Being a mother and a professional athlete – there are only a few role models for that. Melanie Leupolz is currently trying to find out for herself whether the balance is possible. The 29-year-old traveled to Australia as a new mom for the World Cup – with a baby in her luggage.
Melanie Leupolz is doing pioneering work these days. Not because the midfielder is traveling to the women’s World Cup – the German selection is the second most successful women’s team in the world behind the USA. But because she doesn’t come alone. Because Leupolz is bringing her nine-month-old son with her. A rarity in (female) professional sports.
This makes it part of a short series. Today’s national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg gave birth to her daughter Dina in 1993. As the first German professional footballer and mother, she was not able to take them to tournaments at the time.
Melanie Leupolz is a national player and mom
Second was goalkeeper Almuth Schult, who traveled to England in 2022 as a mother of twins for the European Women’s Championship. A novelty, unlike Voss-Tecklenburg’s times, the DFB allows the national player to take her twins with her.
National coach Voss-Tecklenburg supports this to the best of her ability, as she told ZDF shortly before leaving for this year’s World Cup in Australia: “It is a huge added value for us women in sport not to have to end our careers, but to have our children with us with the support of the DFB I know what it’s like not having the kid with you at tournaments.”
So now Melanie Leupolz.
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
