National team captain Alexandra Popp does not want to be 100 percent committed to her participation in the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The 31-year-old explained this in a media round at her club VfL Wolfsburg.
“As of now, it’s on my agenda, but that can also go differently,” said Popp and immediately provided an explanation for this. “I’m extremely guided by feelings in my stomach. That’s why it can happen that in six months I’ll say: This is the moment where I’ll stop.”
Against this background, she “basically left the decision open. But the World Cup is already my focus at the moment,” assured the European runner-up, who missed the European Championship final against hosts England (1: 2 aet) at the end of July due to muscular problems and later extended her contract with VfL until 2025.
Popp sees himself “in the second spring”
It would have been “charming” to end the long international career with the European title, said the 121-time international. Due to the successful tournament, her great team and the good fitness after a long injury misery, she currently feels “in the second spring”. It’s also “extremely fun to be on the pitch” for the double winner from Wolfsburg.
Privately, the EM hype has noticeably changed Popp’s life. She is approached more frequently on the street, and inquiries from sponsors and the media never stop. The 2016 Olympic champion cannot accept all offers due to time constraints – such as a request for the “RTL high diving” format.
“I would have to train once or twice how to do such a funny Auerbach,” explained Popp and added with a laugh: “The risk of injury is just too great – if I brake with my face in the water, you know that we all, that can hurt a lot.”
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NDR 2 Sports | 09/28/2022 | 11:03 p.m
