Death, hardship and Nutella
DFB star Popp writes about the “worst time”
08/01/2023 10:34 am
DFB captain Alexandra Popp finally rose to become a big star at last year’s European Championship – and a mouthpiece for her booming sport. But the 32-year-old from VfL Wolfsburg also had to deal with the death of her father afterwards. “It’s the best of times and it’s the worst of times,” the goalscorer wrote in her autobiography. “Then I’ll show you on the pitch,” is the name of the book published by the Droemer Knaur publishing house. Among other things, it deals with:
The financial hardships of her parents:
Popp’s mother and her father, who has since died, always supported the footballer on the long road. When Popp once played for the juniors of 1. FFC Recklinghausen, her indebted parents had to give up their butcher shop and file for personal bankruptcy. The soccer player even gives her fare to help her family make ends meet and supports them financially for many years.
The death of her father:
The months after the successful EM 2022 in England are very conflicting for Popp given her father’s serious illness. “It’s the best time and it’s the worst time. In the glittering aftermath of the European Championship, I’m experiencing moments I never dreamed of,” it said. “And again and again my heart jumps into a thousand pieces at the thought of dad.”
Your nickname:
“And I? Am the doll. I’m the only girl on the team, but there’s an Alex, my best friend and neighbor. So the boys call me: Poppi,” says the 2016 Olympic champion. Her coach Horst Westermann did it from it for itself: doll. “Today I react to Poppi more than to Alex or Alexandra. But there is only one person who can say doll to me – and that’s Horst.” When the striker is in the senior national team for the first time, she says to Silvia Neid: “I’m Poppi.” The national coach replies: “Not here with us. That’s too childish for me.” And to the other players: “This is Alex. She’s new here.”
Her first move to a girls team:
After nine years, to her great disappointment, Popp is no longer allowed to play with the boys. Tears are running down the face of the striker from Silschede. “Go to the girls and see for yourself,” says their coach Horst. “Then you’ll just show them on the pitch.”
Her first call to the German U15 team:
“You’ll get to know the best soccer players of your year,” says her coach and confidant. Popp: “Pretty crazy, isn’t it? I beam at him.” He: “This is the beginning of something really big.”
Your particular food preferences:
Popp’s current national team colleague Svenja Huth is surprised after getting to know each other and asks: “What do you weigh?” Popp gapes at her. “I don’t mean it in a bad way,” Huth continued. Almuth Schult says with a chuckle: “Well, you keep eating bananas with a lot of Nutella. I’ve really never seen that before. And it’s not super healthy.”
Your attachment to home:
When things get stuck in Recklinghausen, Olympique Lyon makes an offer. Popp doesn’t want to leave and calls himself “the good old home shit”. Then it will be FCR Duisburg (2008 to 2012) where the Witten-born athlete will start her international career.
An educational measure by Martina Voss-Tecklenburg:
Since Popp keeps using her hands to help when defending, her former Duisburg trainer at some point holds out two tennis balls to her: “Take it!” Popp at a loss: “And what do I do with it?” “Keep playing!” orders today’s national coach Voss-Tecklenburg. The footballer’s mouth is now really open: “A few of my teammates are giggling. I’m getting angry. That’s probably completely stupid.”
Her then roommate Birgit Prinz:
Popp is completely flashed that she shares a room with the top striker in the DFB selection. “With the U-Teams I have the TV on around the clock, here I turn it off as soon as Birgit comes into the room because I don’t want to watch trash TV in front of her.” But Prince catches Popp when she falls asleep in front of the TV and says dryly: “But it’s kind of an addiction, as often as you wear the thing. You usually sleep with it, don’t you?”
Her first meeting with her future husband Patrick:
At a men’s tournament, Popp takes over the award ceremony. “As I walk back onto the pitch, I almost bump into someone looking at my fries. I look up and I see the guy I noticed on the pitch just now.” He grins at her: “Cool sweatpants.” She examines his outfit: “Likewise.” The book later states, “The sweatpants and I have been writing for a while.”
Her murderous experience during the internship at Essehof Zoo:
The lynx crave meat, but live food is forbidden. “So we have to kill the guinea pigs before we feed them,” recalls Popp, who has to wring the cute rodents’ necks: “I’m kind of sick. When the slight cracking sounds, tears come to my eyes.”