At club level, it will take a long time to really compete with men’s football. The lead is too big for that. But with the national team, that can certainly succeed. Because with the national team, it’s not just about having the biggest stars in the team, but above all about identifying with the team. And that’s where our women already have a real advantage over men.
The footballers and their trainer Martina Voss-Tecklenburg inspire sporty, are down-to-earth and extremely personable. The gentlemen don’t. The women are less media-trained, you can feel their naturalness in interviews, and the viewers like that too. And there are even world-class goals from Alexandra Popp – a real striker. This has not been the case for men since Miroslav Klose left in 2014. If the team of national coach Hansi Flick is not careful, many football fans will reorient themselves in the future.
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No, there will be no boom again
The contra of Florian Wichert
Great attacking football, likeable and down-to-earth players, an inspiring spirit: the German national team could hardly have done more advertising for women’s football. Logical: the hope is huge – for a boom and for men to outperform at some point.
That hope sounds familiar.
Oh yes, three years ago at the World Cup it was huge, five years ago at the last European Championships as well. The same with the last German European Championship title in 2013. Or at the home World Cup in 2011.
Each time it was nothing. On the contrary. Compared to 2010, there are 40 percent fewer girls’ teams in Germany today. The Bundesliga clubs still play in front of less than 1,000 spectators on average. There is a lack of sponsors, structures and basics – from lawn heating to medical care. The TV money is manageable, many players are still amateurs, the TV presence has even decreased recently.
After women’s football has developed positively in other countries, there will be – again – nothing with a boom in Germany. And we don’t even need to talk about a comparison with men’s football. It’s absurd.