Euro 2025: How is Germany shaping up? – DW – 07/02/2025
New coach Christian Wück is leading the team in his firstmajor tournament and has already ruffled some feathers. Wück faced criticism from within the team for poor communication while dropping veteran defender Felicitas Rauch and Frankfurt striker Nicole Anyomi. Despite the snafu, it seems things have been papered over and Germany enter Switzerland in good spirits.
"We're so excited to be here," said midfielder Linda Dallmann as the squad arrived earlier this week. The team is particularly pleased about another change from recent tournaments — Germany's camp is a stone's throw from downtown Zürich, a departure from the past approach of setting up an isolated compound far from any distractions (or things to do).
"It's always cool to be well connected and have some opportunities for the team to get out and about. That's really important over the course of a tournament, so I think this is a perfect location," continued Dallmann.
"It's great — its nice to have our own space, but also good that it's not only football, football, football and only seeing the exact same people all the time, even if we cherish time together as a team. It's always good to be able to get out into the city," said defender Rebecca Knaak, who's preparing for her first major tournament.
Another change from Germany's 2023 World Cup outing should immediately catch fans' eyes. Giulia Gwinn's captain's armband will look different from Popp's: she will be sporting a rainbow armband, which was banned by FIFA in Australia and New Zealand.
'It's great that we'll be able to wear the rainbow armband. If we have the opportunity to wear it when we play, swapping it for something else is never up for debate," said Gwinn.
Captian's armbands explicitly supporting LGBTQ+ pride have a controversial past in German football. In addition to FIFA not allowing them in the last women's World Cup, they were famously banned at the 2022 Men's World Cup in Qatar.
The German team protested this decision before their tournament opener setting off a media firestorm which quickly heaped further pressure on the squad. UEFA has proven more lenient on the topic than FIFA in the past and rainbow armbands are likely to be a popular choice among captains in Switzerland.
'Our team stands for so much, and it's amazing that we can wear our values on our sleeve on such a big stage," said Gwinn.
On paper, this Germany squad looks thin compared to the side which reached the final of the last Euros. The international retirements of Popp, Svenja Huth, Marina Hegering and Merle Frohms have left a deficit of top level experience while Lena Oberdorf, the engine of Germany's midfield, wasn't able to recover from a season-long injury.
Gwinn's role will be crucial in bringing together the new generation. Sjoeke Nüsken, of Chelsea, is another who Wück will look to build his team around while the likes of Klara Bühl, Dallmann and Jule Brand need to make the step up from talented squad members to big game players if Germany are to succeed.
Despite an exceptional goal record of 52 in 75 caps, Lea Schüller has spent her Germany career in the shadows, behind Popp. Her only previous tournament goals have come in big Germany wins against less fancied opposition but Schüller now has the weight of expectation on her shoulders.
With three goals in Germany's last two matches and a hat trick in the German Cup final that completed the double for Bayern Munich in May, Schüller arrives brimming with confidence.
Tournament debutants Poland are Germany's first opponent (July 4) and should prove straightforward if Wück's side play to their potential. After that, it's Denmark (July 8) and Sweden (July 12).
The final group match looks the toughest, with the Swedes unbeaten since a loss to France in July 2024 and having knocked out the USA on a run to the semifinals of the 2023 World Cup. The likes of Magdalena Eriksson (121 caps), Sofia Jakobsson (165) and captain Kosovare Asllani (199) offer huge experience while Barcelona forward Fridolina Rolfö is a top class performer.
Denmark also have one of those in Pernille Harder but appear to have less depth of talent and have struggled at recent tournaments.
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