Women’s Euro 2025 | Ann-Katrin Berger takes responsibility for Germany’s semi-final defeat | OneFootball

Another hard-fought performance by the German women’s national team proved insufficient in Wednesday evening’s UEFA Women’s Euro semi-final. Despite the fact that the Germans fought every bit as hard as they did in a quarterfinal victory over France, Spain were able to prevail in another match that went to extra time. A 1-0 victory for the defending World Champions was secured via an Aitana Bonmati goal in the 113th-minute.

A game that featured so many potential storylines ended up coming down to a single lapse in concentration. Bonmati – to her credit – showed why she is a two-time female Ballon d’or winner by cleverly pouncing on a seemingly innocuous ball and firing in an unexpected shot. German keeper Ann-Katrin Berger nevertheless didn’t track Bonmati well. Attempting to organize her centre backs for a potential cross, Berger wasn’t even looking at Bonmati.

Berger went from the hero of last Saturday’s improbable victory to the one forced to accept responsibility for the DFB team’s elimination. Speaking to ARD shortly after the full-time whistle, the 34-year-old acknowledged Bonmati’s “brilliance” while emphasizing that she had no excuse for properly tending to her near post.

“I take the blame,” Berger told ARD afterwards. “I had to cover the near post. That’s why I’m all the more disappointed in myself, because no matter how many saves I make, that one should have been mine. I feel incredibly sorry for the team.

“The girls played a great game,” Berger continued. “The disappointment is huge. We gave everything until the very last second. It all came down to one instance in which we weren’t switched on. That makes it all the more bitter.“

For whatever it was worth, neither Bundestrainer Christian Wück nor squad captain Janina Minge felt it fair to place the blame squarely on Berger’s shoulders. Both professionals emphasized that, without Berger’s performances, the team would not have made it this far.

“Everyone knows that Ann has kept us in the tournament so many times,” Minge said. “It’s extremely bitter that a ball like that went in, but five balls that Ann saved brilliantly could have gone in before that. Ann is definitely not to blame.”

GGFN | Peter Weis