Ann-Katrin Berger met Jess Carter when she joined Birmingham City FC in May 2016. Despite being teammates, they didn’t speak much during the first six months. “At the beginning, I thought she was arrogant, but as I got to know her, I found myself really drawn into her character,” says Ann-Katrin.
At the time, Jess was living at home with her family in Barford, Warwickshire, but was keen to spread her wings. “By 2017 I wanted to move out, and found out that Ann was looking for a housemate,” says Jess. “In February, we moved in together in Solihull.” They quickly became great friends, sharing their passion for football and films. “Jess was chilled and there was no drama at all,” says Ann-Katrin. “We like all the same TV shows, so there’s never any fighting over the remote.”
Although they built a strong friendship, Jess hadn’t considered the possibility that there could be more. “I had broken up with my boyfriend when I moved in, but as far as I knew I was straight,” she says. That summer, Jess went away for training, and the pair missed each other’s company. “She’s a naturally flirty person, which is the opposite of me,” says Ann-Katrin. Wondering if it could mean she was interested in something more than friendship, Ann-Katrin planned a night out for them when she returned. “A friend encouraged me and I thought, if I didn’t try, I might not get other chances.”
In August 2017, Ann-Katrin took Jess out for the dinner date she had planned, but Jess had no idea it was meant to be romantic. “When she used the word ‘date’, I thought she meant as friends. Even when she paid, it didn’t click, because she’s one of the most generous people I know.”
Mutual friends asked Jess how the evening went, but she still didn’t think romance was on the cards. “Ann-Katrin has all the qualities I’d look for in a partner, but I’d never dated a woman before, so I hadn’t really thought about it like that,” she says.
A few days later, they were relaxing at home when Ann-Katrin took a risk and initiated a kiss. “I was quite nervous because I didn’t know what her reaction would be. I always knew she was quite an open person, and she’d never ruled out being with a woman. At the same time, I heard her talk about guys, so I wasn’t sure.”
Initially, they didn’t speak about the kiss, but when it happened again a few days later, they had a frank discussion.
“I definitely sensed something was shifting, but it wasn’t until we kissed that I really thought about things in a different way,” says Jess. “Ann is not a serial dater, she needs to be emotionally invested. So for her to kiss me was a big thing. I cared about her so much as a friend, but I wasn’t clear on romantic feelings at the start.” She told Ann-Katrin that she wanted to give things a go, but couldn’t commit quickly. “I wasn’t sure if it was a phase for me, and didn’t want to lead her on,” she says.
Ann-Katrin may have been more certain about her feelings at first, but Jess quickly caught up. “It developed really quickly and naturally after that,” she says, and within months they had told each other “I love you”.
Not long after they became a couple, Ann-Katrin underwent treatment for thyroid cancer. “I was scared it would be too much for Jess, but she was so supportive,” she says. In June 2018, Jess moved to London to play for Chelsea. Ann Katrin joined the club in early 2019, and the pair now live together in London. When sport was paused during the lockdown, Jess says Ann-Katrin motivated her to carry on training: “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without Ann.”
In this year’s Uefa Women’s Euros, both women were in their team’s squad for the final – Jess for England and Ann-Katrin for Germany. “There wasn’t really any direct competition because we are both really chilled people,” says Jess. Ann-Katrin agrees: “I’m happy for her success.”
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