2023-07-20 12:30:00
HomeLocalMunich District Unterhaching
Have a lot of confidence in the women’s national team: the youngsters Helena Rudrich (left) and Julian Hahnel from Fortuna Unterhaching. © Weinzierl
What the youngsters have to say about the Women’s World Cup in soccer. It is also about role assignments and clichés.
Unterhaching – The euphoria surrounding the German women’s national soccer team at the European Championships in England last year was huge. During the unfortunate 2-1 final defeat of the footballers against the hosts, more viewers sat in front of the television in Germany than at the men’s World Cup final in Qatar. Today is the start of the women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand – a reason to ask the grassroots directly how women’s football is doing in this country and what is expected of the opposite sex after the men’s disappointing World Cup. Helena Rudrich (12) and Julian Hahnel (13) answer questions. Both kick for Fortuna Unterhaching. Striker Helena played for the U13 juniors until the end, but has also helped out several times in Julian’s team, the U13 II juniors.
You both had a tournament at the weekend. How did it go?
Helena: Not so good. Unfortunately, we only finished seventh out of eight teams. However, there were also very strong opponents like Wacker and Schwaben Augsburg.
Julian: I’m not satisfied either. We played a tournament at FC Grün-Weiß Gröbenzell and only finished fourth. Ironically, in the last game we blew up third place.
Helena, so you couldn’t support the boys because you played yourself. But otherwise you’ve helped out with Julian’s team several times. Is this a big change for you?
Helena: It’s actually possible. They play a slightly different tactic than our team. And of course the opponents are often bigger and stronger than the girls. It’s also harder to assert yourself.
Julian, how does substitute striker Helena go down in your team?
Julian: Great. She is technically very good and can dribble well. And she plays smart. If an opponent fouls her, she also falls down and gets a free kick, which unfortunately doesn’t often work out for us.
Since you’ve played in both teams, Helena, you’re the expert: Who plays better football now? The boys or the girls?
Helena: These are the boys. But that’s mainly because we have a lot of young players in the U13s who are only ten years old. And the boys are all 12 or 13 years old. They are faster and better recorded. With us girls there was only the U13 junior team. We now also have a U9.
Speaking of better: will the women’s national team do better at the World Cup than the men in Qatar a good six months ago?
Helena: Yes. They played great football at the European Championships last year and fought really hard.
Julian: Yes. They made it to the final against England last year. I watched that on TV too. And the football men are really bad at the moment.
Do you know some of the German soccer players?
Helena: Alexandra Popp is really good. She also plays up front like me and is my role model for women. Goalkeeper Merle Frohms is also very good.
Julian: There’s also Lina Magull. She also plays for FC Bayern and, I think, also for the national team.
Helena: Yes, she plays in midfield and is really strong.
Do you also know who the German women have to compete against in the preliminary round?
Helena: Sure. Against South Korea, Morocco and Colombia.
you really know your stuff Will you watch the games on TV?
Helena: If possible, by all means. However, many games are in the morning – and we still have school there.
Julian: At least during the holidays, I want to take a look.
Vn the men’s national soccer team, many people collect the stickers before every major tournament. Do you know that there is also a sticker album for the women’s national team?
Helena: Yes.
Julian: Really? I think there’s just not enough .
What do you think, is women’s football as accepted as men’s football?
Helena: I wish there were more girls’ and women’s teams.
Julian: Men’s football has been around for much longer, so it still takes time. The women just don’t have as many fans yet – and they aren’t paid as well as the men either.
Back to the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand: What do you think, how far will the German women get?
Julian: They’ll be world champions.
Helena: I think they will definitely make it to the final.
Who will be the final opponent then?
Helena: I don’t know.
Julian: Maybe the US. They are defending champions and have a very strong women’s team.
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