Style PASS: Congratulations on being voted "Footballer of the Year". What does this title mean to you?

Alexandra Popp: It is of course a great personal recognition, especially if you didn't expect it. I am very happy about it and hope that the award will strengthen my self-confidence for the coming season.

 

Style PASS: Interesting point, you are addressing your self-confidence: At 23, you have already won the relevant titles: U20 World Championship with the national team, two Champions League titles at the club, and the German Championship. What other sporting goals do you have?

I want to continue to win the titles that are possible with the team. I believe that as a competitive athlete in a team sport you can never be hungry enough for titles.

Style PASS: You are publicly quoted as saying that the "conditions in Wolfsburg are top". What does that mean to you?

The whole environment! The team is a perfect team, with many different characters; both on and off the court, we all get along well. I finde, the trainer team does an outstanding job here, the training conditions are ideal. Every player can develop individually. And besides that, I'm also doing an apprenticeship at Tierpflegerin. All in all, everything fits together very well, that's why definitiv can be called 'top conditions'.

 

Style PASS: With Ralf Kellermann you are trained by a man, you played football with boys as a girl. Could mixed teams be a vision for football?

I think that playing soccer with boys as a girl is an advantage - but I don't know any other way. You're just a little - I'll call it that now - hardened, which is the strength of the duel and the the duel hardness. I would advise every young girl to play together with boys as long as possible and - if possible - to do so besides playing in a women's team. It has brought me further and I see the teamwork very positively.

 

Style PASS: What does a normal week in the life of Alexandra Popp look like?

I'm at the pitch at about eight o'clock, training starts at half past eight and lasts until about ten. Then we change and freshen up and from there we go straight to the zoo where I work. At about 2 pm I go home for a short time to have something to eat, at 5 pm is the afternoon training and then the day is over.

 

Style PASS: I didn't really notice the training at all!

It is between the training sessions!

 

Style PASS: Empfinden Is this a double burden or an enrichment?

Yes, you could say that it is a double burden, (laughs). I actually have hardly any free time.

 

Style PASS: It's no secret that men earn a lot more than women in football, empfinden Do you consider that fair?

In the meantime, I don't think people worry about that anymore. Of course men earn more - so much for equality. But you also have to realize that women only got into football much, much later. I think at the moment we're seeing a very good development in women's football.

 

Style PASS: You play both as a striker and as a retired striker with ball distribution duties. Do you have to decide on a position at some point or does it suit your nature to be able to use flexibel?

In my entire career I have always been flexibel as far as the position is concerned. Of course, you have your favourite positions, for example, that I play as a ten when playing with only one point. But I'm always happy when I'm in the starting eleven in the service of the team.

 

Style PASS: The fact that you scored the winning goal in the final against Frankfurt in the 89th minute of the final in 2013 should certainly have played a role in your selection as Footballer of the Year. How strong are your nerves?

**laughs** I had strong nerves then! But like you said: I've already experienced a lot in my life and I've been able to take some of my experiences with me. I am also a fighter and ambitious. At that time we just wanted to turn the game around. With the header goal, everything fit together: The free kick, which came into the middle, my run-up, but the most important thing was then the blocking of Nilla Fischer and Ivonne Hartmann, so that I could get up in the air alone.

 

Style PASS: One last question: You are supposed to be eleven friends - does that apply to Wölfinnen?

Yes, what we have done on the court the last two seasons is just fun! And as I said, it also fits next to the court: We go to the movies or dinner together. And I would say: We are not only eleven girlfriends, we are even 26.

 

Style PASS: That's right, you forget that sometimes.

The support from the bank is fucking important!