Captain of the German national team with 118 caps to her credit, Alexandra Pope has won almost everything to win: the Olympic Gold Medal, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, several UEFA Women’s Champions League and European Championship titles. Frauen-Bundesliga, as well as various individual honors. However, the Women’s European Championship remains an unfinished business in the 31-year-old’s career.
Bob was sidelined from the 2013 and 2017 editions of the competition due to various injuries, an ankle ligament tear and a meniscus problem respectively. In early 2021, he sustained an injury towards the end of his career when part of the cartilage inside his knee ruptured. Had the tournament not been postponed until 2022, the finals could have been missed for the third time in a row.
However, this latest injury kept her out for about 11 months, and she wasn’t fully fit again until March. Then, three weeks before Germany’s first game, came another setback: Popp tested positive for COVID-19 and had to self-isolate. After such a long way back to the court, would this have kept her off the court again?
Not so. Instead, on July 8, fans at Brentford Community Stadium were able to watch the end of a long personal ordeal. Coming off the bench for his eagerly awaited European Championship debut, Bob headed in Germany’s fourth goal in their victory over Denmark. Bob, who was visibly moved, raised her hands first to the sky before kneeling while her companions surrounded her.
“It was a very special moment, because I felt like a lot of people had already written off me,” Pope told UEFA.com. “I was able to show with my martial spirit and mentality that I’m still a force to be reckoned with. I’m not just here to collect numbers.”
Bob, who was originally seen as a replacement for striker Lea Schuler, started her last two group stage and quarter-final matches against Austria after her teammate was disqualified due to illness. And the goals did not stop advancing: with a header against Spain and Finland, before a mistake by Austrian goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger (forced by Bob herself) gave the striker her fourth goal of the tournament.
Bob is now the first player to score in four consecutive matches at the same UEFA Women’s Championship. The only other player to score in four consecutive Finals was compatriot Heidi Mohr, albeit in three different tournaments, from 1989 to 1993. “I won this fight – and that’s the right word – against my injuries and to be here now. I feel like I won this fight – and that’s the right word – to be here,” Bob said. Very proud.”
Her teammates are also grateful to have her by their side, and not just because of the wealth of experience she has accumulated at the highest level. “Bobby is a leader, on and off the field,” says quarterback Sarah Depritz. “His mindset and the energy he exudes every day inspire and motivate us all.”
Young Jules Brand, who will soon play alongside Bob at Wolfsburg, listed her “calmness on the pitch, mindset, drive and desire to give everything and result” as some of the qualities she admires in the captain, while Lena Magul added: “What matters to us is her strong personality. She really is a role model.”
Bob is currently the second-highest scorer in the finals, behind England’s Beth Mead, but the captain has an even more important goal: to lead Germany to their ninth title at the Women’s European Championship.
Most importantly, she hasn’t lost perspective: “We want to inspire those who have a passion for women’s football,” she said. “That’s what I’m hoping for from this tournament: that we make something permanent, both globally and in Germany, so we can keep the momentum going.”
“Analyst. Web buff. Wannabe beer trailblazer. Certified music expert. Zombie lover. Explorer. Pop culture fanatic.”