The record player was a psychologist
Birgit Prinz leaves the national soccer team
October 13, 2023, 1:41 p.m
Birgit Prinz prefers to do her work as a team psychologist for German footballers away from the public eye. After four years, the record-breaking national player is ending her position with immediate effect.
Birgit Prinz will no longer work as a psychologist for the German women’s national team. “I have the feeling that the team needs a fresh start in order to be able to find its strength again. I see so much potential here, great people and playing skills,” the 45-year-old said in a statement from the German Football Association ( DFB) quoted. After four years, the former national player and record goalscorer is ending her career.
The former goalscorer will play in the upcoming Nations League games under the new interim national coach Horst Hrubesch on October 27th (5.45 p.m./ARD and in the live ticker at ntv.de) in Sinsheim against Wales and on October 31st (8 p.m.) in Iceland will no longer be there. “I sincerely wish the team every success for the big tasks ahead,” said Prinz, according to the DFB broadcast.
She was taller than Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch
In her active career, Prinz scored a total of 128 goals for Germany in 214 international matches, both of which are DFB records. The number of their international goals is unmatched across Europe and across gender, with Cristiano Ronaldo (123 goals in 201 games) approaching them. From 2003 to 2005 she was named world footballer three times in a row, won the World Cup twice with the DFB women (2003, 2007) and the European Championship five times (1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009). She started working as a team psychologist at the DFB in 2019. She did this in the background and always declined requests for interviews.
The sporting director of the national teams, Joti Chatzialexiou, regretted the decision and said: “We highly valued you for your professional competence, combined with your understanding of football and as a person. She was always an important contact person for us.” It is not known to what extent her withdrawal is related to the personnel realignment at the top of the national team – Hrubesch is currently working as interim coach for national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, who is on sick leave.