This article is part of the Guardian’s Women’s Euro 2022 Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 16 countries who have qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from two countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 6 July.
Overview
No one really knows what to make of this Germany team any more. They probably don’t even know themselves. They won Olympic gold in 2016 but were eliminated in the quarter-finals at the 2017 Euros and the 2019 World Cup. They cruised the qualifying campaign for this tournament, winning all seven games, but they were against weaker opposition. They know they are no longer automatically among the favourites. “But that can also lead to a few teams underestimating us,” says the national team coach, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
The defence, so often one of Germany’s strengths, is this time a cause for concern especially as Marina Hegering has not been fit. Recently Germany lost a World Cup qualifier in Serbia, which shocked even Voss-Tecklenburg. There were mitigating circumstances: many players were injured, some had Covid and the manager had spared some of the players who had gone far with Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Still, the defeat hurt, and the coaching staff know they are not where they want to be.
Germany are in a tough group with the Euro 2017 runners-up Denmark and favourites Spain, as well as Finland. The question is whether this thoroughly talented team has what it takes to compete at the highest level. Two experienced midfielders, Dzsenifer Marozsán (injured) and Melanie Leupolz (pregnant) are missing. Will enough players step up?
“We are focusing completely on the first game against Denmark,” insists Voss-Tecklenburg. Win that and they should be able to afford to lose to Spain before, hopefully, beating Finland to reach the knockout stages. The first game is key.