Best Women Soccer Players From Germany: Germany’s women’s soccer team is really good! They won the Women’s World Cup twice and the Women’s European Championship eight times. The team is famous for scoring a lot of goals and having amazing players.
Some of the best goal-scorers in the German female’s soccer team are Birgit Prinz, Inka Grings, and Célia Šašić.
Best Women Soccer Players From Germany
In this article, we’ll talk about these great players and how they helped Germany win two World Cups and eight European Championships.
10. Martina Müller
- Career Span: 2001–2014
- Matches: 101
- Goals: 37
- Average: 0.37
Martina Müller is a famous soccer player from Germany. She was a key player in the German women’s national team and one of their top scorers. On September 19, 2012, Martina celebrated her 100th international game by scoring 3 goals in a match against Turkey, which Germany won 10-0. Later that year, on November 20, she announced that she would retire from the national team. Her final match was nine days later. In total, Martina scored 37 goals in 101 games for the national team.
Martina, along with her teammates Nilla Fischer and Nadine Keßler, was nominated for the UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe Award in 2014 and came in second place in the voting.
Martina retired from professional soccer after the 2014/15 season. However, she continued playing in amateur leagues. She played for STV Holzland in the state league for a few years and later joined TSV Barmke in the Oberliga Niedersachsen and Regionalliga in 2021.
9. Kerstin Garefrekes
- Career Span: 2001–2011
- Matches: 130
- Goals: 43
- Average: 0.33
Kerstin Garefrekes is a talented women’s soccer player from Germany. She made her debut for the senior national team on November 17, 2001, in a game against the Netherlands. She scored her first international goal on January 27, 2002, in a match against Norway.
Throughout her career, Garefrekes achieved significant success with the German national team. She was part of the team that won the World Cup in 2003 and 2007, as well as the European Championship in 2005 and 2009. In 2004, she became the top scorer in the Bundesliga with 26 goals. She also won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
Garefrekes temporarily served as captain for the national team during the 2011 World Cup. Garefrekes retired from the national team in August 2011 after earning 130 international caps, making her one of the top players in Germany in terms of international appearances.
Garefrekes concluded her illustrious career on May 16, 2016, after playing a total of 130 appearances for the national team scoring 43 goals, and achieving numerous titles including World Cup victories, European Championships, Olympic medals, and multiple league and cup triumphs.
8. Silvia Neid
- Career Span: 1982–1996
- Matches: 111
- Goals: 48
- Average: 0.43
Silvia Neid was a prominent soccer player from Germany and one of the top scorers in the German women’s national team. She made her international debut on November 10, 1982, in a match against Switzerland, becoming the second youngest player to come on as a substitute and score a goal.
Neid held the record for the most national team appearances until 1998, with a total of 111 games. She scored 48 goals in her international career and was the team captain on many occasions. In 1989, she led the team to their first European Championship title. She also played a crucial role in the 1995 World Cup, captaining the team in all matches.
Despite her numerous successes, including seven German championships and six DFB Cup victories, Neid did not achieve the ultimate triumphs of winning the World Cup or an Olympic gold medal during her playing career.
In addition to her achievements on the field, Neid’s goal against FC Bayern Munich in May 1988 was named the goal of the month, showcasing her exceptional skills.
7. Anja Mittag
- Career Span: 2004–2017
- Matches: 158
- Goals: 50
- Average: 0.32
Anja Mittag was a standout women’s soccer player from Germany and one of the top scorers in the German women’s national team. She made her debut in an international match against Italy on March 31, 2004, in a 1-0 win. Although it took almost a year, she scored her first goal against Norway on March 11, 2005.
Mittag played a key role in several major tournaments. In the 2005 European Championships, she helped Germany win the title for the sixth time, scoring one goal in the final against Norway. She also contributed to Germany’s World Cup victory in 2007 and their Olympic bronze medal in 2008. In the 2009 European Championships, Mittag scored one goal as Germany won their seventh title.
After being left out of the squad for the 2011 World Cup due to weaker performances, Mittag made a strong comeback. She played a vital role in the 2013 European Championships, scoring the winning goal in the final against Norway. Mittag achieved a milestone on November 23, 2013, becoming the 18th German player to reach 100 international matches and contributing two goals in a 6-0 win against Slovakia. In the 2015 World Cup, Mittag played six games and scored five goals, earning her the “Bronze Shoe” award as the third-best goalscorer in the tournament. She continued her success in the 2016 Rio Olympics, helping Germany secure the gold medal in the final against Sweden.
Mittag reached another milestone in her career, scoring her 50th international goal in a 1-0 win against England in the 2017 SheBelieves Cup. However, she decided to retire from the national team on August 22, 2017, after a successful and impactful career representing Germany.
6. Bettina Wiegmann
- Career Span: 1989–2003
- Matches: 154
- Goals: 51
- Average: 0.33
Bettina Wiegmann was an outstanding women’s soccer player from Germany and one of the top scorers in the German women’s national team. She had remarkable success on the international stage, winning the European Championships in 1991, 1995, 1997, and 2001, as well as the 2003 World Cup in the USA.
Wearing the national team jersey 154 times between October 1, 1989, and October 12, 2003, she scored 51 goals. In February 1999, she participated in a special match against the United States women’s national football team, although it wasn’t officially counted as an international match.
On September 27, 2003, Wiegmann made history by surpassing the male record national player Lothar Matthäus with her 151 games. She held the record for the national team’s most appearances until November 2006 when Birgit Prinz took over. In recognition of her remarkable contributions, she was named the DFB’s first honorary captain on October 22, 2004.
Wiegmann’s incredible goal-scoring abilities were evident in her eleven goals at World Cups, five goals at European Championship finals (including the 1994/95 semi-finals), and three goals at the Olympic Games. Her illustrious career with the national team concluded with a memorable victory in the 2003 World Cup final.
5. Célia Šašić
- Career Span: 2005–2015
- Matches: 111
- Goals: 63
- Average: 0.57
Célia Šašić was a remarkable women’s soccer player from Germany and one of the top scorers in the German women’s national team. Her talent was spotted early, and she joined the national team in 2004 after becoming a German citizen.
Šašić made her senior national team debut in 2005 and played a significant part in Germany’s victories at the Algarve Cup in 2006 and the European Championships in 2013. She also played a pivotal role in the 2015 World Cup, scoring six goals and earning the Golden Shoe as the tournament’s top scorer.
Despite her success, Šašić made a surprising decision to retire from professional football in 2015 at the age of 27. She chose to focus on her studies, future career, and starting a family. She was honored by sports journalists, winning Germany’s Footballer of the Year for the second time and being named European Footballer of the Year.
She was also a finalist for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or, finishing in second place. Her impact on women’s soccer and her remarkable goal-scoring abilities made her a standout player in the sport’s history.
4. Inka Grings
- Career Span: 1996–2012
- Matches: 96
- Goals: 64
- Average: 0.67
Inka Grings, one of the best women’s soccer players from Germany and the fourth-highest scorer in the German women’s team, had a remarkable career with both her national team and various clubs.
She achieved a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and her impressive 38 goals in one season still stand unmatched. Unfortunately, her career faced setbacks due to injuries. Despite these challenges, she continued her dedication to the sport.
Grings faced a suspension in 2006 due to conflicts with her coach but eventually continued with Duisburg, winning titles like the UEFA Women’s Cup and the DFB Cup in 2009. She also played for FC Zurich and the Chicago Red Stars before returning to Germany with 1. FC Köln.
In her international career, she announced her resignation from the national team in 2012 and officially ended her playing career in 2014 after 96 appearances and scoring 64 goals. Inka Grings will be remembered as one of the most prolific and dedicated players in women’s soccer history.
3. Alexandra Popp
- Career Span: 2010–
- Matches: 133
- Goals: 66
- Average: 0.5
Alexandra Popp is a standout women’s soccer player from Germany and the third-highest scorer in the German women’s national team. She made her debut in 2010 and quickly made a name for herself. Popp showcased her skills at the 2010 U-20 Women’s World Cup, winning the title with her team and becoming the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals, earning her the “Golden Shoe” and “Golden Ball” awards.
She played in the 2011 World Cup, scoring four goals in a match against Kazakhstan. In the 2015 World Cup, she contributed to Germany’s performance, scoring a goal in a 10-0 win against Ivory Coast. Popp also played a crucial role in the 2016 Olympics, helping Germany secure the gold medal in the final against Sweden.
Popp became the team captain at the 2019 World Cup, scoring her 100th international goal in the round of 16 against Nigeria. She continued her remarkable form at the 2022 European Championships, scoring in each group game as well as the quarter-finals and semi-finals, setting a record that no player had achieved in a European Championship before. Despite missing the final due to injury, Popp was recognized for her outstanding performance and was named in the UEFA “Eleven of the Tournament.”
Her contributions to the German national team have cemented her legacy as one of the best women’s soccer players in Germany’s history.
2. Heidi Mohr
- Career Span: 1986–1996
- Matches: 104
- Goals: 83
- Average: 0.8
Heidi Mohr was a phenomenal women’s soccer player from Germany and the second-highest scorer in the German women’s national team. She achieved remarkable success, winning the European Championships in 1989, 1991, and 1995, as well as finishing as the runner-up at the 1995 World Championships.
One of her memorable moments came in the 1989 European Championship final against Norway, where she scored a goal in a 4-1 victory, securing Germany’s first European Championship title. She was instrumental in the 1991 European Championships, scoring crucial goals, including a solo effort from the halfway line in the final, which was later voted as the “Goal of the Month.”
In total, Mohr scored eight goals at the European Championships and ten goals at the World Championships. She played 104 international matches, scoring 83 goals. Mohr held the record for the most goals in the German national team until June 2005 when Birgit Prinz surpassed her tally.
Her remarkable career with the national team concluded on September 29, 1996, in a match against Iceland under the coaching of Tina Theune-Meyer. Mohr’s exceptional skills and achievements made her one of the best women’s soccer players in German history.
1. Birgit Prinz
- Career Span: 1994–2011
- Matches: 214
- Goals: 128
- Average: 0.6
Birgit Prinz is the Best women’s soccer player from Germany. She started playing internationally at just 16 years old. In her first international match against Canada, she came in as a substitute and scored a goal, making her the second youngest player to do so at that time. She played for the German national team for many years.
Throughout her career, Prinz broke several records. She became Germany’s all-time leading goal scorer, scoring a total of 128 goals. She also played in many international tournaments, including the World Cup and the Olympics. In the 2008 Olympics, she scored four goals in a single game against China, setting a new record for women’s Olympic soccer.
Prinz was the captain of the German national team from 2003 to 2011. She played in numerous World Cup games and scored 14 goals, a record that stood until it was broken by Marta in 2015. Prinz retired from international soccer in 2011 after playing 214 matches for Germany, the most by any European player at that time.
She played her farewell game in 2012, scoring goals for both her club team, 1. FFC Frankfurt, and the German national team. Prinz’s contribution to women’s soccer is widely celebrated, and she remains one of the most iconic players in the sport’s history.
