Captain Popp, with an emotional farewell, is stepping down.
The German women's national football team bids farewell to a legendary figure: Alexandra Popp hangs up her boots as a national team player. After 144 games in the German national team and serving as captain for five years, she announced her retirement with tears. Her farewell match will take place in her hometown.
Germany's leading female football star is retiring from the DFB: Alexandra Popp is stepping down from the German Football Association. "After extensive deliberation and countless tears, I have decided with a heavy heart to conclude my national team career. The flame that was ignited in me 18 years ago and grew stronger each year is now almost extinguished," she said in an Instagram post. New coach Christian Wueck will now have to select a new captain.
The first game under his leadership will take place on October 25 at Wembley Stadium against England. On October 28, Popp will don the German jersey for the final time - in her hometown of Duisburg, where her international debut also took place.
"Alex Popp has been the face of the women's national team for almost two decades. She was a pivotal player, leading both on and off the field with her attitude, mentality, personality, and of course, her footballing skills. Others will now fill this void and take on leadership roles," said Wueck in a DFB statement. "I would have loved to work with her in the national team, but I knew quite early after the Olympics where her thoughts were heading. She leaves behind big footprints in the national team, and she deserves the utmost respect for that."
Body as a "time bomb" ticking
Popp will continue her football career with her club, VfL Wolfsburg, for now. Her contract expires on June 30, 2025. However, her future in football remains uncertain beyond this season. Popp has suffered numerous injuries throughout her career.
"I always wanted to make this life-altering decision from within my own heart. Neither my body, which is like a ticking time bomb, nor anyone else should make that decision for me. Now is the right time before the fire starts to fade completely, as then it would be too late."
The 33-year-old Popp earned bronze with the German team at the latest Olympics, and her greatest achievement was winning gold in 2016. She was also the vice-European champion in 2022. In 144 international games, she scored 67 goals and led the German team as captain since 2019. She made her debut in the A national team on February 17, 2010, against North Korea, but her DFB career began even before her first international match. She won the European Championship with the U17 team and the World Cup with the U20 team in her own country, finishing as the top scorer and being named the best player.
Series of departures from the German team
Popp's decision to retire from the German team had been hinted at recently. Germany's three-time "Footballer of the Year" left it open after the 2022 European Championship, the 2023 World Cup disaster, and the Olympic success whether she would continue playing for the national team. So far, she had always decided to continue, but now it's over. Goalkeeper Merle Frohms and defender Marina Hegering had already announced their retirements from the German team after the Olympics. Popp was the last remaining Rio Olympic champion in the squad for France. The European Championship in Switzerland is coming up next year.
With Alexandra Popp's departure, the German national team loses its icon. The versatile player was named "Personality of the Year" by "Kicker" in 2022, the first woman to receive the award. Upon hearing the news, she wondered, "What have I done? I've just been playing football and being myself. It was always important for me to stay true to myself, not pretend to be someone I'm not, but remain authentic." She is outspoken and advocates for women's interests in football. Her teammates admire her, with Lena Oberdorf calling her the "anchor of the team" before the 2022 Euros, and she is an idol to the youth.
Her opponents fear her mental strength, her never-giving-up attitude, her header power, fighting spirit, and immense presence. When Popp had to be substituted just before the 2022 Euro final due to injury, then-coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg said after the lost match against England, "It might have sparked something if Poppi had played."
Popp is best known as a striker, but she has played multiple positions throughout her career. Initially playing defense in Wolfsburg, she recently played as a defensive midfielder for the Olympic team under interim coach Horst Hrubesch due to Lena Oberdorf's absence. "I'm happy to play as a striker," she recently said, yet she continues to serve her team.
Popp's initial tournament with the senior squad was the 2011 home World Cup, where she was the youngest participant alongside icons like Birgit Prinz and Inka Grings, goalkeeper Nadine Angerer, and DFB co-coach Saskia Bartusiak. The team fell short in the quarterfinals to Japan, who ultimately claimed the title. Growing up beneath these champions, who reigned supreme over women's football, Popp was mentored by them before becoming a star herself. She shared this experience with "Kicker," stating, "I was basically regarded as the second Birgit Prinz in the media at 17 or 18. That's not easy. My parents kept me humble, and my best friend played a significant role in grounding me."
Due to her misfortune, Popp never had the opportunity to call herself European champion. She participated in her first Euro tournament in 2022, at the age of 31. She was unable to join the 2013 and 2017 tournaments due to injury but played in four World Cups, including serving as captain in 2019, and the disastrous 2023 tournament in Australia, where Germany was eliminated from the group stage.
Following the 2022 Euros, Popp was in high demand, featuring on shows like "Wetten, dass ...?!" and the TV year-in-review with Markus Lanz. In her book "Then I'll Show You on the Pitch," she shares her experiences during this chaotic period, as well as the stark contrast to losing her father, with whom she shared a close bond. Her father passed away shortly after the Euros, and she had previously given up her travel allowance to help her family when they had to close their butcher shop and declare bankruptcy years earlier. This experience continues to influence the successful athlete, preventing her from indulging in excessive luxuries.
Is Gwinn set to succeed Popp?
Off the field, Popp also pursued a career as a zookeeper alongside her football training. Her future plans in this profession post-retirement are uncertain. Wolfsburg, however, is keen on retaining Popp in another capacity, as Director Ralf Kellermann shared, "It would be foolish not to try. After so many years and the influence she's had in the club, keeping Alexandra Popp is essential." Kellermann also hinted at Popp continuing to play, "I can't completely rule out the possibility that she'll assist us during the transition we'll experience by 2025."
A transition is also underway for the national team, with a new coach and potential new captain. Christian Wück aims to initiate a fresh start, and Popp's successor as captain could be Gwinn, the 25-year-old who took on the role temporarily and carries off-field responsibility, as well as being a sought-after interviewee. Alongside the right winger, Oberdorf (currently recovering from a cruciate and medial ligament injury), Klara Bühl, Jule Brand, Laura Freigang, and Lea Schüller are some of the most popular players in the national team. They have thrived under Popp's tutelage, as she did under the previous generation's watchful eyes.
Despite her retirement from the German national team, Alexandra Popp will continue her football career with VfL Wolfsburg until 2025. The women's football team will miss her leadership and achievements, including winning gold at the 2016 Olympics and serving as captain since 2019 with 67 goals in 144 international games.
After bidding farewell to her national team career, Popp's future in football remains uncertain beyond the current season. Her retirement speech highlighted her body as a "time bomb" ticking, emphasizing the importance of making such decisions from within her own heart before her passion for the game fades completely.
