Fabienne Dongus: Yes absolutely. I’m relatively new here but everything was very open with the whole team right from the start. I feel as if I can approach any one of my teammates and ask them questions if I need support. Everyone is ready to help and that also applies to the staff behind the team. It’s a warm and friendly atmosphere and I think you can see that on and off the pitch. Everyone is highly focused and motivated, but we have a lot of fun playing together.
DFB.de: Alongside football, you’re already working on your career after football and have already successfully completed two courses of study. What areas are those in?
Fabienne Dongus: When I was 18, it was already clear to me that I wanted to have the education to enable me to do something I like after football. I completed a degree in business administration with a specialisation in trade fair and event management. Then my second degree was in business administration and I’m currently working on my master’s degree. On a personal level, contact with my fellow students was very important during my studies. Contact with people who have little to do with football was important and when I see what they often have to do in addition to their studies, it puts a lot of things into perspective for me as a footballer. That is something that makes me appreciate my opportunities even more.
DFB.de: How important is education in your life right now?
Fabienne Dongus: I’m very glad that I was reflective and thought about my future when I was younger. It was always very important to me to be doing something that I enjoy. When you look at the future from a long-term point of view, football only occupies a small part of one’s lifetime. A new phase of life begins when you reach your mid-30s, so that was a priority for me. I think the contacts I have made in football will be helpful as I embark on a new chapter.
DFB.de: What are your plans for your career after football?
Fabienne Dongus: My education means that I have good prospects after my football career has come to an end. I can imagine working in marketing, I find that exciting. Another area I’m interested in as part of my business education studies is the possibility of working as a teacher at a vocational school. I'm interested in areas of work that are versatile so that I can develop myself further. I could also see myself continuing to work in football, perhaps with the DFB. But at the moment, I haven’t made any firm decisions. I intend to focus on that later.
DFB.de: Going back to football, it looks as though it’s all-change at TSG for the coming season. Will that have an effect on you for the upcoming campaign? What are your personal goals?
Fabienne Dongus was called up for Germany Women by head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg for the match against France and for Tuesday afternoon’s friendly with Chile (15:00 CEST). She spoke to DFB.de about her sporting career, her relationship with her twin sister Tamar, and her plans for a career after football.
DFB.de: You started out at SV Deckenpfronn and now you’re playing for the national team! Tell us about that journey.
Fabienne Dongus: At the age of five, my parents decided that my twin sister Tamar and I should join a sports club to play. At that time in Deckenpfronn, football was the only option, so our parents signed us up and football became our big passion. It soon became clear that we could keep up with the boys in the team and that we had a talent for it. It just worked out well. The perfect move for our young careers was the move to VfL Sindelfingen. We had a young team there and managed to be promoted against the odds, and I achieved my dream of playing in the Frauen-Bundesliga. I’ve been at TSG Hoffenheim since 2013 and this season has been my absolute highlight of that time. After we qualified for the Champions League, I was called up to the national team by Martina Voss-Tecklenburg. Hearing the national anthem against France was an indescribable moment for me. I immediately get goose bumps again when I think about it.
DFB.de: Your twin sister Tamar now plays in Italy for Florentia San Gimignano and up until that move, your careers had always followed the same path. Has your relationship changed because of that move?
Fabienne Dongus: My sister and I are one heart and one soul, and up to the point she moved to Italy, we did everything together. We lived together and we even shared a wardrobe. My sister then made the decision to move abroad so that we could take a step towards being more independent in our personal development. I have to admit that she was always the more adventurous of the two of us. In Italy, she found the perfect country and the perfect club for her. Of course, we still talk on the phone every day. She gives me incredible support and sends me motivational messages before every game to remind me of my strengths, which means a lot to me. When she is in Germany, we spend every minute together.
DFB.de: In an interview with Jürgen Ehrmann, your former coach at TSG, he said that you have a knack for integrating yourself into teams very quickly. That’s also the impression you have made with the national team. Would you describe yourself as a sociable person?
Fabienne Dongus: It’s very important to me to get to know my teammates as people. I already knew a few players here from the youth teams as well. My advantage is that I like to talk a lot and some people call me a ’gossip’. (laughs) An example of that is when I have a conversation with someone, it might last a few minutes longer than others. I find it exciting that every player here has an incredible story to tell. That contributes a lot to the spirit in the team. We talk and laugh a lot and I just feel really comfortable.
DFB.de: So you’ve always found integrating into teams an easy task?
Fabienne Dongus: Yes absolutely. I’m relatively new here but everything was very open with the whole team right from the start. I feel as if I can approach any one of my teammates and ask them questions if I need support. Everyone is ready to help and that also applies to the staff behind the team. It’s a warm and friendly atmosphere and I think you can see that on and off the pitch. Everyone is highly focused and motivated, but we have a lot of fun playing together.
DFB.de: Alongside football, you’re already working on your career after football and have already successfully completed two courses of study. What areas are those in?
Fabienne Dongus: When I was 18, it was already clear to me that I wanted to have the education to enable me to do something I like after football. I completed a degree in business administration with a specialisation in trade fair and event management. Then my second degree was in business administration and I’m currently working on my master’s degree. On a personal level, contact with my fellow students was very important during my studies. Contact with people who have little to do with football was important and when I see what they often have to do in addition to their studies, it puts a lot of things into perspective for me as a footballer. That is something that makes me appreciate my opportunities even more.
DFB.de: How important is education in your life right now?
Fabienne Dongus: I’m very glad that I was reflective and thought about my future when I was younger. It was always very important to me to be doing something that I enjoy. When you look at the future from a long-term point of view, football only occupies a small part of one’s lifetime. A new phase of life begins when you reach your mid-30s, so that was a priority for me. I think the contacts I have made in football will be helpful as I embark on a new chapter.
DFB.de: What are your plans for your career after football?
Fabienne Dongus: My education means that I have good prospects after my football career has come to an end. I can imagine working in marketing, I find that exciting. Another area I’m interested in as part of my business education studies is the possibility of working as a teacher at a vocational school. I'm interested in areas of work that are versatile so that I can develop myself further. I could also see myself continuing to work in football, perhaps with the DFB. But at the moment, I haven’t made any firm decisions. I intend to focus on that later.
DFB.de: Going back to football, it looks as though it’s all-change at TSG for the coming season. Will that have an effect on you for the upcoming campaign? What are your personal goals?
Fabienne Dongus: The biggest change for next season will be that a few of our top performers and biggest characters will be leaving. On top of that is the big challenge of competing in the Champions League. Personally I’m really looking forward to next season because a lot of things will be new, including new players like Jana Feldkamp, who is joining us this summer. I think we’ll be bringing a lot of quality out onto the pitch with us. In terms of the Champions League, I hope that we can make a splash and get through a couple of rounds. Everyone dreams of the famous anthem and I want to be as successful as possible. I also want to mature as a leader and pick up more international experience.
DFB.de: Do those goals also apply to the national team?
Fabienne Dongus: I’m reflective enough to recognise the world-class players who also play in my position. I try to contribute as much as possible, whether it be on or off the pitch. I want to be a good alternative for the coach and make selection a tough choice for her in a positive way. I think she knows what she gets from me and what I can bring. I want to continue to perform at a high level and I’m delighted with every call-up, because it’s always an incredible experience to play for Germany Women. We want to be as successful as possible and get as far as possible at the European Championship next year.
