National team captain Alexandra Popp has criticized the conditions in the women’s soccer Bundesliga as completely inadequate and called for lasting changes.
“The professionalisation, framework conditions and infrastructure in the Bundesliga are sometimes a disaster – and we’re talking about the 1st Bundesliga. Something has to be done there,” said the striker in a “Kicker” podcast.
The role model is England, against which the DFB-Elf of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg lost the European Championship final 1:2. “They have taken a big step forward in terms of sport and professionalism with the licensed teams that they have taken on,” said Popp. All clubs in the top two men’s divisions in the UK should invest seriously and sustainably in women’s football departments.
Striker wants “sustainable changes”
Popp also wants this model in Germany. “I do believe that in order to get into this dimension of professionalization, we have to take this path, which makes it extremely difficult for teams like SGS Essen or Turbine Potsdam to hold their ground for a long time,” said the 31 -year-olds. But the question is where women’s football wants to go at some point.
Even at her club VfL Wolfsburg, the level is far from sufficient, even if the women are German champions. “We always talk about a VfL family. To put it bluntly, it’s only outspoken and we don’t really work together,” criticized Popp. Especially in sports, you can get a lot out of it through consistent exchange within the coaching teams and also in the medical field.
Supporting the Bundesliga is even more important to Popp than the issue of equal pay, the same pay as men. “That’s where all the players come from. I’m in favor of starting there because it’s a process that takes longer,” said the attacker.
