The long wait is over for German female footballing enthusiasts! Just over three months since the heartbreak that was the 2025 Women’s Euro quarterfinals, the German Women’s national team is back in action this week in the 2024/25 Women’s Nations League semi-finals. The DFB-Mädels get set for two highly anticipated re-matches with the very nation that they eliminated from the Euros last summer in sensational fashion, France.
Get German Football News is pleased to supply a full primer of what one can expect from Bundestrainer Christian Wück’s Nationalmannschaft. We’ve got all the latest news on the squad, the projected tactics, and the important players to keep an eye on during Friday night’s match in Düsseldorf and Tuesday’s return leg in Caen. Those who care to tune in should be treated to some fabulous football.
Off we go!
The Squad
The full roster can be found below.
Before getting to that we’ll cover talking points.
Who is missing and why?
Lena Oberdorf, FC Bayern München
Sigh. Another ACL tear for Germany’s ultra-talented midfield magician. The fact that so many have never received the chance to witness this once-in-a-generation talent’s abilities on the pitch makes one genuinely depressed. At this point, it’s very much unclear as to whether the 23-year-old will even be able to continue her career. Best to move on from this horrendously sad bit of never-ending sorrow as quickly as possible.
Ann-Katrin Berger, Gotham FC
Germany’s goalkeeping heroine will be unable to participate this time due to knee problems. Two potential back-ups for the 35-year-old (Bayern’s Ena Mahmutovic and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Sophia Winkler) are also out hurt. Wück has already publicly committed himself to starting Wolfsburg’s Stina Johannes (three caps) in goal. It still counts as rough news to learn that the player who lifted the team over France in July won’t be here.
Giovanna Hoffmann, RB Leipzig
Sadly, we won’t get a chance to watch the Bremerhaven-native back in action as the 27-year-old literally just incurred a season-ending ACL tear. This counts as a damn shame. The RB Leipzig professional was off to another strong start this year with two league goals in five matches and looked to build upon her strong summer tournament performance. The nature of Hoffmann’s injury means we won’t be seeing her for a while.
Sarai Linder, VfL Wolfsburg
The 25-year-old is still struggling with the same knee capsule injury that troubled her this past summer. Wück nominated Linder, but the Sinsheim-native ultimately opted to decline a chance to play during the break and will remain with her club to focus on rehab. Germany are deep enough at the fullback positions for this to not pose too serious a problem.
Sara Däbritz, Real Madrid
There comes a time for every footballer. For the legend who earned 111 caps over the course of 12 years representing the Frauen-Nationalmannschaft, the scant usage in this summer’s Euros pointed the way towards the exit door. At the age of 30, the Amberg-native opted to officially retire from international competition earlier this month. Godspeed!
Who are the exciting new faces?
Bibiane Schulze-Solano, Athletic Bilbao
“Bibi” technically isn’t a new face. She’s been capped seven times already and memorably did a wonderful job representing Germany at the 2024 summer Olympics. The half-German half-Basque defender has nevertheless remained absent from the German national team for 13 months after suffering a brutal ACL tear and will be appearing for the first time under Wück.
Germans really like the 26-year-old’s on-pitch skills and off pitch story. Schulze’s return pushes the likes of Manchester City’s Rebecca Knack and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Sofia Kleinherne off the team. It’s not even a close call either. Schulze’s natural skills vastly surpass those possessed by the left-behind duo. Happy to have her back. Big time upgrade here.
Camille Küver, VfL Wolfsburg
The 22-year-old receives a chance to earn her first cap for Germany after an injury-plagued two years that saw her fail to gain traction with the Lower Saxon She-Wolves. The native Hessian moved to Wolfsburg after demonstrating enormous potential for both major female Frankfurt clubs in her home state. This year, she’s started all eight fixtures for Wolfsburg and logged maximum minutes in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
A towering centre-back of Norwegian heritage, she has the requisite physicality to work as a sort of “Per Mertesacker” staple at the German back for many years to come. There’s a good reason why she’s been able to bypass the national youth levels. Probably the only reason she isn’t starting in central defense is that her club teammate Janina Minge plays in midfield when not representing the DFB.
Shakiera Martinez, West Ham United
This Hessian left Eintracht Frankfurt to sign on with West Ham last summer, but still spent the first half of last season on loan at SC Freiburg. The 24-year-old – who works as an eight, nine, or ten in attack – has amassed an impressive record of 29 goals in 123 FrauenBundesliga appearances. She did very well in the WSL last spring as well, scoring 10 goals in 12 appearances.
A veteran of the Germany U23s, Martinez bids for her first cap at senior level. She’s off to a decent start for the West Ham ladies this year and recently upped her estimated market value from €50,000 to €400,000 in the latest Soccerdonnaupdate. Wück might be hard pressed to find a way to work her in tactically, but should be keen to give her an extended run-out as a sub.
The Full Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Stina Johannes (VfL Wolfsburg), Laura Dick (TSG Hoffenheim), Rafaela Borggräfe (Liverpool)
Defenders:
Kathrin Hendrich (Chicago Stars), Bibiane Schulze-Solano (Athletic Bilbao), Janina Minge (Hertha BSC), Giulia Gwinn (FC Bayern München), Carlotta Wamser (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Franziska Kett (FC Bayern München), Camilla Küver (VfL Wolfsburg)
Midfielders:
Alara Sehitler (FC Bayern München), Linda Dallmann (FC Bayern München), Sydney Lohmann (Manchester City), Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea), Shekiera Martinez (West Ham United), Elisa Senß (Eintracht Frankfurt), Jule Brand (Olympique Lyon)
Forwards:
Laura Freigang (Eintracht Frankfurt), Lea Schüller (FC Bayern München), Cora Zicai (VfL Wolfsburg), Selina Cerci (TSG Hoffenheim), Nicole Anyomi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Klara Bühl (FC Bayern München)
The Tactics
Provided Wück has had a long and thoughtful conversation with Kathrin Hendrich about the importance of NOT PULLING PONY-TAILS, this should be the XI we see line up against France in Düsseldorf. Anything other than these players configured in this constellation would constitute a big surprise for the author. As it stands know, there’s plenty of intrigue in what one sees below. We’ll get to that with the “ones to watch”.
Projected Lineup–Germany (5-4-1)
Who are the “ones to watch”?
Jule Brand, Olympique Lyon
If the author’s lineup projection proves correct, Brand will be starting as a ten for the first time on the German national team. In principle, no positional deployment should prove all that challenging for one of our most well-rounded and naturally gifted players. Brand still remains more of a winger and proving that she can anchor the attack from a centralized position is something of a big ask for her.
Brand is forced to fill in at the No. 10 slot due to the fact that the two other players on the DFB roster capable of working the position (Laura Freigang and Linda Dallmann) have failed to impress. Should Brand falter, it should spell the end of Wück’s 4-2-3-1 system. The last option will be exhausted and we should behold a newly re-tooled 4-3-3.
Carlotta Wamser, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
After filling in for injured captain Giulia Gwinn at right back during the Euros, Wamser should get her turn in attack this time. Wamser has actually been sticking to the fullback position for her new club this year. Leverkusen’s use of her as a left back would ordinarily translate to the same assignment for the national team, but Wück already has a talented player ready to serve there.
Segue!
Franziska Kett, FC Bayern München
The 21-year-old’s performances at the Euros absolutely merit a starting role at left back. Kett, like Wamser, has been excelling at fullback for her club this season. Interestingly enough, the Deggendorf-native mostly works on the right. Thinking about Wück’s tactics can leave one feeling a tad mush-brained, but one assumes that he’ll keep the set-ups from the Euros in mind.
Selina Cerci, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Wück’s projected starting lead striker also earns her chance based on what she was able to contribute off the bench during the Euros. Even before her explosive start for club this season (six goals through seven matchdays), there honestly wasn’t a player more deserving of taking over for the dipping Lea Schüller. The author simply has a gut-feeling that the 25-year-old will make it count.
