Germany’s “Female Footballer of the Year” is a striker who was not at all happy with her last season and is the unlucky player at the European Championships in England. For Lea Schüller it is the first award of this kind.
“I didn’t expect it at all. It’s a total surprise! It’s outstanding! It’s a super great award,” said the 24-year-old about winning the journalists’ election organized by “Kicker”.
Top scorer in the Bundesliga
The striker, who is studying industrial engineering alongside her professional life, owes her honor to her quota: With 16 goals, she was top scorer in the Bundesliga. In the national team, she can point to 26 goals in 40 international matches. She shone with a four-pack in the 5-1 World Cup qualifier against Serbia in September. Then it’s always on social media: #esschuellert – based on the hashtag of her famous club colleague Thomas Müller (#esmuellert).
And yet: Schüller often quarreled with himself and FC Bayern. Only runners-up behind VfL Wolfsburg, a bitter 1: 3 in the cup semifinals against their permanent rivals, the end of the Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain. “It was already a successful year, although I wasn’t at my performance limit. I had planned to do more,” said Schüller. “I scored 16 goals in the Bundesliga – as many as in previous years. I really wanted to do more this time. That’s what I intend to do next season.”
The European Championship in England then reflected Lea Schüller’s season: a goal in the first game against Denmark, then Corona quarantine. So Alexandra Popp moved to her position in the top striker – and became the big German EM star.