Germany’s performance has been labelled as ‘inconsistently consistent’ since the appointment of Christian Wück in August 2024, leaving many unsure about how their Euros campaign will pan out. However, one constant amid the tactical shifts and patchy form has been Germany’s No.1 Ann-Katrin Berger, who remarkably made her international debut at the age of 30.
Wuck explained to DFB.de his reasoning behind choosing Berger as Germany’s no.1 goalkeeper for the 2025 Euros campaign:
“She exudes the kind of confidence that the younger goalkeepers do not have yet. I hope that she can take the same form that she showed at the Olympics into the (UEFA) Nations League matches and at the European Championship.”
In the quarter-final, of the Paris Olympics, against Canada, after 120 exhausting minutes and added time, Berger kept her cool as she not only denied Adriana Leon and Ashley Lawrence a penalty but also impressively stepped up as Germany’s fifth and final penalty taker, sending her team into the semi-finals and eventually securing the bronze medal. It is also important to note Germany were the only European country to win a medal at this tournament, making their involvement in the Euros this summer a little more optimistic.
Reflecting on her performance with The Women’s Game, Berger revealed that she used to take penalties at Chelsea “for fun” when she was “bored in a game of 11v11” in training, but had never taken one against a goalkeeper in a competitive setting.
If this one moment of cool-headed brilliance is not enough to showcase Ann-Katrin Berger’s elite mentality, we simply have to take a look at the several accolades she has received both domestically and internationally. The 34- year- old has been named a finalist for The Best FIFA Goalkeeper award twice and more recently won the NSWL Goalkeeper of the year award in 2024 – further cementing her reputation as one of the most formidable goalkeepers in the game.
Additionally, in 2017 football became more than just a sport for Ann-Katrin Berger, when she first got diagnosed with thyroid cancer, as she explains how:
“Football saved my brain and saved my mental health because I had something to hold on to.”
Football became her compass, her end goal, her reason to fight and it is evident through her determination to stay in top form whilst battling the disease twice. Her response to this scary diagnosis was to “keep training, keep showing up and keep playing”, whilst being supported closely by her goalkeeper coach and club staff. In fact she trained up until the day of her operation showing how football became her anchor through the tough times.
Berger elite mentality transcends any player as she has shown true determination and passion for the game, proving her career is not simply defined by trophies or clean sheets, but her mindset that refuses to be defeated on or off the pitch.
At the Euros so far:
Germany opened their group stage campaign with a strong performance against Poland, where goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger calmly dealt with early threats, helping secure a 2-0 victory. Their next match against Denmark was another composed display, with Berger making crucial saves as Germany came from behind to win 2-1. However, their momentum faltered against a relentless Swedish side. Under pressure, Berger showed some rare lapses, and Germany suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat. Reflecting on the loss, Berger stated:
“Better to lose now… losing now offers a chance to learn and recover.”
It’s the kind of mindset Germany must embrace heading into their quarter-final clash against France — especially if they hope to reignite the dominant form that once saw them claim six consecutive European titles from 1995 to 2013.
