Christian Wück to Decide on New Captain for the German National Team

Photo credit: FIRO/FIRO/SID; LIGAPORTAL

Who will take over as the DFB Women's captain? The choice of Alexandra Popp's replacement as captain of the German women's national team remains open following her retirement in September 2024.

Christian Wück, who made his debut as national coach on October 25, 2024, will make the final decision regarding the captaincy just before the Nations League begins, with Germany facing the Netherlands on February 21 and Austria on February 25. Before finalizing his choice, the 51-year-old coach emphasized his intention to “get an overview of the team structure” and involve the players in the decision-making process by “selecting the captains together with the team,” as reported by Sport1.

Giulia Gwinn is considered the favorite. Following the Olympic Games in Paris, the 25-year-old took over the captain's role for the friendlies. Wück has repeatedly praised the defensive player for her leadership qualities and her importance to the team.

The fact that the 57-time national player was recently voted "National Player of the Year" by the supporters highlights her immense importance to the team. Giulia Gwinn has long proven that she can be a role model. 

After suffering two cruciate ligament tears, she fought her way back. She has long taken responsibility on the pitch and has successfully scored every penalty for the national team so far. She also confidently scored from the spot in the Olympic bronze medal match to give Germany a 1-0 lead against Spain. On the wing, she excels as both a defensive stabilizer and an offensive playmaker.

Injured national player Lena Oberdorf also endorsed her Bayern teammate as the permanent captain of the national team.

“I believe that with Giuli, if she becomes captain, we have a top woman for the job.”

Oberdorf told the German Press Agency.The 23-year-old is considered an important leader for the DFB women and is therefore also a candidate for the role.

As a member of the team council, Oberdorf feels a sense of responsibility and hopes to return to the DFB team after her cruciate ligament injury in time for the European Championships in Switzerland in July.

"I want to continue on this path because I feel like leadership is somehow in my blood. I want to lead by example and be a ‘little leader, I’m already very close to the team and also take care of the ‘office work.’"

Another option for captain would be Sara Däbritz, who is the most experienced in the German team with 105 international matches. However, she is only just returning after a long absence due to injuries. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is the oldest in the team at 34 years old but has not been number one for very long. Players like Sara Doorsoun or Laura Freigang would also be an option, but they haven't been regulars recently.