The warm reception by the numerous fans after the short summer break put a smile on the faces of the German women’s soccer team and strengthened their belief in a sustained boom. “We didn’t have such a setting during training, even in 2011 at the home World Cup. That shows the enthusiasm we have sparked in Germany,” said captain Alexandra Popp after the public training of the DFB selection in front of around 2,000 spectators on Tuesday in Frankfurt (Main): “We hope that the people will come to the Bundesliga stadiums in large numbers, to help drive this wave in women’s football.”
But that seems to be just wishful thinking. Despite the great interest that the German women’s national team aroused at the European Championship, almost half of the Germans still do not want to watch any Bundesliga games played by the women. According to a representative survey by the opinion research institute Yougov, 49 percent of those surveyed answered no to a corresponding question. 24 percent were still undecided and “maybe” want to follow the matches in the national league. The fact that Germany coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s DFB team reached the final is a reason for only 15 percent of those surveyed to take a closer look at Germany’s top division. Twelve percent did not provide any information.
The German team only had to admit defeat to the hosts in the final of the European Championships in England. The new Bundesliga season begins on September 16 with the game between Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Bayern Munich. There are probably two worlds that do not come together in the cosmos of women’s football – here the colorful star of the national team, there the gray planet Bundesliga, where an average of less than 2000 spectators per game, sometimes only a few hundred.
But for the moment, the euphoria can still be consumed – at least in the case of the DFB team. The unusually large training setting put the whole team back in high spirits ahead of the decisive World Cup qualifiers in Turkey on Saturday and in Bulgaria on Tuesday. “It’s really cool. Now there are more spectators at public training than at many Bundesliga games. It’s nice that the euphoria continued after the European Championship. We enjoy it. It can go on like this,” said defensive player Sara Doorsoun.
National coach Voss-Tecklenburg was also enthusiastic. “You can feel that it’s not just a summer fairy tale, but sustainable. People are still in this EM even though it’s over. That’s exactly what we wanted,” said the 54-year-old and added: “We take that as a tailwind. Arriving in Germany like that after a defeat in the final gives a good feeling.”
Voss-Tecklenburg hasn’t quite gotten over the bitter 2-1 draw in the European Championship final against England (“It’s still rumbling a bit”), but he’s been looking ahead for a long time. “First of all, we want to make the World Cup safe and then stay in people’s minds with attractive games,” she said, describing the goal. The fact that the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will take place next summer suits her very well. “It gives us the chance to stick to the issues that we have initiated.”
Captain Alexandra Popp had to pass at the European Championship final. The DFB team lost to the English women. “If such an experienced player fails shortly before the game, it does something to the team,” says WELT reporter Max Seib.
Source: WELT/ Max Seib, Thomas Klug
This primarily includes a stronger presence in everyday life. But the way there will be rocky. Voss-Tecklenburg knows about the hurdles that still have to be overcome. However, she is not deterred by this. “Everyone is called upon to do something to ensure that we have good stadiums and a good atmosphere. It doesn’t happen by itself,” she appealed. “We have to create offers and not look for excuses why something doesn’t work.”
The national team should serve as a catalyst for the clubs. “That we can make our dreams come true is the big message to all girls, but also boys. Do what you love and don’t let it get you down,” said the national coach. She hopes for an increase in membership and more acceptance of women’s football in the coaching sector. “That it’s not frowned upon to coach a girls’ team.”
The national players want to use their new popularity and lead as role models. “I’ve never been recognized as often as in the past few weeks. It doesn’t matter where you are, on the train, at the airport, in the city – you are recognized,” reported midfielder Lina Magull. For Popp it is clear: “We have to continue like this in the sporting area and must not take it lightly.”