News (engl.)

2025 was an eventful year for Germany’s women’s national team, as they took part in the final of the Women’s Nations League, in addition to having reached the semi-finals of the Women’s EUROs and undergone a successful rebuild. Despite not bringing home any silverware, this past year still brought some success for the future of women’ football in Germany, with the news that the country had been awarded hosting rights for the 2029 Women’s EUROs. In an interview with DFB.de, head coach Christian Wück spoke about some of the highlights of the last year and the development of his team. He also took the time to look to the future, with 2026 signalling the start of Germany’s Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign, in addition to discussing the opportunities presented by the 2029 Women’s EUROs on home soil. 

DFB.de: Mr. Wück, what was the most formative moment of the year for you and why? 

Christian Wück: From my perspective, it was everything that happened during the European Championship. It wasn’t so much one single moment, but rather a feeling that we managed to build over the course of several weeks; we were growing together as a team. From the outside, we were a tight-knit unit, while we were also working extremely hard internally, with clear expectations for everyone. The close cooperation within our coaching staff also played an important role: Maren [Meinert] and Saskia [Bartusiak] were able to use their experience to bring clarity, which allowed us to target the right areas. Being able to exchange ideas with Nia [Künzer] was also very important for our development and our stability over the course of the tournament. 

DFB.de: What characterised this feeling? 

Wück: As a coach, you’re always a bit cautious when things are too harmonious. Because it then leads to questions such as, are we capable of flipping the switch when needed? Are people prepared to compete with each other? Is our focus always on the match? During both our preparations in Herzogenaurach and over the course of the tournament itself, we were able to see how the team were able to take on all these challenges and grow close. That really helped to create a positive feeling amongst both myself and the rest of the coaching staff. 

DFB.de: Did the highs and lows of the tournament play a role in the development of the team? 

Wück: Absolutely. The positive results from our first two wins were important, but the difficult situations we found ourselves in – such as the red cards or the defeat against Sweden – also had a purpose. It was the first real test of character for our coaching staff, as well as our team. We were all curious to see how everyone would react and how we dealt with it as a team. It was impressive to see how professional, focused and united we were in handling it. That showed us that we’re able to draw the right conclusions, and our self-belief only grew as a result. 

DFB.de: 2025 also brought plenty of changes within the team itself. How challenging was this process and what are you most proud of? 

Wück: Upon taking up the job, we knew that several players were thinking about ending their international careers and we had enough time to run through these scenarios beforehand. Our friendlies in 2024, as well as the Nations League games before the EUROs, gave us plenty of time to test things out. Despite the many changes to our starting line-up and formation, it was important for us to clearly lay out to the players what we wanted to see on the pitch, regardless of which players would end up featuring. It was more about the idea, the way that we wanted to play. 

DFB.de: Your team reached the semi-finals of the EUROs and finished second in the Nations League. What do these results say about the development of the team? 

Wück: We can be satisfied with these results. The team underwent a strong development and we were very satisfied with many of our performances. We still haven’t reached our full potential yet, because if we had, then we would have had a trophy in our hands at the end. The results show that we’re on the right path, but that we’re still a little short of what we need in order to also be able to win titles. 

DFB.de: What exactly is still missing? 

Wück: It’s in the details. The individual cogs within the team are working well with each other, but it hasn’t resulted in success for the team as a whole yet. There are certain in-game situations where we could stand to improve our communication when gaps arise. Additionally, it has to be our aim to continue to improve our pool of top-level players. If we find ourselves in a situation where we need to find a replacement for a player, there shouldn’t be a change in terms of the quality of the performances. We also had games in which the introduction of players from off the bench gave us an entirely fresh energy. That has to be our aim: to have players who come off the bench to leave their mark on the game. It’s a question of how we put together our squad, and our task in terms of scouting is to find additional talents that could one day feature for the senior side. 

DFB.de: In 2026, qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil will get underway. You’ve been dealt a tricky group, with Norway, Slovenia and Austria. What do you think of your chances? 

Wück: We’re definitely one of the favourites in the group and should have the aim of dominating not only our games, but the group as well. At the same time, it’s a challenging group and of course, we have respect for our opponents. All three of them also want to qualify for the World Cup. My hope is for the players to take up the role as favourites with confidence. This is a mindset that we’d already developed through decisive games in both the Nations League and during the EUROs. It’s about continuing this and also building on it. A top team plays with confidence, but without being careless or arrogant. 

DFB.de: What do you want to see from the team in the new year?

Wück: Our intelligence during the game is of key importance to us. We want to see a team that makes smart decisions together on the pitch, no matter the situation. The more players we have who are able to make smart decisions and who are able to find the right solutions regardless of our formation, the better we’ll be. In order to have that, we need the right mix of players who can reliably and consistently play their position, as well as players who can read the game and be both variable and creative. This is an aspect that is becoming increasingly more important. Successful teams are defined by the fact that they are unpredictable and capable of posing a challenge for their opponents. 

DFB.de: Even if there wasn’t any silverware to be had in 2025, there was still something to celebrate – namely, Germany being named hosts of the 2029 Women’s EUROs. How did you react to the decision and what opportunities do you think it will bring? 

Wück: It’s a huge opportunity for women’s football in Germany and for football in Germany as a whole. It’s up to us to make it an unforgettable experience, not only for ourselves, but for the many visitors as well. The development of women’s football has been overwhelmingly positive and the tournament will allow us to provide it with another big push. I’m therefore looking forward to it with great anticipation, but also with a sense of awe and humility. As the head coach, my focus isn’t on 2029 yet, as there’s still a World Cup to be played before them. Our entire focus now is on successfully qualifying for that first. 

DFB.de: What do you hope the new year will bring?

Christian Wück: From a sporting perspective, qualifying for the World Cup is top of my wish list. At the same time, I also hope that we’re able to discover new talents that can help strengthen our team. Most importantly, I hope everyone stays happy and healthy, both in a sporting sense and on a personal level. Beyond that, I hope that the new year will bring more peace around the world.