Another day, another title for Nadine Angerer, just a few months after the Germany goalkeeper finally took her place on the world stage. Last summer, Angerer saved two penalties to give Germany a 1-0 win over Norway in the UEFA Women’s EURO final in Sweden, a feat which made the 35-year-old custodian the latest face of women’s football. In the vote for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2013, the European champion was up against USA striker Abby Wambach and Brazilian Marta, who has already won the award on five previous occasions.
More than 6,000 fans welcomed Germany back to Frankfurt, particularly "Super Natze", who was named UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe soon afterwards, before becoming the second German player after Birgit Prinz (2003-2005) and the first goalkeeper to be crowned FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year.
Germany’s "matriarch" on European success
"It’s very difficult to put into words how you feel after a success like this", said Angerer in Frankfurt after the European Championship win. "I still can’t take it in. I’m totally happy, overwhelmed and still speechless. It’s just crazy."
As the "matriarch" of the national side, Angerer breathed new life into a team that had been overhauled after the disappointing early exit on home soil at the 2011 World Cup, and was already ready to add a little fun to proceedings too. Although the goalkeeper remained largely silent but grinning at the private party held in Frankfurt to celebrate the team’s European success, she briefly placed her trademark hat onto the head of DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach.
No time for boredom
The adventurous Germany captain, who has now has winners’ medals from five European Championships and two World Cups to date, left herself no time for boredom after such an exciting summer. In September, she moved ‘down under’ to join Brisbane Roar and take on new challenges, including driving on the left and encountering all manner of Australian wildlife.
"I’m doing really, really well", reported Angerer recently, despite high temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius causing discomfort both on and off the football pitch. "I don’t have any air conditioning at home, so I kept all the room dark and barricaded myself in," she explained. "It was so hot, I wanted to get out of my own skin."
A sad farewell to Australia
Despite the climate, Angerer has grown to love the country and its people. "I’m already sad because it’ll all be over at the end of February." After playing in the Algarve Cup with Germany in May, the keeper’s next stop is the USA. She signed a new contract on Wednesday and wanted to reveal the name of her new NWSL club during the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday before returning the other side of the globe.
Joining her on her travels is her neighbour, Collum Gatway, who was informed a couple of weeks ago that "you’re coming with me to Zurich". According to Angerer, Gatway is "a really nice guy, a big football fan and had never been outside Australia before". He is likely to be another person more interested in women’s football as a result of Angerer’s impact on the sport.
The vote result
1. Nadine Angerer (Germany/1. FFC Frankfurt/Brisbane Roar) 18.85 per cent
2. Abby Wambach (USA/Western New York Flash) 15.02
3. Marta (Brazil/Tyresö FF) 14.02
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Another day, another title for Nadine Angerer, just a few months after the Germany goalkeeper finally took her place on the world stage. Last summer, Angerer saved two penalties to give Germany a 1-0 win over Norway in the UEFA Women’s EURO final in Sweden, a feat which made the 35-year-old custodian the latest face of women’s football. In the vote for FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year 2013, the European champion was up against USA striker Abby Wambach and Brazilian Marta, who has already won the award on five previous occasions.
More than 6,000 fans welcomed Germany back to Frankfurt, particularly "Super Natze", who was named UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe soon afterwards, before becoming the second German player after Birgit Prinz (2003-2005) and the first goalkeeper to be crowned FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year.
Germany’s "matriarch" on European success
"It’s very difficult to put into words how you feel after a success like this", said Angerer in Frankfurt after the European Championship win. "I still can’t take it in. I’m totally happy, overwhelmed and still speechless. It’s just crazy."
As the "matriarch" of the national side, Angerer breathed new life into a team that had been overhauled after the disappointing early exit on home soil at the 2011 World Cup, and was already ready to add a little fun to proceedings too. Although the goalkeeper remained largely silent but grinning at the private party held in Frankfurt to celebrate the team’s European success, she briefly placed her trademark hat onto the head of DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach.
No time for boredom
The adventurous Germany captain, who has now has winners’ medals from five European Championships and two World Cups to date, left herself no time for boredom after such an exciting summer. In September, she moved ‘down under’ to join Brisbane Roar and take on new challenges, including driving on the left and encountering all manner of Australian wildlife.
"I’m doing really, really well", reported Angerer recently, despite high temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius causing discomfort both on and off the football pitch. "I don’t have any air conditioning at home, so I kept all the room dark and barricaded myself in," she explained. "It was so hot, I wanted to get out of my own skin."
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A sad farewell to Australia
Despite the climate, Angerer has grown to love the country and its people. "I’m already sad because it’ll all be over at the end of February." After playing in the Algarve Cup with Germany in May, the keeper’s next stop is the USA. She signed a new contract on Wednesday and wanted to reveal the name of her new NWSL club during the Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday before returning the other side of the globe.
Joining her on her travels is her neighbour, Collum Gatway, who was informed a couple of weeks ago that "you’re coming with me to Zurich". According to Angerer, Gatway is "a really nice guy, a big football fan and had never been outside Australia before". He is likely to be another person more interested in women’s football as a result of Angerer’s impact on the sport.
The vote result
1. Nadine Angerer (Germany/1. FFC Frankfurt/Brisbane Roar) 18.85 per cent
2. Abby Wambach (USA/Western New York Flash) 15.02
3. Marta (Brazil/Tyresö FF) 14.02
