Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger receives a high award – and criticizes: “They no longer want players aged 33 in the European leagues.”
From former cancer patient to penalty hero at the Olympics and now Germany’s footballer of the year: goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger has won the vote organized by “Kicker” for the first time and is the successor to Alexandra Popp. “I never expected that and had to digest it first. It’s a nice feeling,” said the 33-year-old from the US club NJ/NY Gotham FC. “It’s very rare for goalkeepers to win titles like that.”
Gwinn and Oberdorf in second and third place
The only goalkeeper to receive this award so far was Silke Rottenberg in 1998. Second behind Berger (144 votes) was Giulia Gwinn from FC Bayern (71). Third place went to Lena Oberdorf (66), who moved from VfL Wolfsburg to Munich and was absent from the Olympics due to cruciate ligament surgery.
Berger had only been promoted to number one by interim national coach Horst Hrubesch at the Olympic Games in place of long-time regular goalkeeper Merle Frohms. He enabled the Swabian-born player to have a dream tournament – after very difficult times: Berger had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer twice in recent years – most recently in 2022 during the European Championships. Both times she was back on the pitch within a few months.
Berger had to overcome “many obstacles”
“Anne is not only a strong goalkeeper, but also an impressive personality who has had to overcome many adversities and has always fought her way back,” praised Hrubesch.
Berger says she experienced her “happy ending” at the Olympics: in the quarter-final against Canada, she saved two shots in the penalty shootout before taking the penalty herself and scoring. In the match for third place against the world champions from Spain, Berger saved a penalty from Alexia Putellas in the ninth minute of injury time. She thereby secured the German team a 1-0 win and the coveted bronze medal.
No guarantee of Wück’s regular place
“I just wanted to play football again. I knew I wasn’t finished yet,” said Berger. The former Chelsea FC, Paris Saint-Germain and Turbine Potsdam player combined the late appreciation with criticism: “You have to say it clearly – and I experienced it myself – they don’t want players at the age of 33 in the European leagues anymore. Then you’re apparently no longer good enough.” It’s completely different for goalkeepers, but apparently that’s the case in women’s football.
Despite her late rise, Hrubesch’s successor Christian Wück has left the question of who the future goalkeeper will be open. “For me there are two number ones,” said the 51-year-old at his presentation on Friday in Frankfurt am Main.
Source: Stern
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