“Withdrawn to traditional virtues”
Popp criticizes the DFB women’s style of play
April 23, 2026 – 1:25 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The former DFB captain is harshly critical of the national team’s play. She also sees problems on another level.
Alexandra Popp, former captain of the German women’s national team, criticized the DFB in an interview with the magazine “11Freunde”. She looked critically at both the national team and youth development.
The 35-year-old doesn’t like the current style of play for the DFB women. “In recent years we have retreated too much into traditional virtues. We have bitten into games and won games through fight and discipline,” she complained. “But we haven’t offered nice, high-quality football with the national team recently. We have to go back there.”
National coach Christian Wück’s team reached the European Championship semi-finals and the Nations League final last year. There was still public criticism about the style of play.
According to Popp, it is not the only problem in German women’s football. “The clubs and the association must work more closely together and promote and intensify the training of young talent,” demanded the Wolfsburg native. “Then the national team would play better football again.” She admitted that she wasn’t deep enough into the youth work to make a final judgment. “But my impression is that there are no longer two or three talents from each year of young talent who make it clear that they have what it takes for the national team.”
Popp sees the DFB as having a duty. “The association has rested too much on its successes and invested too little in youth development,” said the 2016 Olympic champion and 145-time national player.
Popp also disturbs FC Bayern’s dominance in German women’s football. The Munich team became champions for the fourth time in a row on Wednesday. This “totally” annoys her. Popp added: “Of course I have followed critically how things have developed at VfL in recent years. Especially when it comes to our infrastructure, the steps could have been bigger if we had wanted to keep up with Bavaria or the top European players.” After 14 years, Popp is leaving VfL Wolfsburg at the end of the season and moving to second division promotion candidate Borussia Dortmund.