“With Reason”
DFB keeper Berger: That’s why she keeps going
Updated 12/25/2025 – 9:18 a.mReading time: 2 min.
For Ann-Katrin Berger, her career in the DFB goal continues. The goals are big: But first there is the World Cup qualification.
After the decision to continue her DFB career, national goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is looking forward to the coming year with enthusiasm. After a “good” conversation with national coach Christian Wück and goalkeeper coach Michael Fuchs, she “first had to process this emotional year for me,” Berger told the “Frankfurter Rundschau”. But now she is “really looking forward to what lies ahead of us with this great team.”
After the bitter 3-0 defeat in the second leg of the Nations League final against Spain, Germany’s female footballer of the year asked for time to think about her future in the national team. “Many people are not aware of the ups and downs that such a tournament triggers in a person,” said Berger, referring to the European Championships in the summer, in which the DFB team was eliminated in the semi-finals against Spain (0-1 after the event): “That’s why I wanted to make this decision with a little distance and reason.”
Berger already has his sights set on the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. “Brazil is a beautiful country, there are a few Brazilians on my US team who always rave about their homeland. This nation is crazy about football,” said the US champion from Gotham FC: “And a World Cup is the biggest thing. We still have big goals, but first I’ll let myself be really pampered at home before I really think about football again next year.”
The German soccer players start their World Cup qualification in Dresden against Slovenia (March 3rd). Other opponents in qualifying group A4 are Austria and Norway. Berger made her debut in the national team in 2020 and has been number one since the 2024 Olympic Games. At the European Championships in Switzerland, Berger was one of the team’s key players on the way to the semi-finals.
