The year 2023 offered Alexandra Popp many sporting moments of frustration, which she mostly had to explain in front of the cameras and microphones. After a media break, the Wolfsburg native now feels ready for top performances again.
In her private life, Popp had separated from her husband Patrick, and a lot went wrong in terms of sport in 2023: the striker was embarrassingly eliminated from the national team in the preliminary round of the World Cup, followed by the inglorious departure of national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, to which the DFB- Captain has a friendly relationship. Things didn’t go any better at the club: she lost the championship with VfL Wolfsburg in the summer and lost the Champions League final against Barcelona.
The current season also got off to a bad start with the “Wolfs” unexpectedly failing to qualify for the premier class in October – no wonder the 32-year-old publicly withdrew and took a media break.
“I had the feeling that I could go on Instagram and see my face everywhere – without even going to my profile.”
— Alexandra Popp
Popp: “I’m more balanced again”
Popp said in a media round at the VfL training camp in the Algarve that she felt she had to speak out on every topic – even if it wasn’t about her, the national team or VfL. Her performance on the pitch also suffered from the constant media presence (“I simply couldn’t see or hear myself anymore.”).
It was the “right decision,” explained Popp: “I am more balanced again and had time to calm down. I also needed that in order to perform better on the pitch again.” In the future, she will also be available for interviews and statements again, after all, she is captain: However, the following applies: “It doesn’t always have to be Poppi. Others can do it quite well too.”
Mentally strengthened into the new year
Mentally strengthened and optimistic, the 32-year-old is now approaching the year 2024: With interim coach Horst Hrubesch (“He gives us security again”), the Olympic qualification should be successful, with the “She-Wolves” Popp wants “at least one, preferably two Win the title.
The attacker sees VfL on the right track and can even see something positive about the Champions League exit (“still hurts a lot”): “As a result, we now have a lot of normal training weeks. We were able to work a lot more on team tactics, what You could see in the last few games: There was more stability.” More stability, more mental strength – Alexandra Popp is a force to be reckoned with again this year.
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Sports current | 01/11/2024 | 7:17 p.m
