Wow! Joy and amazement among the German national soccer players: The warm reception by the numerous fans after the short summer break has put a smile on the faces of the German women and strengthened their belief in a continuing boom.

“We didn’t have such a backdrop at training even in 2011 at the home World Cup. This shows the enthusiasm we have sparked in Germany,” said captain Alexandra Popp (31) after the public training of the DFB selection in front of about 2,000 spectators on Tuesday (August 30, 2022) in Frankfurt.

Alexandra Popp: “Hope that we are not again a flash in the pan”.

First, the team of national coach Martin Voss-Tecklenburg must play in Turkey on Saturday (September 3, 2022, 2:45 p.m.), then on Tuesday (September 6, 2022, 6:30 p.m.) in Bulgaria.

“There we hope for sustainability, that this is not again a flash in the pan – one, two months after the European Championship runs this and then everything flies again,” warned the 31-year-old Popp of the double winner VfL Wolfsburg: “We hope that people also come in large numbers to the Bundesliga stadiums to help drive this wave in women’s soccer.”

The unusually large training backdrop immediately put the entire team in high spirits ahead of the crucial World Cup qualifiers in Turkey and Bulgaria.

“It’s really cool. Now there are more spectators at public training than at many Bundesliga games. It’s nice that the euphoria has continued after the European Championship. We’re enjoying it. It can continue like this,” said defensive player Sara Doorsoun (30).

Martin Voss-Tecklenburg: “It’s not just a summer fairy tale”.

National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (54) was also thrilled. “It can be felt that it is not just a summer fairy tale, but sustainable. People are still into this European Championship, even though it’s over. That’s exactly what we wanted,” said the 54-year-old, adding, “We’re taking it as a tailwind. Arriving in Germany like this after a defeat in the final gives you a good feeling.”

Voss-Tecklenburg hasn’t quite come to terms with the bitter 1:2 loss to England in the European Championship final (“It’s still rumbling a bit”), but her eyes have long since turned back to the future. “First of all, we want to make the World Cup safe and then stay in people’s minds with attractive games,” she said, describing the goal.

The fact that the World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand as early as next summer is very convenient for her. “It gives us a chance to stay on top of the issues we’ve been pushing.”

Above all, this means a stronger presence in everyday life. But the road to achieving this will be rocky. Despite the great enthusiasm for the European Championship, just under half of Germans still do not want to watch any Bundesliga games involving female soccer players. This was stated by 49 percent of respondents in a representative survey by the opinion research institute Yougov.

Twenty-four percent were still undecided, and only 15 percent want to take a closer look at Germany’s top division in the future. Twelve percent made no statement.

DFB Women: “Create offers and don’t make excuses”.

Coach Voss-Tecklenburg knows about the hurdles that still have to be overcome. However, she is not deterred by this. “Everyone is called upon to do something to ensure that we have good stadiums and a good atmosphere. It won’t happen on its own,” she appealed. “We have to create offers and not look for excuses why something doesn’t work.”

The national team should serve as a catalyst for the clubs. “That we can achieve our dreams is the great message to all girls, but also boys. Do what you love and don’t let it get you down,” the national coach said.

She hopes to see an increase in membership and more acceptance of women’s soccer, including among coaches. “That it’s not frowned upon to coach a girls’ team.”

The national players want to take advantage of their new popularity and lead the way as role models. “I’ve never been recognized as often as I have been in the past few weeks before. No matter where you are, on the train, at the airport, in the city – you are recognized,” reported midfielder Lina Magull (28). For Popp, it’s clear: “We have to continue like this in the sporting arena and not take it lightly.” (dpa/sid)