Berger typifies Germany's fight as tough Euro semifinal looms

Amid Germany's wild postmatch celebrations at Basel's St. Jakob-Park on Saturday night, there was one player who found herself at the center of the media attention. "It's not just me," goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger told the TV cameras as they followed her around the pitch. "The team is also important."

It was a typically modest outlook from a player who has never shown much interest in seeking out the spotlight. However, as much as it required a monumental collective effort from Germany to see off France and reach the semifinals of Euro 2025, Berger was undeniably hero of the night.

It had been a night full of adversity for Christian Wuck's side. They had been reduced to 10 players in the 13th minute after experienced defender Kathrin Hendrich was dismissed for a blatant hair pull on Griedge Mbock inside the penalty area. Their misery was then compounded when Grace Geyoro converted the resulting spot-kick, seemingly consigning the eight-time European champions to a disappointing quarterfinal exit.

But, galvanized by the challenging circumstances, Germany grew into the contest, equalizing through Chelsea's Sjoeke Nüsken after 25 minutes to take France to extra time and, ultimately, penalties.

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Wuck's side survived some major scares, with the interventions of VAR twice denying France the chance to restore their lead due to an offside infringement. But it was Berger who proved herself the difference maker, making a total of nine saves across the 120 minutes -- the most by a goalkeeper in a Euros knockout stage match since 2013.

Among them was a stunning stop to prevent an own goal from teammate Janina Minge in the first portion of extra time; Berger diving backwards to inexplicably claw the ball off the line.

"She is a player who has had extreme experiences," Wuck said of his 34-year-old goalkeeper after the game. "That is a very important character trait. I think her faith and pathway in life has made sure she is patient, and the patience and calmness she brings to the team she proved today."

Indeed, Berger is a player who knows better than most that there are more important things in life than football. In 2017, the former Chelsea goalkeeper -- who won four Women's Super League titles with the Blues before joining NWSL side Gotham FC in 2024 -- was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

At the time, Berger was playing for Birmingham City, and she returned to the pitch just 76 days after her diagnosis, earning herself a place in the PFA Team of the Year with a string of superb displays. Her excellent form earned her a move to Chelsea the following season however, in 2022, she was once again dealt a huge personal blow when she discovered the cancer had returned.

And perhaps, as Wuck suggested, it was Berger's ability to put the high stakes of a football match into perspective that helped her to keep a cool head during Saturday's shootout. Showing little sign of anxiety, Berger brilliantly saved Amel Majri's opening penalty before emphatically slotting her own spot-kick past Pauline Peyraud-Magnin and making the decisive stop against Alice Sombath to earn Germany's place in the last four.

"Germany deserved the qualification," France manager Laurent Bonadei admitted after the game. "The Germany team was heroic.

"They really hurt us in the duels ... They defended very well in their half; they didn't leave any space. It was really hard to find solutions between the lines. We tried to use the wings, but our passing was not good enough."

For France, who also lost out to Germany in the semifinals at Euro 2022, it was a bruising night. But for Germany, beaten by England in the final at Wembley three years ago, it was another reminder of their enduring pedigree on this stage.

They are -- by some distance -- the most successful team in Women's European Championship history, winning eight out of the 13 previous editions of the tournament, including six consecutive triumphs between 1995 and 2013. They are also two-time Women's World Cup winners and claimed Olympic Gold in 2016.

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Berger praises Germany teammates after shootout heroics

After her crucial penalties performance against France, Ann-Katrin Berger credits her teammates as Germany advance to the Euro 2025 semi-final vs. Spain.

But, after their near-miss at Euro 2022, Germany faltered, memorably failing to make it out of the World Cup group stage for the first time in their history in 2023. By the end of that year, manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg had left her role by mutual consent, with Wuck taking charge in the summer of 2024 following Horst Hrubesch's brief interim spell as boss.

Wuck had spent more than a decade with the German Football Association (DFB), guiding the men's Under-17 side to glory at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia in 2023. He had never coached a women's team before, but DfB president Bernd Neuendorf still felt he was the right man for the job.

"Christian has proven he can develop personalities and mold teams into a cohesive unit," Neuendorf said. "I am convinced that he is the right person to lead our team into the future."

Certainly, that cohesion was clear against France, when the team bounced back from their chastening 4-1 group stage defeat to Sweden to clinch a victory that defied the odds.

"I can say for certain that tonight was the best and hardest-fought performance I've seen from the team since I've known them -- against an opponent who demanded everything from us," Wuck said in his postmatch news conference. "That was incredible."

If Germany are to make it past world champions and tournament favorites Spain in the semifinals, though, they will need to be prepared for an even tougher battle. The continued absence of captain Giulia Gwinn -- who suffered a serious knee injury in her country's tournament opener against Poland -- is a massive blow, while Nusken and Hendrich will also be suspended for the clash with Spain in Zurich.

Still, with Germany already having pulled off the near-impossible against France, only a fool would bet against them making more history on Wednesday night.