Today saw the day that Alexandra Popp hung up her boots and closed the chapter of her life that has been dedicated to playing football for the German National Team.
Popps’ career first started at FC Silchede, playing in mixed gender teams until the age of 14. She then made the move to FFC Recklinghausen. After 3 years of playing for the side, she signed for Bundesliga side FCR 2001 Duisburg, where she made 80 appearances and 31 goals. In her 4 years with Duisburg, she won the 2009 UEFA Women’s Cup and the 2009 and 2010 German Cup.
Popp then made the move to VfL Wolfsburg, where she would stay for 12 years. In this time, she is currently standing at 219 appearances and 112 goals. With Wolfsburg, the German International has won two UEFA Women’s Champions Leagues, 7 Bundesliga titles and 10 Pokal Frauen titles.
Popp made her first international debut with Germany in February 2010 against North Korea in a friendly match. Since then, she has gone on to become Captain of the side, earning herself 144 appearances and 67 goals.
The striker took to Instagram this afternoon to announce her retirement.
”Dear fans, dear companions. In a total of 18 years, of which just under 14.5 years in A-Team, I had the fortune and great honour to wear the jersey of the German national team with full pride. I’ve always stressed that my gut will make its decision and now it (has) decided. After long, tearful deliberations, I have decided with a heavy heart to end my national team career.”
”As a football romantic, I am very happy to end my history of the A-National Team with a few minutes where I started it: in Duisburg!!!”
”Last but not least, I would like to wish my team a lot of fun and success in the future, you can achieve great things. You have one more fan. Poppi.”
Alexandra Popp will play one more game with Germany against Australia on October 28.
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