In terms of football, it was a brisk goodbye. After just a quarter of an hour against Australia, Alexandra Popp was subbed off for the final time, concluding an era-defining and illustrious career for the German national team.
“It was a bit short,” said Popp after the game on Monday. “I was looking up at the clock, keeping an eye on the time, thinking, ‘Oh no, it’s up already!'”
Her brief cameo was agreed in advance with coach Christian Wück, who had sought ahead of the game to play down the emotional aspects of the evening.
“All this talk about a goodbye game is getting a bit much for me,” he’d said on Friday.
Wück, who coached Germany for the first time in front of a home crowd on Monday, was keen to concentrate on the future, to test and fine-tune the team of the post-Popp era.
Popp farewells her fans
If Wück had hoped to keep things focused entirely on football, he didn’t get his wish. But he granted Popp hers. The striker had hoped to savor her farewell, and she did so.
“I’m extremely grateful that I was able to have that time on the pitch today, to experience and enjoy it,” said Popp. “I’m glad I got to say a proper goodbye to everyone at home and to the fans here in the stadium.”
Regardless of the brevity of her appearance, Monday night was really all about Popp. In Marina Hegering and Merle Frohms, two more veterans were present to take their leave after retiring from international football. All three were thanked before kick-off, but only Popp was granted the honor of a final cap. It was a testament to her stature and to the magnitude of her achievements for Germany.
A role model in women’s football
“She’s always been a role model and has an incredible mentality as a player,” said Sara, a long-time supporter of the Germany women’s team. “It’s not often that somebody embodies those things the way she does.”
“She’s had a very special role, because she’s driven the development and growth in popularity of the women’s game in recent years,” she added. “I think she’s played a really big part in all of that.”
It was here in Duisburg that Popp made her debut for the German national team, and 145 appearances, 67 goals, and many highs and lows later, it was here that she closed out her international career. At full-time, Popp spent a good 45 minutes out on the pitch thanking her many adoring fans.
Emotional evening
For most of the 26,262 supporters inside the MSV Arena, Germany’s eventual 2-1 defeat to Australia was effectively an irrelevance. This friendly was above all an opportunity to show their gratitude and love for a towering figure of the German game.
“When you see how many people are walking around in Alex Popp kits, I think that speaks for itself,” said Franzi, another veteran follower of Germany’s women, before the match. “If your eyes don’t tear up in there tonight, you’ve never really loved women’s football.”
While some eyes might have stayed dry, Popp’s certainly weren’t among them. In an emotional post-match interview, she reflected on how she’d like people to remember her as a Germany player.
“I think in the way that I’m often described, with my mentality on the pitch, that I drive the girls on, but also with a certain modesty,” Popp said. “That’s an extremely good way to be thought of, and very appreciative.”
As the Germany bus pulled away from the stadium long after full-time, hundreds of supporters were still outside. They’d waited an hour and a half for the privilege to wave at tinted windows, bidding their heroine one last goodbye. Judging by their commitment and their noise, Popp will be fondly remembered indeed.
Edited by Natalie Muller
