Before the German national team set off for Denmark, there was a public training session in the Frankfurt stadium at the Brentanobad. Greater proximity to the fans is always an issue at the German Football Association, although it’s not about the DFB players, who usually give the audience quite open insights. Perhaps in this case it was the other way around anyway, and the fans weren’t primarily doing a favor: the more than 1,000 onlookers with their posters and flags, autograph and selfie requests were also suppliers of positive energy. And the national players can urgently use that after the historically early end of the World Cup.
In any case, the effect of the measure was immediately visible; everyone looked in a good mood. If there had been a happiness ranking, a player who arrived unburdened by the heaviness of the summer would most likely have ended up high up, but had by no means had an easy few months: Giulia Gwinn. After the public session, the 33-time international player uploaded ten photos to Instagram with the description “obviously super happy” followed by a black, a red and a yellow heart. The pictures also spoke for themselves, she was beaming in each one, “obviously super happy”.
Like Linda Dallmann, her colleague from FC Bayern, Gwinn has been back in the selection circle since Monday. Both had been out injured for months, Gwinn due to a torn cruciate ligament, the second of her career, Dallmann due to a torn syndesmotic ligament. The latter can enrich the midfield with her fine technique and creativity. And the fact that Gwinn is back is very symbolic. With her failure, the defensive problem began, so to speak, which upset the balance in the structure at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and led to an unfortunate chain reaction of injuries.
Due to the absence of the national coach, the World Cup exit has not yet been fully analyzed
Of course, Gwinn couldn’t do anything about that, but it was like that: In order to replace her in the right-back position, national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, 55, pushed Svenja Huth back. The right winger had already played there in the past, but Huth lacked routine – and her routine up front in turn lacked the offensive. Shortly before the tournament, defense chief Marina Hegering was out in central defense with a bruised heel and left-back Carolin Simon was out with a torn cruciate ligament. This meant that Felicitas Rauch’s representative had to pass, as she sprained her right knee before the second World Cup group game, whereupon Chantal Hagel, who was actually offensive, stepped in. There was never any calm on the defensive end, which was one reason for the debacle.
The analysis of all this is pending, there are still discussions open due to the unexpected loss of Voss-Tecklenburg, whose unspecified illness was announced by the DFB at the beginning of September. That doesn’t make restarting any easier. The games on Friday against Denmark in Viborg (6 p.m., ARD), against Iceland in Bochum next Tuesday (6:15 p.m., ZDF) and in October against Wales will be equally serious: the newly introduced Nations League is about qualification for the 2024 Olympics, only two European tickets will be distributed. Self-confidence, strength and reputation should also be restored. “It’s good that something is going on again and the legitimate criticism can be made up for,” said Gwinn.
The 24-year-old has been training with the team again at FC Bayern since May, and made her comeback to the German champions on August 23rd in a test against TSG Hoffenheim – after a 322-day break. In October last year she was injured during training with the DFB women and ultimately decided not to take part in the World Cup as a precautionary measure. For the second time since September 2020, Gwinn suffered a torn cruciate ligament, which at least made the rehab easier, as she knew the processes and challenges. Like the first time, Gwinn was accompanied for a documentary about her club. Which, like the number of her Instagram followers, shows that she is one of the most popular German footballers. The national team’s channel has 400,000 followers, Gwinn has 578,000 followers, who should now see them on the pitch again. “I have complete confidence in my body, and that is the most important basis,” said Gwinn. Everything else will come with time.
Open detailed view
Britta Carlson represents national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg for an indefinite period.
(Photo: Gawlik/Beautiful Sports/Imago)
It has been seven weeks since the eight-time European and two-time world champion was plunged into a sporting crisis with the group phase exit. Gwinn could only observe from a distance how difficult the DFB women were. A year earlier they had impressively reached the final in England, and Gwinn had been nominated for the team of the tournament by the European Football Union Uefa. “It hurts a lot when you can’t intervene,” she told the sports information service in an interview. “It seemed as if the connections we had at the European Championships, this team structure with blind understanding, were no longer there.” Now it’s about a good reappraisal and the return of lightness.
She herself, who had been missed so much, was likely to be the deciding factor along with Dallmann. Gwinn should enrich the defense against Denmark, although not over the full distance in consultation with FC Bayern. “I think that Giuli still needs a little time. But she has also shown at Bayern that it won’t be long until she is the old Giuli again,” said deputy national coach Britta Carlson. “She is an important personality for us, an important player who we also rely on – just like Linda.” Gwinn’s planned move is intended to be made from a position of ability rather than necessity. That alone should give the national team strength.
