Sunday 20 / July / 2025
Ann-Katrin Berger ended the Euro 2025 quarterfinal as she’d started it, with a broad smile. As the rest of Germany’s team belted out the national anthem prematch with their game faces on, their goalkeeper grinned and took in the surroundings. After her second penalty save won a match Germany looked to have lost inside 15 minutes, that smile was wider still.
Just before her save, Berger herself scored a penalty in a 6-5 shootout win after the game had finished 1-1 after extra time. Before that, she’d made a stunning save in extra time, as her teammate Janina Minge’s header looped towards her own net.
Germany did it the hard way, playing with 10 players for well over 100 minutes after Kathrin Hendrich had been sent off early, with France’s Grace Geyoro scoring the resulting penalty on 15 minutes. Sjoeke Nüsken then equalized with a header for Germany ten minutes later before missing a penalty of her own in the second half.
Bouncing back from criticism
Berger had been the subject of plenty of scrutiny in the buildup after she was part of a defense that self-destructed in the 4-1 defeat to Sweden in Germany’s final group game. She has also had to contend with her partner, England’s Jess Carter, being similarly criticized for her performance in England’s penalty win over Sweden on Thursday.
"You learn from mistakes, and we showed that today," Berger said postmatch. "We just knew how to deal with a situation like that, and I think that was decisive. So I’m unbelievably proud of the team, and I’m happy that we got that beating from Sweden, because as you saw, it was really cool out there."
Having taken until the age of 34 to nail down a spot as Germany’s number one, she was not about to let this slip.
“A terrific performance," said Germany coach Christian Wück of his goalkeeper. “We knew that she would give us stability. We need personalities like Ann when we're outnumbered."
The former Chelsea and Turbine Potsdam keeper, who now plays for Gotham FC in the USA, was part of the Germany squad that finished runners-up in the previous Euros. But, during that tournament, she found out that her thyroid cancer had returned.
Fighting cancer to return to football
"It wasn't a happy moment obviously, and it was completely unexpected," she told tournament organizers UEFA recently. "But that's why I go for routine check-ups."
The cancer, which she beat for a second time in 2022, was first detected in 2017. Berger somehow returned to action just 61 days later after surgery. “As a footballer you don’t think about it. You have to live a healthy life, you do sport every day so it was quite a shock, it’s not usual in my family,” she told DW in 2019.
“For me it was not a solution to be ill," she continued. "As a sportsperson you have to fight everyday. Even for my position I have to fight every training session to be on the pitch on a Sunday. Goalkeepers have a bad reputation, I don’t know why, as crazy people. I wouldn’t say I am (crazy) but I think the mentality of a goalkeeper helped me through that as well."
That mentality was a key feature of Berger’s performance on Saturday. As well as her saves, she led a makeshift Germany defense through a match where they were concerned mostly with hanging on.
Penalty specialist
As well as her mental fortitude, penalties have been a defining feature of Berger’s career. But she said on Saturday that she still has improvements to make.
"In moments like that, nothing goes through my head. I go to my spot and wait for the referee to blow her whistle. I have to be a little critical of myself, because I think I jumped a little too early on a couple of penalties, and didn’t have the patience I had with the other penalties. But in the end it worked out."
It wasn't the first time it's worked out. After the retirement of previous first choice keeper, Merle Frohms, Berger had previously established her credentials by saving two penalties in the 2024 Olympics quarterfinals against Canada before scoring the decisive spot kick herself to send Germany through. She then saved another against Spain to secure her team a bronze medal.
Spain, World Cup winners in 2023 and who have won their four games so far in the Euros by a combined score of 14-3, await in Wednesday's semifinal. Berger will no doubt be ready with a smile.
