Lina Magull will play a key role in Wednesday’s semi-final against France. After a hamstring problem, the German playmaker is back in full force in time for the crucial games. Big comparisons are made in England for the 27-year-old.
When the semifinals were perfect, Lina Magull and Birgit Halsband hugged. One, Magull, paved the way to victory against Austria with her goal to make it 1-0. The other, Halsband, was a physiotherapist who played a big part in the goal being possible – after all, Magull had been struggling with thigh problems in recent weeks.
“I have to thank the medical department and the coaching staff for the way they dealt with the muscular problems,” explained Magull. “We allowed the whole thing to rest a bit, but then of course we treated it well and trained specifically for it: with strengthening exercises and individual training on the pitch.”
The physiotherapist reported on the “very intensive work” with the player and that together with her colleague and neuro-athletics trainer Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker she had invested “a lot of energy and thought”: “And if they just score another great goal you just have to hug them and celebrate.”
Goal scorer of the 1-0 against Denmark and Austria
Midfielder Magull had already scored an extremely important goal in the first European Championship game against Denmark (4-0) with her powerful shot to make it 1-0 and prepared the 2-0. After 45 minutes against Spain (2-0), the ailing 27-year-old didn’t play in the final group game against Finland (3-0), only to pick up again against Austria.
I’m just very proud of how we’ve always approached the games and how we’ve accomplished it.
She scored again in the 25th minute at the end of a nice combination to make it 1-0 – and passed on all the hymns of praise to the team: “Personally, it’s a great feeling to score goals – important goals too, of course. But it’s always possible It’s about how that’s prepared. That’s why I’m just very proud of how we’ve always approached the games and how we’ve accomplished it. It doesn’t matter that it was me in the end.”
Magull is also highly praised internationally
However, it’s not just about the goals. A fine back-heel pass, with which she staged her team-mate Giulia Gwinn against Austria, is enchanting the football world right now. UEFA posted the short video on social media, calling them “big game players”.
Lina Magull is 5ft 5 inches tall – and a few extra inches for her bun on her head.
Some even make big comparisons. In view of the trick, the author of a text in the English newspaper “The Times” compared Magull to football legend Johan Cruyff and asked: Is there any other player in this European Championship who is so technically perfect?
Anyone who wants to conquer Germany must first “tie up” Magull, who is so wonderfully agile, creative and difficult to grasp. Especially since you can never be sure: “She is a player that games sometimes pass by and she still often decides.”
Defensively very important in the quarter-finals
In the three-man midfield row, Magull, who shows how much she loves football with the ball at her foot, also has defensive tasks. And how seriously she takes it could also be seen against Austria, when Merle Frohms couldn’t catch a pass into the penalty area while sliding and Lena Oberdorf’s attempt at clearance landed right in front of Sarah Puntigam’s feet. The goal was still empty, the Austrian shot from 30 meters immediately. But Magull switched just as quickly as her opponent and started to tackle. She blocked the shot with great effort – and the danger of conceding the 1:1 was banned.
“We all understood how important it is to defend intensively – from front to back,” said the Bayern Munich attacking player, adding: “We can force a lot of mistakes in the first period and create dangerous scoring chances at the same time . And of course it speaks for us that we haven’t conceded a goal yet.”
Magull: “Will be fit for the semifinals”
The fact that the German team now had two days more break than the French, who also have 120 minutes in their legs, also suits Magull. Despite the longer regeneration and preparation time, however, she sees no major advantage for the German team on Wednesday (07/27/2022/9 p.m. CEST): “France is in the semi-finals for the first time. It’s historic and something special. It’s the feeling there It doesn’t matter how painful your legs are. The French will do everything they can.”
DFB physiotherapist Birgit Halsband.
But Magull can do that too, who was able to give the all-clear when asked about thighs – with her own kind of humor: “The thigh is fine, thank you. I hope he keeps going. I don’t ask him too much anymore. I let it just leave him alone now.” She is simply happy that she no longer has any complaints: “I will definitely be fit for the semi-finals.”