Two days before the European Championship final against England, captain Alexandra Popp crashed the German team’s press conference with a very special performance.
The 31-year-old from VfL Wolfsburg appeared on Friday (07/29/2022) with a glued-on mustache to the Pk in Watford just outside London. “We were joking around at breakfast this morning about what’s happening on social media,” explained the goalscorer, adding with a grin: “I think the mood here in the team fits.”
Popp satirizes “Postillon” post
Popp made the facial jewelry out of strips of black kinesio tape. She was still wearing a black baseball cap – put on backwards, as is typical for boys. Popp made fun of the numerous gags that are circulating about her on social media platforms. For example, after the center forward’s outstanding game in the semifinals against France (2-1), the “Postillon” posted a photomontage with a mustache pop next to the men’s national coach Hansi Flick with the headline: “Hope for the German attack? Flick nominates newcomers Alexander Papp for national team.” And with a view to the World Cup at the end of the year: “Can he shoot us to the world title in Qatar?”
“Hello, I’m Alexander now!”
Like Kathrin Hendrich, Popp initially came into the press conference room with a mask. As she sat down on the podium, she pulled the mask off her face and, to the laughter of those present, said in a lowered voice: “Hello, I’m Alexander now and I’m happy to be here!” In the direction of national coach Flick, who will also be in the stadium for the final on Sunday, she said: “In November and December I’ll still be in the Champions League. Hansi must have good arguments there. But maybe I can still catch up .”
By the way, some fellow players, including Lina Magull, were in the room at the press conference and had a lot of fun with their colleague. “I said I’d do it. Because Lina didn’t want to believe that, she sits back there and watches,” said Popp.
Popp and Mead chase EM record
With six goals, Popp leads the European Championship scorers’ list together with Beth Mead from England. In the final on Sunday (6 p.m. CEST / live on Erste and on sportschau.de) both have the chance to surpass Inka Grings’ record for most goals in a final round of the European Championship.
“Lion tamer” Popp wants to bring steaks to the finale
The English women are probably afraid of the mood that currently prevails in the German team, not to mention the public pressure in the motherland of football. Once joking, Popp – now again without an artificial beard – also made fun of the headlines in the English media. “Ex-zookeeper aims to tame lionesses,” headlined the renowned “The Times” before the finale: “Ex-zookeeper wants to tame lionesses.” Popp said with a grin: “I’ll just bring a few steaks, food is always fine.”
Popp learned the profession of animal keeper at Tierpark Essehof near Braunschweig. Now she used a free EM day between games to visit London Zoo. But what the English press ignored: In Essehof there are plains zebras, turtles and meerkats (Popp’s favorite animals), but no lions…