Renowned Olympic victor Berger is bestowed an uncommon accolade.
In a surprising twist of events, she stepped into the limelight during the Olympic bronze medal match, ultimately leading the German women's national soccer team to celebrate a notable achievement. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger has now been recognized with an individual honor: she's been named "Footballer of the Year," an accolade given out by "Kicker." This makes Berger the first goalkeeper to receive this award since 1998.
Transforming from a former cancer patient to an Olympic penalty hero, and now Germany's Footballer of the Year, Berger has left her mark in history. She succeeds Alexandra Popp and shared her shock, stating, "I never thought this would happen, and I had to take some time to process it. It feels great." Berger currently plays for the US club Gotham FC.
Goalkeepers hardly ever earn such titles, but Berger has managed to do so. The only other goalkeeper to receive this award was Silke Rottenberg in 1998. Berger earned 144 votes, while Giulia Gwinn of Bayern Munich garnered 71 votes and Lena Oberdorf, who recently joined Munich from Wolfsburg, attracted 66 votes.
Interim coach Horst Hrubesch appointed Berger as the starting goalkeeper during the Olympics, replacing long-time starter Merle Frohms. Despite facing challenging circumstances: Berger was diagnosed with thyroid cancer twice in the recent years, with her most recent diagnosis occurring during the 2022 European Championship, she still managed to return to the field within a couple of months each time.
Hrubesch praised Berger, stating, "She's not only a strong goalkeeper but also an inspiring individual who has overcome numerous obstacles and always fought back." Berger demonstrated her remarkable talent during the Olympics, where she saved two penalties in the quarterfinal shootout against Canada and scored the game-winning penalty. In the bronze medal match against Spain, she saved a penalty in the 99th minute, ensuring Germany's 1-0 victory and a bronze medal.
"I just wanted to play soccer again, and I knew there was more left in me," expressed Berger. Criticizing the prejudice against older players in European leagues, she added, "I've had to experience this myself: clubs apparently don't want players who are 33 years old. They think you're no longer good enough." However, this is not the case in women's soccer.
New coach Christian Wück has yet to decide on the starting goalkeeper, stating during his introduction in Frankfurt on Friday, "For me, there are two number one goalkeepers."
Berger's impressive performance with the DFB women's national soccer team during the Olympics further cemented her status as a standout player, as she saved a penalty in the bronze medal match against Spain to secure a 1-0 victory. Following her inspiring journey back from cancer and her exceptional performance on the field, many are now recognizing the talent of the DFB women's goalkeeper, Ann-Katrin Berger.
