EM "huge topic" for DFB captain Alexandra Popo

In 2016, Olympic gold hung around Alexandra Pope’s neck. In 2019, as the captain of the German national football team, he experienced a bitter defeat in the World Cup quarter-final against Sweden.

The 30-year-old is expected to be back on the pitch by VfL Wolfsburg soon for the European Championships in England in July, after a mandatory break of more than six months?

“I look at it all very optimistically and very positively. I am already at a very good level and still have a good six months to be 100 percent fully fit – in the best case, of course, Earlier,” said the two-time German “Soccer Player of the Year”. About her chances at the European Championship on Wednesday. “Basically, I’m happy to be healthy.”

return to the Bundesliga soon

Pope has not played a match since May 2021 because of torn cartilage in his knee cap. In early December, 111 select players returned to team training. She could return to the Bundesliga on January 29 in a catch-up game for Wolfsburg at Turbine Potsdam. The six-time German champion said she is still “in the process of getting a little stressed out, but basically I feel great.”

“We are delighted that Poppy is back on the pitch after a serious injury. We have always said that he should take his time and not put himself under pressure – this still applies,” said the national coach of the German Press Agency Martina Vos-Tecklenburg said. “As a player and a personality, she is extremely important to our team on and off the pitch. Of course we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything goes according to plan.”

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Theoretically, Pope could already return to the national team at the Four Nations tournament in England in February. There, the DFB will take on selection strongmen Spain, Olympic champions Canada and the hosts. These Games should provide information about where Germany stands internationally after the Summer Games in Tokyo. Spain, Denmark and Finland are also rivals in the opening round of the European Championships in England in July.

EM participation as a bigger goal

Pope missed the 2013 and 2016 European Championships due to injury: England would be his first European Championship. «EM is a huge topic for me. It was clear, I accept the challenge. It’s still on my Vita, it’s a target for me,” said the versatile model player. “But first, VfL Wolfsburg is in focus.” As captain, she was always very close to the teams during their injury breaks, both in the DFB selection and in the VFL.

“I don’t think I’ve lost my stand on the team in the seven months that I wasn’t on the pitch,” Pope smiled of his position at Wolfsburg. Squad. It doesn’t automatically mean that if I can walk three meters on the pitch, I’ll be back in the starting XI immediately.”

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