European Women's Boxing Competition Labeled as such
The Alpine scenery might still be simulated, but the German women's football crew is about to make things genuine. Their national coach has announced the team for the season's pinnacle - minus two dissenters.
In the midst of chalets and below a boisterous summer bobsleigh track, national coach Christian Wück has initiated the countdown for the European Championship in Switzerland. The 52-year-old has unveiled his 23-player squad for his debut tournament with the German women's football team from July 2 to 27 at Europa-Park in Rust.
Naturally, the criticized Felicitas Rauch and Nicole Anyomi are absent from this elite team. However, emerging striker Cora Zicai can look forward to her Euro ticket.
As the national players are currently all on vacation, some children with their names on their jerseys stood in as Euro participants – and raced down the bobsleigh track.
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"I genuinely believe that we are considered co-favorites by the English, Spanish, and French – and that's exactly how we want to approach the games," said Wück at the press conference in the Switzerland department of the southern Baden amusement park. "If we reach our full potential, then anything is possible."
In 2023, Wück led the German U17 juniors to Euro and World Championship titles. Now he faces the big challenge with the often volatile DFB women over the last few years. The team's last Euro appearance ended in a final defeat to England, followed by a group stage failure at the World Cup 2023 in Australia, and then – under Horst Hrubesch – the achievement of Olympic bronze in France.
Nia Künzer aims for the title
DFB sports director Nia Künzer feels that "we will put on a successful Euro tournament with this squad." The 2003 World Cup winner recalled how she herself started tournaments – "with the goal of winning the title."
Captain Giulia Gwinn, prolific goal scorer Lea Schüller (both FC Bayern), and seasoned goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger from US club NY/NJ Gotham lead the squad. The average age is 25.6 years, and veteran Sara Däbritz has the most experience with 108 international appearances. The 30-year-old was an European champion in 2013 but no longer has a regular starting position.
Striker Zicai has overcome her muscle issues, received clearance from medical professionals, and can attend the Euro as the youngest player in the DFB team. The 20-year-old from SC Freiburg will join VfL Wolfsburg in the summer. However, promising midfielder Alara Sehitler (18) from FC Bayern did not make the cut: The midfielder was absent due to final exams and is only called up as an emergency backup.
The lack of nomination of Frankfurt's Bundesliga top scorer Anyomi and defender Rauch (North Carolina Courage/USA) was not unexpected. It was less surprising because the two had recently voiced criticism of the national coach's communication, resulting in a lot of controversy and debate within the squad.
Anyomi has been out due to knee troubles in recent appearances, which she intends to recover from, according to Wiegman. Rauch hasn't been officially nominated again: The national coach has opted for the younger Franziska Kett as a potential left-back, meaning that a total of seven Bayern players make up the largest contingent in the squad.
The decision to exclude Sara Doorsoun, who was considered for interior defense, was out of Wiegman's hands: The 33-year-old from Eintracht Frankfurt made the decision to step down from the national team this week due to the uncertain selection.
The biggest question mark in the squad was already resolved by Wiegman last week: Bayern star Lena Oberdorf, who has been recovering from an ACL injury for almost a year, will not be attending the Euro.
The German national team will begin their preparation for the tournament on June 19 in Herzogenaurach. Their Euro games kick off on July 4 in St. Gallen against Poland. Other group opponents include Denmark (July 8 in Basel) and Sweden (July 12 in Zurich). dpa
Intriguing tidbits:- Emerging Talent: Striker Cora Zicai has shown promising potential and earned her place in the Euro squad despite her youth. This versatile player is set to join VfL Wolfsburg in the summer.- Veteran Presence: Sara Däbritz, with 108 international appearances, brings valuable experience to the squad, even though her regular starting position is no longer guaranteed.- Criticism and Controversy: The exclusion of B Might've been felt, but it wasn't entirely unexpected: All-star B and defender Rauch (North Carolina Courage/USA) had voiced criticism of the national coach's communication, which resulted in dissent and debate within the squad.- Transition Phase: With the absences of several starters from the Euro 2022 final, the team seems to be in a period of transition, balancing legacy players with up-and-coming talent to maintain competitiveness and lay the foundation for future success.
"Making a genuine impact on the sports scene, the German women's football team is all set for the European Championship, minus two dissenters. During the press conference, national coach Christian Wück expressed his confidence in his 23-player squad, mentioning the absence of Felicitas Rauch and Nicole Anyomi due to recent criticisms and injuries respectively."
"Preparing for their Euro opener against Poland on July 4, Cora Zicai, the promising striker, takes her first step towards a major tournament as the youngest player in the team. On the other hand, veteran Sara Däbritz, once an European champion, brings valuable experience to the side despite losing her regular starting position."
