Germany's new era starts with Freigang as the big hope
October 15, 2024
It is all change for the Germany women's national football team and for forward Laura Freigang, it is time to fully emerge from the shadows.
New coach Christian Wück has picked a 23-player squad for friendlies at Wembley against England on October 25 and in Duisburg against Australia three days later, when Eintracht Frankfurt star Freigang has the chance to audition to replace retiring striker and team icon Alexandra Popp.
"I'm simply enjoying my football at the moment," Freigang, 26, told Kicker as she looked ahead to the international dates.
The 33-year-old Popp will additionally be in the squad at the second game to say goodbye, with fellow Germany retirees Merle Frohms and Marina Hegering also bidding farewell.
The runners-up from Euro 2022 therefore need a new captain, main striker, goalkeeper and central defender for Euro 2025 in Switzerland in July.
Wück, who won the men's Under-17 World Cup with Germany last year, has taken over from Horst Hrubesch after the interim coach led the women to a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics having steadied the ship following Martina Voss-Tecklenburg's drawn-out departure.
Wück resists major upheaval
He has handed first squad call-ups to Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Lisanne Gräwe and RB Leipzig attacker Giovanna Hoffmann. There are also recalls for Frankfurt defensive duo Pia-Sophie Wolter and Sophia Kleinherne given their great start to the Bundesliga season, Bayern Munich keeper Maria Luisa Grohs and teammate Linda Dallmann as well as Hoffenheim's Selina Cerci. Lyon's Sara Däbritz is also back.
"I'm really looking forward to finally getting started," Wück said in a statement. "We in the coaching team have watched a lot of games in the women's Bundesliga in recent months, but also abroad, in England, Italy, France and the United States, in order to observe current, former and new international players and exchange ideas with them."
He opted against immediately naming a new captain to replace Popp, although vice skipper Guilia Gwinn looks best-placed.
"It's a position you shouldn't speculate about, it's too big and too precious for that," the 25-year-old told SID.
Wück has also placed 11 players on stand-by, including uncapped quartet Ena Mahmutovic, Shekiera Martinez, Marie Müller and Sophia Winkler. He said opting for this large number was a way of making the bridge between youth levels and senior team not feel so big.
Ann-Kathrin Berger had already usurped Frohms as the No. 1 keeper at the Olympics and is set to continue in the role, with Frankfurt's Stina Johannes and Grohs as backups.
Arguably, Wück's biggest decision is who is going to replace Popp up-front. On current form, Frankfurt's Freigang looks best-suited to take on the mantle of Germany's go-to-player and in time, the side's most famous face.
Germany had previously tried to transition away from Popp, a tall and powerful player who benefited from long balls and deep crosses. It backfired and they went back to Popp, recognizing they'd done her a disservice and that she is no slouch on the ground either.
But now her decision to quit the international arena after injury troubles brings a natural break. Freigang is also tall but her silky skills mean she tends to play in the No. 10 role for Frankfurt, who went top of the Women's Bundesliga after six games with a 6-0 thrashing of Freiburg on Monday. For the first time in over a decade, champions Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg are being seriously challenged domestically.
Freigang, the league's top scorer with seven goals so far after two against Freiburg, has looked imperious when coming short and bringing other players into the attack but has also shown she can lead the line with some fine finishing and late movement in the box.
Making the striker role her own
The 26-year-old has somewhat flattered to deceive in her 32 caps for Germany, but with Popp clearing the way, Freigang has the chance to make one of the striker roles her own.
Wück may play Freigang alongside Bayern Munich's dynamic Lea Schüller, despite the latter's struggles this term, culminating in a frustrating display in a 2-0 defeat by Wolfsburg – which allowed Frankfurt to move top.
Schüller's return of 45 goals in 67 Germany games is not to be scoffed at and is a better goals-to-game ratio than Popp (67 in 144).
Freigang has just 12 international goals but more are sure to follow if she gets a proper run in the side.
With Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe having retired, women's football is looking for another global star to match Spanish duo Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. Freigang has the swagger and media profile to seize the moment.
Now she has several months to try to fire Frankfurt to glory and, along with Wück and Gwinn, position Germany for a tilt at a record-extending ninth Euros title in July.
It all starts with a trip to Wembley where the Germans will be desperate for revenge after the tight Euro 2022 final defeat by the hosts.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold