Germany women's national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Germany

Nickname(s)	DFB-Frauenteam (DFB Women's Team) DFB-Frauen (DFB Women)
Association	Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB)
Confederation	UEFA
Head coach	Christian Wück
Captain	Alexandra Popp
Most caps	Birgit Prinz (214)
Top scorer	Birgit Prinz (128)
Home stadium	Various
FIFA code	GER
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	2 (7 December 2018)
Highest	1 (October 2003 – December 2006, October – December 2007, December 2014 – March 2015, March 2017)
Lowest	6 (August – December 2023)
First international
West Germany 5–1 Switzerland  (Koblenz, West Germany; 10 November 1982)
Biggest win
Germany 17–0 Kazakhstan  (Wiesbaden, Germany; 19 November 2011)
Biggest defeat
United States 6–0 Germany  (Decatur, United States; 14 March 1996)
World Cup
Appearances	9 (first in 1991)
Best result	Champions (2003, 2007)
European Championship
Appearances	12 (first in 1989)
Best result	Champions (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
Olympic Games
Appearances	6 (first in 1996)
Best result	Gold medal (2016)
Nations League Finals
Appearances	1 (first in 2024)
Best result	Third place (2024)
Medal record FIFA Women's World Cup Gold 2003 United States Team Gold 2007 China Team Silver 1995 Sweden Team UEFA Women's Championship Gold 1989 West Germany Team Gold 1991 Denmark Team Gold 1995 Germany Team Gold 1997 Norway–Sweden Team Gold 2001 Germany Team Gold 2005 England Team Gold 2009 Finland Team Gold 2013 Sweden Team Silver 2022 England Team Olympic Games Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team Bronze 2000 Sydney Team Bronze 2004 Athens Team Bronze 2008 Beijing Team Bronze 2024 Paris Team UEFA Women's Nations League Finals Bronze 2024 France, Netherlands & Spain Team
Website	DFB.de

Germany women's national football team in 2012

The Germany women's national football team represents Germany in international women's football games. The team is managed by the German Football Association (DFB).

This team is one of the most successful in women's football. They have won the World Cup twice, in 2003 and 2007. They have also won eight of the thirteen UEFA European Championships. This includes six wins in a row from 1995 to 2013. Germany is one of only two countries to win both the women's and men's European tournaments.

Germany won an Olympic gold medal in 2016. Before that, they earned three bronze medals at the Women's Olympic Football Tournament. These were in 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Birgit Prinz has played the most games for the team. She is also their all-time top goal scorer. Prinz has won the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times. She is also one of the top goal scorers in Women's World Cup history.

For a long time, women's football was not very popular in Germany. The DFB even banned official matches until 1970. However, the team became much more popular after winning the World Cup in 2003. They were even named Germany's Sports Team of the Year. As of August 2023, Germany is ranked 6th in the FIFA Women's World Rankings.

Team History: How it Started

Early Challenges and First Wins

In 1955, the DFB banned women's football in West Germany. They said it was "foreign to the nature of women" and could "damage body and soul." Despite this, over 150 unofficial international games were played in the 1950s and 1960s. The ban was finally lifted on October 30, 1970.

Other countries had already formed official women's teams. But the DFB was slow to get involved. In 1981, DFB official Horst R. Schmidt was invited to send a team to an unofficial women's world championship. West Germany did not have a national team then. So, the DFB sent the German club champions, Bergisch Gladbach 09. This club won the tournament! They won it again in 1984. Because of this success, the DFB decided to create a women's national team in 1982. Gero Bisanz was chosen to set up the team.

The team's first international match was on November 10, 1982, in Koblenz. They played against Switzerland. Doris Kresimon scored the first goal. Eighteen-year-old Silvia Neid scored two goals, helping Germany win 5–1. Neid later became the team's head coach.

At first, Germany struggled to qualify for major tournaments. They did not make it to the 1984 or 1987 European Championships. Coach Bisanz focused on basic skills and developing young players.

Winning European Titles

In 1989, Germany qualified for the European Championship for the first time. The tournament was held in West Germany. They played Italy in the semi-final. This was the first women's international football match shown live on German TV. Germany won after a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Marion Isbert saved three penalties and scored the winning one herself! On July 2, 1989, Germany beat Norway 4–1 in the final. This was their first international title.

After Germany reunited, the East German football association joined the DFB. The unified German team won the 1991 European Championship. They beat Norway 3–1 in extra time in the final.

In November 1991, Germany played in the first Women's World Cup in China. They reached the semi-finals but lost to the United States. Germany finished fourth in the tournament.

The team did not win the 1993 European Championship. However, new talented players like Steffi Jones, Maren Meinert, and Silke Rottenberg joined the team. They later became very important players.

World Cup and Olympic Challenges

Birgit Prinz scored her first major tournament goal in 1995. Germany won their third European Championship that year. They beat Sweden 3–2 in the final.

At the 1995 World Cup in Sweden, Germany reached their first World Cup final. They lost 0–2 to Norway, but it was their best World Cup result so far.

Women's football became an Olympic sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Germany was eliminated in the group stage. After this, coach Gero Bisanz stepped down. His assistant, Tina Theune, became the new head coach. Silvia Neid became the new assistant coach.

Under Tina Theune, Germany won their fourth European Championship in 1997. They beat Italy 2–0 in the final.

At the 1999 World Cup in the United States, Germany reached the quarter-finals. They played against the host team, the United States. A huge crowd of 54,642 people watched the game. Germany lost 2–3 to the eventual champions.

Germany competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics. They won all their group games. However, they lost 0–1 to Norway in the semi-final. They then beat Brazil 2–0 to win the bronze medal. This was Germany's first Olympic medal in football since 1988.

In 2001, Germany hosted the European Championship. They beat Sweden 1–0 in extra time in the final, winning their fifth European title.

Two World Cup Wins in a Row

Germany playing Sweden in the 2003 Women's World Cup final

At the 2003 World Cup in the United States, Germany played very well. They won all their group games. They then beat Russia 7–1 in the quarter-final. In the semi-final, they faced the United States again and won 3–0. On October 12, 2003, Germany met Sweden in the World Cup final. The game went into extra time. Nia Künzer scored the winning "golden goal" in the 98th minute! This gave Germany their first Women's World Cup title. Birgit Prinz was named the best player and top goal scorer of the tournament.

Germany won their second Olympic bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. They lost to the United States in the semi-final.

The 2005 European Championship was held in England. Germany won their sixth European title, beating Norway 3–1 in the final. After this, coach Tina Theune stepped down. Her assistant, Silvia Neid, became the new national coach.

Nadine Angerer saved a penalty in the 2007 Women's World Cup final.

As the defending champions, Germany played the opening game at the 2007 World Cup in China. They crushed Argentina 11–0! They went on to beat North Korea 3–0 in the quarter-final and Norway 3–0 in the semi-final. On September 30, 2007, Germany played Brazil in the World Cup final. Birgit Prinz scored first. Goalkeeper Nadine Angerer saved a penalty kick from Brazil's star player, Marta. Simone Laudehr scored a second goal, sealing Germany's 2–0 victory. Germany became the first team (men's or women's) to win the World Cup without letting in any goals. They were also the first to win the Women's World Cup twice in a row.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Germany won another bronze medal. They lost to Brazil in the semi-final.

Germany won their seventh European trophy at the 2009 European Championship in Finland. They beat England 6–2 in the final.

Fara Williams calmly slots a penalty beyond Nadine Angerer at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, to inflict Germany's first ever defeat by England

Germany hosted the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. They won all their group games. However, they were upset by Japan in the quarter-finals, losing in extra time. This loss ended Germany's long winning streak at the World Cup. Because of this, Germany did not qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

At the 2013 European Championship in Sweden, Germany won their sixth straight European title. They beat Norway 1–0 in the final. Goalkeeper Nadine Angerer was named the best player of the tournament.

In the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, Germany reached the top four. They lost to the United States in the semi-final. In the third-place match, Germany lost to England for the first time ever.

At the 2019 World Cup, Germany won their group. They beat Nigeria in the Round of 16. But they were knocked out by Sweden in the quarter-finals. This meant they did not qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In the 2022 European Championship, Germany reached the final. They lost 1–2 to the host team, England, in extra time. This was Germany's first loss in a Euro final.

Germany was a favorite to win the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. They started strong, beating Morocco 6–0. But they lost to Colombia and tied with South Korea. This meant they were eliminated in the group stage for the first time. Many people called this one of the biggest upsets in Women's World Cup history.

Team Look and Popularity

Nicknames

The Germany women's national football team is often called "Die Nationalelf" (The National Eleven).

Kits and Crest

Emblem for the Olympic Games

Verse of the national anthem on the collar.

The German women's team wears white shirts, black shorts, and white socks. These are the traditional colors of the German men's team. Their away kit is usually dark green.

The team's emblem features the German Federal Eagle. Since winning their first Women's World Cup in 2003, they show their own World Cup titles with stars above the emblem. They had one star in 2003 and two stars since 2007. When they are world champions, they also wear the "FIFA Women's World Champions Badge."

For the Olympic Games, Germany uses the coat of arms of Germany instead of the DFB logo. Adidas supplies the team's uniforms. The German insurance company Allianz is their main sponsor.

Home Stadiums

Germany playing Brazil before a crowd of 44,825 in Frankfurt.

The German national team does not have one main home stadium. They play their home matches in different stadiums across the country. As of June 2011, they have played in 87 different German cities.

In the past, games were often held in smaller towns. But as the team became more successful, especially after the 2003 World Cup win, more fans came to watch.

The record attendance for a Germany women's match was 73,680. This was for the 2011 Women's World Cup opening game against Canada in Berlin. This also set a new European record for women's football.

Growing Popularity

Arrival in Frankfurt after winning the 2007 Women's World Cup

For much of the 20th century, women's football was not very popular in Germany. But the 2003 World Cup win changed everything. The final was watched by over 10 million people in Germany. Almost 10,000 fans welcomed the team home in Frankfurt. The team was named the 2003 German Sports Team of the Year.

After winning the World Cup, each player received a bonus of 15,000 euros. Four years later, they received 50,000 euros for winning again. Since 2005, almost all of the women's national team's matches are shown live on German TV.

The final of the 2007 Women's World Cup was watched by over 9 million TV viewers. When the team returned, 20,000 fans celebrated them in Frankfurt. In December 2007, all the World Cup players received the Silberne Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf). This is the highest award for athletes in Germany.

Women's football is one of the fastest growing sports in Germany. The number of fans attending women's Bundesliga games has more than tripled recently. In 2022, the most watched sporting event on German TV was the women's national team's Euro final against England.

Recent Matches

Here are some of the recent results and upcoming games for the German women's national football team.

Legend

      Win       Draw       Lose       Void or postponed       Fixture

• 2023
  • December 1: Germany 3–0 Denmark (Nations League) - Win
  • December 5: Wales 0–0 Germany (Nations League) - Draw

• 2024
  • February 23: France 2–1 Germany (Nations League Semi-Final) - Loss
  • February 28: Netherlands 0–2 Germany (Nations League 3rd Place) - Win
  • April 5: Austria 2–3 Germany (Euro 2025 qualifying) - Win
  • April 9: Germany 3–1 Iceland (Euro 2025 qualifying) - Win
  • May 31: Germany 4–1 Poland (Euro 2025 qualifying) - Win
  • June 4: Poland 1–3 Germany (Euro 2025 qualifying) - Win
  • July 12: Iceland 3–0 Germany (Euro 2025 qualifying) - Loss
  • July 16: Germany 4–0 Austria (Euro 2025 qualifying) - Win
  • July 25: Germany 3–0 Australia (Olympics Group Stage) - Win
  • July 28: USA 4–1 Germany (Olympics Group Stage) - Loss
  • July 31: Zambia 1–4 Germany (Olympics Group Stage) - Win
  • August 3: Canada 0–0 Germany (Olympics Quarter-Final, Germany won 4-2 on penalties) - Draw (Win on penalties)
  • August 6: USA 1–0 Germany (Olympics Semi-Final) - Loss
  • August 9: Spain 0–1 Germany (Olympics Bronze Medal Match) - Win
  • October 25: England 3–4 Germany (Friendly) - Win
  • October 28: Germany 1–2 Australia (Friendly) - Loss
  • November 29: Switzerland vs Germany (Friendly) - Upcoming
  • December 2: Germany vs Italy (Friendly) - Upcoming

• 2025
  • February 21: Netherlands vs Germany (Nations League) - Upcoming
  • February 25: Germany vs Austria (Nations League) - Upcoming
  • April 4: Scotland vs Germany (Nations League) - Upcoming
  • April 8: Germany vs Scotland (Nations League) - Upcoming
  • May 30: Germany vs Netherlands (Nations League) - Upcoming
  • June 3: Austria vs Germany (Nations League) - Upcoming

Coaching the Team

Former head coach Horst Hrubesch (pictured in 2016)

Current Coaches

The current head coach of the German women's national football team is Christian Wück. He leads the team along with his assistant coaches and other staff members.

• Head coach: Christian Wück
• Assistant coach: Britta Carlson
• Assistant coach: Thomas Nörenberg
• Goalkeeping coach: Michael Fuchs
• Team doctor: Bernd Lasarzewski

Who Has Coached Germany?

Many talented coaches have led the German women's national team over the years.

• Gero Bisanz (1982–1996) was the very first coach. He helped the team win three European Championships (1989, 1991, 1995). He also led them to the World Cup final in 1995.
• Tina Theune (1996–2005) took over after Bisanz. She was the first woman to get the highest German football coaching license. Under her, Germany won three more European Championships (1997, 2001, 2005). Her biggest success was winning the 2003 World Cup. She also led the team to two Olympic bronze medals.
• Silvia Neid (2005–2016) was Tina Theune's assistant before becoming head coach. She led Germany to win the 2007 World Cup. This made her the first German national team coach (men's or women's) to win the World Cup on their first try. She also won the European Championship in 2009 and 2013, and an Olympic gold medal in 2016.
• Steffi Jones (2016–2018) coached the team after Silvia Neid.
• Horst Hrubesch (2018, and again 2023–2024) served as interim head coach twice. He led the team to an Olympic bronze medal in 2024.
• Martina Voss-Tecklenburg (2019–2023) was the coach before Horst Hrubesch's second interim period.
• Christian Wück took over as head coach after the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Top Players and Records

Birgit Prinz is the most capped German player with 214 caps, and the top ever scorer with 128.

The German women's national team has had many amazing players. Here are some of their top records:

• Most Games Played:
  • Birgit Prinz holds the record with 214 games played from 1994 to 2011. She was also a team captain.
  • Kerstin Stegemann is second with 191 games.
  • Bettina Wiegmann, a former captain, played 154 games.

• Top Goal Scorers:
  • Birgit Prinz is also the top goal scorer with 128 goals.
  • Heidi Mohr is second with 83 goals in 104 games.
  • Alexandra Popp is third with 67 goals in 145 games.
  • Lea Schüller is currently active and has scored 45 goals.

• Other Records:
  • The biggest win for Germany was 17–0 against Kazakhstan in 2011.
  • Their biggest loss was 6–0 against the United States in 1996.
  • Former goalkeeper Nadine Angerer played the most games as a goalkeeper, with 145 appearances.
  • Bettina Wiegmann scored 14 goals from penalty kicks, which is a record.
  • Germany is the only country to win both the men's and women's World Cups.
  • In 2007, Germany was the first team to win two Women's World Cup titles in a row. They also won the 2007 World Cup without letting in any goals.

Major Competitions

FIFA Women's World Cup

Germany is one of the most successful teams in the FIFA Women's World Cup. They have won the tournament twice and finished second once.

• Champions: 2003, 2007
• Runners-up: 1995
• They have played in every Women's World Cup. Their worst result was in 2023, when they did not make it past the group stage.

FIFA Women's World Cup Record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1991	Fourth place	6	4	0	2	13	10
1995	Runners-up	6	4	0	2	13	6
1999	Quarter-finals	4	1	2	1	12	7
2003	Champions	6	6	0	0	25	4
2007	Champions	6	5	1	0	21	0
2011	Quarter-finals	4	3	0	1	7	4
2015	Fourth place	7	3	2	2	20	6
2019	Quarter-finals	5	4	0	1	10	2
2023	Group stage	3	1	1	1	8	3
2027	To be determined
Total	9/10	47	31	6*	10	129	42

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

**Gold background colour means the tournament was won.

***Red border colour means the tournament was held in Germany.

Olympic Games

Women's football became an Olympic sport in 1996. Germany's Bettina Wiegmann scored the first Olympic goal in that tournament.

• Germany won the gold medal in 2016.
• They won bronze medals in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2024.
• They did not qualify for the 2012 and 2020 Olympics.

Summer Olympics Record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1996	Group stage	3	1	1	1	6	6
2000	Third place	5	4	0	1	8	2
2004	Third place	5	4	0	1	14	3
2008	Third place	6	4	1	1	7	4
2012	Did not qualify
2016	Champions	6	4	1	1	14	6
2020	Did not qualify
2024	Third place	6	3	1	2	9	6
2028	To be determined
Total	6/8	31	20	4	7	58	27

UEFA Women's Championship

Germany is the most successful team in the UEFA Women's Championship. They have won the title eight times!

• Champions: 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013
• Runners-up: 2022
• They won six championships in a row from 1995 to 2013.

UEFA Women's Championship Record
Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1984****	Did not qualify
1987
1989	Champions	2	1	1	0	5	2
1991	Champions	2	2	0	0	6	1
1993	Fourth place	2	0	1	1	2	4
1995	Champions	3	3	0	0	14	4
1997	Champions	5	3	2	0	6	1
2001	Champions	5	5	0	0	13	1
2005	Champions	5	5	0	0	15	2
2009	Champions	6	6	0	0	21	5
2013	Champions	6	4	1	1	6	1
2017	Quarter-finals	4	2	1	1	5	3
2022	Runners-up	6	5	0	1	14	3
2025	Qualified
Total	12/14	46	36	6*	4	107	27

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

**Gold background colour means the tournament was won.

***Red border colour means the tournament was held in Germany.

****Missing flag means no host country; tournament was played in two-leg knockout rounds.

UEFA Women's Nations League

Germany finished third in the first ever UEFA Women's Nations League finals in 2024.

UEFA Women's Nations League Record
League Phase													Finals
Season	LG	GP	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	P/R	RK		Year	Pos	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2023–24	A	3	1st	6	4	1	1	14	3		3rd		2024	3rd	2	1	0	1	3	2
2025–26	A	To be determined											2026	To be determined
Total				6	4	1	1	14	3				Total	0 Title	2	1	0	1	3	2

Team Achievements

Major Trophies

• FIFA Women's World Cup
  • Winners (2): 2003, 2007
  • Runners-up (1): 1995

• UEFA Women's Championship
  • Winners (8): 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013
  • Runners-up (1): 2022

• Summer Olympic Games
  • Gold Medal (1): 2016
  • Bronze Medal (4): 2000, 2004, 2008, 2024

• UEFA Women's Nations League
  • Third place (1): 2024

Other Tournaments

• Algarve Cup
  • Winners (4): 2006, 2012, 2014, 2020

• Women's World Invitational Tournament
  • Winners (2): 1981, 1984

Awards for the Team

• FIFA Women's World Cup Fair Play Trophy
  • Winners: 1991

• FIFA Women's World Cup Most Entertaining Team
  • Winners: 2003

• German Sports Team of the Year
  • Winners: 2003, 2009

• Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf - a top German sports award)
  • Winners: 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2013, 2016

• Bambi Award (a German media award)
  • Winners: 2003, 2007

See also

In Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de Alemania para niños

• Sport in Germany
  • Football in Germany
    • Women's football in Germany
• Germany women's national football team
  • Germany women's national football team results
  • List of Germany women's international footballers
• Germany women's national youth football team
  • Germany women's national under-23 football team
  • Germany women's national under-21 football team
  • Germany women's national under-20 football team
  • Germany women's national under-19 football team
  • Germany women's national under-17 football team