss-Tecklenburg definitely wants to take account of the national players of VfL Wolfsburg, who are still playing in the final of the Champions League and would have a week less vacation, during the preparation.
DFB women – led by Popp and Frohms
The team of vice European champions is led by captain Alexandra Popp and goalkeeper Merle Frohms from VfL Wolfsburg. Midfielder Leupolz from Chelsea FC was nominated for the squad just under eight months after the birth of her son.
Full-back Giulia Gwinn has not played a game since tearing her second cruciate ligament in October. “Giulia is very far along with her rehabilitation plan, but she is missing several weeks of training time“said Voss-Tecklenburg 50 days before the start of the World Cup tournament (July 20 to August 20). Above all, it was a rational decision not to give up Giulia Gwinn at this tournament, said the national coach. After all, you want to be with her play many big tournaments in the future.
The core of the squad consists of the players from Champions League finalists VfL Wolfsburg (10), followed by Eintracht Frankfurt (6) and Bayern (5). In addition to the 28 nominees, ten other players are available on call.
Final squad includes 23 players
After the two training camps in Herzogenaurach with friendlies on June 24 in Offenbach against Vietnam and on July 7 in Fürth against Zambia, the final squad with 23 players will be announced.
The DFB women meet Morocco (June 24), Colombia (July 30) and South Korea (August 3) in the World Cup preliminary round. Voss-Tecklenburg relies largely on the trunk of the EM 2022 in England.
Squad at a glance
Tor: Ann-Katrin Berger, Merle Frohms, Stina Johannes, Ena Mahmutovic
Defense: Sara Doorsoun, Marina Hegering, Kathrin Hendrich, Sophia Kleinherne, Sarai Linder, Sjoeke Nüsken, Carolin Simon, Felicitas Rauch
Midfield/Attack: Nicole Anyomi, Jule Brand, Klara Bühl, Sara Däbritz, Laura Freigang, Chantal Hagel, Svenja Huth, Paulina Krumbiegel, Lena Lattwein, Melanie Leupolz, Sydney Lohmann, Lina Magull, Lena Oberdorf, Alexandra Popp, Lea Schüller, Tabea Waßmuth
