Not being nominated is “still not the end of the world,” says striker Laura Freigang. But for the national players, who are not allowed to fly to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand (July 20th to August 20th), it may feel that way at first.
At the last casting for the squad places, the German footballers want to ignite a World Cup euphoria against Zambia. Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team challenges the African tournament outsider in the international match on Friday (8.30 p.m. / ARD) in Fürth.
28 becomes 23
On Saturday, the national coach will reduce her current 28-man squad to 23 players before the DFB women fly to the other end of the world on Tuesday. “You can already tell that we’re in the nomination phase. Some people might not be quite so relaxed about that. That’s part of it,” says Voss-Tecklenburg and reiterated before the game against Zambia: “Not all decisions have been made yet about what the nomination is concerned.”
So many smiling faces of the DFB from the training camp in Herzogenaurach in the social media these days and so unanimously everyone affirms that the mood is “very good” – the nervousness cannot be talked away. Five World Cup candidates will not be in the final squad. Even if Voss-Tecklenburg is considering taking one or two players with him as a backup because of the long journey, in case someone drops out shortly before the tournament starts.
“Basically, the tension is noticeable, but actually only on the training ground. You get annoyed more than usual about one or the other bad pass. You have in mind that everything is evaluated,” explains defense chief Marina Hegering from VfL Wolfsburg. Bayern full-back Carolin Simon says: “There is absolute competition there. There are two, three, sometimes four players in each position.”
The national coach and her assistant Britta Carlson have been spared injuries during the pre-season, with the exception of Bayern aces Giulia Gwinn, who have been missing for a long time after a cruciate ligament rupture, and Linda Dallmann after a syndesmosis ligament rupture. Paulina Krumbiegel has already dropped out of the team: The Hoffenheim native was already considered a shaky candidate and also suffered from muscular problems.
World Cup candidates still have to tremble
Some other World Cup candidates still have to tremble. For example, the crowd in midfield is particularly large: Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg) and Sara Däbritz (Olympique Lyon) are considered set, Sydney Lohmann from FC Bayern has good chances. Vice-European champion Lena Lattwein (Wolfsburg), Olympic champion Melanie Leupolz from Chelsea, who is hoping for World Cup participation after the birth of her son last year, Chantal Hagel (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim) and Janina Minge (SC Freiburg) are also pushing. in the World Cup squad. “No one in the squad can be absolutely sure. Everyone is aware that they have to fight for their place,” says Lattwein.
Captain Alexandra Popp and Lea Schüller from Munich are the first choice as attacking spearheads. In addition to Frankfurt’s Laura Freigang, Popp’s Wolfsburg club colleague Tabea Sellner (formerly Waßmuth) still has to worry. The decision will also be made on the third goalkeeper behind regular goalkeeper Merle Frohms and England professional Ann-Katrin Berger: Stina Johannes from Eintracht Frankfurt and Ena Mahmutovic from MSV Duisburg are available.
