“I belong to Dortmund just as much as BVB does!” – An interview with new signing Lena Ostermeier | OneFootball

Lena, after 14 years at SGS Essen, you’ll be joining Borussia Dortmund this summer. What made you decide to make the move?I knew that I wanted to play for Borussia Dortmund at some point. I’m from Dortmund, I grew up with BVB, I used to watch the matches even as a child, and it was clear to me that I would have to play for this club one day. Now the time has come.

Even so, is there a touch of sadness about leaving Essen?Yes, of course. I grew up and developed as a footballer in Essen. I owe a great deal to Essen. It’s a very close-knit environment that welcomed me with open arms and supported me over many years. So, it’s by no means an easy step to make the move now. Nevertheless, I’m happy to be playing for BVB now and to experience something new.

Even though the manager, Markus Högner, is an old acquaintance?Without Markus, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He brought me up from the U17s and I’m incredibly grateful to him for everything he’s made possible for me. After a year apart, I’m glad to have him back as my manager because we simply know what we can expect from each other. Of course, we’ve both developed over the past year, so I’m also curious to see what it’ll be like to train with him again.

How would you describe yourself as a player?I’m a hard worker. I throw myself into every tackle and love it every time I win one, sliding in and giving it my all. In attack, I enjoy coaching the players. That means I can control the team from the back and help my teammates that way.

You were at home in the Bundesliga. Now it’s the Regionalliga next season. Why are you still convinced that this is the right move for you personally?I’ve noticed how committed BVB are to developing the women’s team. Everything and everyone behind it, everything that’s achieved off the pitch – it’s top-level professionalism. I want to be part of it, take the next step with BVB and help the club move forward.

You were born in Schwerte, started playing football at SV Sölderholz, did your PhD at TU Dortmund and are active in the volunteer fire brigade. What does Dortmund mean to you as a city?Dortmund is my home. I grew up in Lichtendorf and still live in Lichtendorf. You could almost say I belong to Dortmund just as much as BVB (laughs).

And how much is BVB a part of you?I grew up with BVB. As a small child, I first played football myself in Sölderholz. Afterwards, I’d always watch the BVB matches, get caught up in the excitement, and sometimes head straight back out into the garden afterwards because I wanted to do better if BVB had lost (laughs). So, BVB played a big part in my life from an early age, and it’s lovely that I can now do something for BVB.

You didn’t have that chance back then, as there was no women’s football at BVB. How have you experienced the developments over the past few years?I’ve been following it ever since it was discussed at the general meeting. When it was decided that there would be a women’s team, I was absolutely delighted. I also thought it was absolutely the right move to build women’s football from the ground up rather than buying our way into a higher division. That’s what makes BVB what it is. Of course, I would have been happy if it had happened a bit sooner, but I’m still glad that the women’s team is now where it is and that I’m part of it from now on.

What does it mean to you emotionally?It’s simply a childhood dream. Back then, you didn’t really think about it that much. At some point, it became clear that you couldn’t actually play for BVB because there was no women’s or girls’ team. That’s why I’m all the more delighted that I’ll finally be able to fulfil that dream from this summer.

What are your goals – both personally and with BVB?I’d obviously like to get as much playing time as possible. And to be perfectly honest, I want to win titles with BVB. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to win a single title at Essen. That’s why I’d be absolutely delighted if we could celebrate league titles and promotion here. But the most important thing, above all else, is to stay healthy.

Instead of Hafenstraße, it’ll be Strobelallee for you from now on. As a Dortmund native, how much are you looking forward to the Rote Erde stadium?At Essen, we certainly had one of the best stadiums in the top flight. But the Rote Erde stadium is much richer in tradition and has a completely different character. I was at the stadium for the derby against Schalke. That was very special and I even got goosebumps just sitting in the crowd. Now I’m just incredibly excited that I’ll soon be on the other side and get to experience and take it all in from the pitch.