Mith big eyes, the German soccer players looked through the wide expanse of Wembley with its 90,000 red seats during the final training session on Saturday evening. “The stadium is impressive even when empty. The anticipation is very, very great,” said Svenja Huth ahead of the dream final of the European Championship this Sunday once morest England (6 p.m., ARD and DAZN).
The record European champions from Germany can win the title for the ninth time, for England it would be the first triumph at an international tournament. Follow all developments here in the live ticker.
Special game for Berger and Carter
For Ann-Katrin Berger (31), the final will be particularly special: the German substitute goalkeeper Berger has been playing since 2019 Chelsea FC, should actually play for England at this European Championship and loves one of the opponent’s players. The Swabian has been with the English defender Jessica Carter (24) for several years. The pair play together at the London club. They won two championships and the FA Cup together with Chelsea.
Ann-Katrin Berger (left) and Jessica Carter with the FA Cup
Quelle: Visionhaus/Getty Images
The former Potsdam player was previously under contract in Birmingham for three years. Because she has lived in England for a long time, she might have been naturalized. At least that was the plan of the football association and ex-national coach Phil Neville. After all, Berger has been the best goalkeeper in the English league for years.
But following discussions with both associations, Berger chose Germany. At the tournament, she and Almuth Schult are substitutes behind regular keeper Merle Frohms.
12:22 p.m .: Lea Schüller is footballer of the year
A few hours before the final, Lea Schüller (24) was named Germany’s footballer of the year. The striker from FC Bayern landed ahead of Alexandra Popp and Almuth Schult in the journalists’ poll conducted by the “Kicker”.
ARCHIVE – July 8th, 2022, Great Britain, London: Soccer, women: EM, Germany – Denmark, preliminary round, group B, 1st matchday, Brentford Community Stadium. Lea Schuller. became a student… tested positive for the corona virus before the game once morest Spain. (to dpa-Korr “Student failure scares DFB women from hits once morest Spain”) Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa +++ dpa-Bildfunk +++
Source: dpa/Sebastian Gollnow
Bundesliga top scorer Schüller (24) said she “didn’t expect the award at all. This is a total surprise! It’s outstanding! That’s a super great award.” In a very successful year, she “planned more,” added Schüller, who had to sit out a corona quarantine at EM following the first game. “I scored 16 goals in the Bundesliga – as many as in recent years. I actually wanted to do more this time. I intend to do that for next season.”
11:53 a.m .: The Chancellor is in the stadium
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (64), Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (52) and men’s national coach Hansi Flick (57) travel from Germany to London to follow the game in the stadium. After reaching the semifinals, Scholz wrote on Twitter: “I’m looking forward to going to London and supporting the team in the dream final once morest the hosts from England at Wembley Stadium.”
11:28 a.m .: Video message from Prince William and his daughter
Queen’s grandson Prince William and his daughter Princess Charlotte (7) cheer on the English women in a clip. “We both wish the Lionesses the best of luck for tonight,” said William, who intends to follow the game at the stadium as FA President. “You played great in the tournament and we always cheered you on.” Charlotte added: “Good luck! I hope you win!”
11.05 a.m .: Boris Johnson is sure of victory
England’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson wrote a letter to captain Leah Williamson’s team. The team clearly showed women and girls across the country “that football is not just for boys”. “Your passion for the game, your tenacity in difficult situations and most importantly, your amazing talent on the pitch has already given millions of us a summer of fantastic memories,” Johnson wrote. He is sure that the “Lionesses”, “who hunt ruthlessly as a team”, will also win once morest Germany.
10.32 a.m .: This is how the day of the German team works
- 10.30 a.m. (CET): Up until now, every player must have been to breakfast.
- 11.30 a.m.: Walk together over the large area of the team hotel The Grove.
- 2 p.m.: Team and tactics briefing.
- 3:15 p.m.: Departure to Wembley Stadium with police escort.
- 16.30 o’clock: site inspection.
- 5:15 p.m.: Warm up.
- 6 p.m.: kick-off.
9:53 a.m.: Formation flight over the stadium
The British Air Force honors England’s women footballers ahead of the European Championship final once morest Germany with a formation flight with an all-female crew. A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft and two Typhoon jets take part in the flyover over Wembley Stadium. The maneuver is scheduled right following the national anthems.
“I have flown missions with the RAF around the world but this will be the most memorable,” said the Hercules pilot, whose name has been given as Flight Lieutenant Lauren. The performances of the “Lionesses” were inspiring. Lauren has been in the Royal Air Force (RAF) for 12 years and in the past has trained the first Afghan women pilots, among other things. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace spoke of a “pioneering day for English football and women’s sport”.
9.19 a.m .: DFB publishes letter from the men’s national team
The German men’s national team encouraged the DFB soccer players for the final. “You still have to take one last, big step and we are sure you will take it,” said a letter published by the DFB to the team of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg and captain Alexandra Popp. In it, “your guys from the other team” express their pride in making it to the final and their performances at the European Championships so far.
“That’s why you are role models,” it said: “It’s just fun to see you as a team and your games. Sunday is the day. You can be sure that we are rooting for you,” wrote the selection of national coach Hansi Flick and wished: “We want to see you dance once more.”
Flick will travel to London for the final. He commented on Saturday evening on the sidelines of the Supercup game between RB Leipzig and the FC Bayern Munich “Totally enthusiastic” regarding the previous performances of the team of colleague Voss-Tecklenburg.
8:57 a.m .: Brazil wins the Copa for the eighth time
While the European title will be awarded in the evening, the decision in South America has already been made. Brazil has won the Copa for the eighth time. The Brazilians defeated hosts Colombia 1-0 (1-0) in the final at the Alfonso López Stadium in Bucaramanga. The fouled attacker Debinha scored the winning goal in the 39th minute with a penalty.
The Brazilians celebrate their title win
What: REUTERS
It was Brazil’s eighth Copa América title in nine finals, Argentina winning the South American Cup once. Argentina won the third-place match once morest Paraguay 3-1 on Friday, qualifying for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
8.31 a.m .: Bierhoff is happy regarding less theatricality
Before the final, DFB director Oliver Bierhoff spoke enthusiastically regarding the German footballers. “Everyone who comes to the women’s national team is immediately enchanted by the atmosphere,” he told “Bild am Sonntag”. He has already observed this in international matches outside of the tournament: “The atmosphere is very informal, very honest, sporty.”
Bierhoff also praised the behavior of the players at the European Championship. “The pictures at the tournament speak for it: There are tough duels, fouls, yes – but dealing with them is more relaxed,” he said: “The times women spend lying on the ground are certainly less.”
