The U19s women are travelling to Slovakia today, where they will take part in the European Championship from 19th to 31st July. Nina Ehegötz was at EURO 2015 in Israel, and so is one of the more experienced players in the Germany squad. In a DFB.de interview the 19-year-old speaks about the special features of a European Championship and looks forward to the upcoming tournament.
DFB.de: Nina Ehegötz, you took part in the EUROs last year. What can you take from this tournament?
Nina Ehegötz: We played with a higher age group in the last EUROs. As younger players we gathered a lot of experience. Now we want to pass this experience on to the newest members of the squad. I am ready to take on more responsibility.
DFB.de: In 2015 you were knocked out in the semi-final against European champions Sweden.
Ehegötz: we played very well against Sweden – before the penalty shootout it was 3-3. But we should have used our chances on goal a lot better, and we gave Stina Blackstenius, who has played for the Sweden Women’s first team way too much space. We learnt a lot from that game and we want to do better this time.
DFB.de: What are the special features of a tournament like this one?
Ehegötz: Everything. It is what you look forward to and prepare for all year round. Being together with your teammates and the time around the games, as well as the matches themselves and the tension that comes with them, are all what makes a European championship such a unique experience.
DFB:de: You are together in the hotel with three other teams. Are there already friendships with any of the opposing players?
The U19s women are travelling to Slovakia today, where they will take part in the European Championship from 19th to 31st July. Nina Ehegötz was at EURO 2015 in Israel, and so is one of the more experienced players in the Germany squad. In a DFB.de interview the 19-year-old speaks about the special features of a European Championship and looks forward to the upcoming tournament.
DFB.de: Nina Ehegötz, you took part in the EUROs last year. What can you take from this tournament?
Nina Ehegötz: We played with a higher age group in the last EUROs. As younger players we gathered a lot of experience. Now we want to pass this experience on to the newest members of the squad. I am ready to take on more responsibility.
DFB.de: In 2015 you were knocked out in the semi-final against European champions Sweden.
Ehegötz: we played very well against Sweden – before the penalty shootout it was 3-3. But we should have used our chances on goal a lot better, and we gave Stina Blackstenius, who has played for the Sweden Women’s first team way too much space. We learnt a lot from that game and we want to do better this time.
DFB.de: What are the special features of a tournament like this one?
Ehegötz: Everything. It is what you look forward to and prepare for all year round. Being together with your teammates and the time around the games, as well as the matches themselves and the tension that comes with them, are all what makes a European championship such a unique experience.
DFB:de: You are together in the hotel with three other teams. Are there already friendships with any of the opposing players?
Ehegötz: You stay mostly within your own teams normally but we did meet and talk to some of the other players last year.
DFB.de: What distinguishes you as a team?
Ehegötz: We have known each other for a relatively long time now and have become a really strong team. We want to show this characteristic, this togetherness, during the European Championship. We work well as a team but also have players with plenty of individual quality in all positions.
DFB.de: You will be facing Spain in the first group match. How much of a challenge do you think you will face against them?
Ehegötz: We have often played against Spain in tournaments and it has almost always been during the group stage. They are a strong side that is very good technically and well drilled. They have always made life very difficult for us. We were able to progress after beating them 1-0 last year and we would like to get another positive result again in Slovakia.
DFB.de: How do you rate your chances of winning the European Championship?
Ehegötz: It’s hard to say as I am not that familiar with our other group stage opponents Austria and Switzerland. Furthermore, it also depends a lot on how your form is on the day and how the game goes. There are no easy opponents at a European Championship so we will have to be prepared. We want to survive the group stage to begin with then everything will be shuffled about in the knockout rounds anyway. Our aim is obviously to go as far as we can in the tournament.
