Many positions in the German starting XI have been discussed, from goalkeeper to centre-forward. Lena Oberdorf is set in central midfield. You don’t notice that the woman from Wolfsburg is only 20 – at least not on the pitch.
Oberdorf made his debut at the World Cup in 2019 – at just 17 years old. Six months later, while still a player at SGS Essen, she received the highly respected NxGn award as the best young player in the world. When she moved to VfL Wolfsburg the following summer, sporting director Ralf Kellermann described her as “one of the greatest talents in women’s football worldwide”.
Oberdorf was awarded the Fritz Walter Medal in bronze (2018), silver (2019) and gold (2020) by the DFB. The fans also voted her the best national player of the year 2020.
What does it do to a young woman when she is repeatedly referred to as the talent of the century? “Of course I’m happy about that. But what’s important is what happens on the pitch. I don’t get anything from it if everyone is looking at me, but then there’s nothing to see,” Oberdorf remains down to earth.
I don’t get anything from everyone looking at me, but then there’s nothing to see.
Expert Künzer: An “incredible” talent
Anyone who sees the sweeper in action at VfL Wolfsburg and in the national team – preferably in front of the defense – would not have thought that a 20-year-old was on the road in the first years of her professional career. “It’s unbelievable how present she was at 17,” says sports show expert Nia Künzer. “And now she has a lot of experience.”
Hardly any opponent can escape Oberdorf’s physicality. Künzer would like the 20-year-old to be a little less aggressive in duels: “Yellow cards can hurt in a tournament.”
Captain Huth: “Obi is a phenomenon”
Nothing came of the plans to take a look at the national team or to get a taste of things after moving from Essen to Wolfsburg. “The plan worked out differently,” says “Obi” and laughs. Both in Wolfsburg and in the national team, she has quickly become a regular player – precisely because of her robust style of play.
Team colleague Svenja Huth calls her a “phenomenon”: “She has a maturity on the pitch and a consistency in her performances that is good for every team.”
Secret of success: working with individual trainers
On the one hand, Oberdorf knows that national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg “expects a lot from me and the whole of Germany is looking at me”. On the other hand, a 20-year-old would certainly be more forgiving of mistakes. But: “I’m the last one to admit mistakes.”
This is one of the reasons why, in addition to the units in the club, she also completes individual training externally. “That got me a lot further,” reports the professional soccer player from the southern Ruhr area. “I’m much calmer now with the ball at my feet, the work has given me the feeling that I have a lot more time.”
Ripped off on the pitch, planned next to it
As ripped off as Oberdorf appears on the pitch, she is so planned and clumsy next to it. When the players recently watched the “finals” in the first team, Oberdorf said he was surprised that so many German athletes were there. Then she was informed that these were German championships in various sports…
Huth thinks: “Besides the pitch you sometimes still notice your age. But that’s the way it should be. You should never forget that she’s only 20 years old. She definitely still has a big, great way ahead of her. “