Timing. For so long, Germany’s Alexandra Popp had been on the wrong end of its uncontrollable twists, but now she is mastering them. As Popp arrived into the box to score Germany’s opening goal against France in the Euro 2022 semi-finals, the sense of inevitability masked the wonder that it was happening at all. It was the fifth game in a row in which she had scored, the first time in the history of the European Championships a player had done so, and it was followed by another perfectly calculated winner to set up a final against England at Wembley.
Just weeks after she had been plunged into a familiar cycle of heartbreak, the striker now finds herself level with England’s Beth Mead in the Golden Boot standings on six goals. Before the tournament, to play at a Euros, let alone score in one, signified a remarkable feat of perseverance. One of the standout players of her generation had yet to make an appearance in the European Championships by the age of 31. Serious injuries had ruled her out of the previous two tournaments: in 2013 she suffered a torn ankle ligament and four years later it was a torn meniscus. There was a further knee injury last year and if the Euros had been played last summer, as originally planned, it would have certainly ruled her out once more.
