Women’s Euro 2025: How goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger beat cancer twice and the German hero became against France

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger’s heroic deeds in the penalty shootout helped Germany to beat France and book a semi-final in the European Championships for Ladies in Basel, Switzerland.

She had the rescue of the tournament so far, two stops in the penalty shootout and a successful place of her own place in the game that ended 1-1 after extra time.

The Gotham FC goalkeeper was not surprising-the player of the game and her quarter-final-winning performance becomes the more special when one gets to know her journey to this point.

Berger was part of the Germany team that lost to England in the final of Euro 2022, although she was an unused replacement. She then revealed that her tournament was diagnosed with thyroid cancer for the second time.

She managed to defeat the disease again and the only outer sign is a tattoo in her neck with the expression «everything we have is now» that she is ready to cover the scars.

«I feel that I am not a real emotional person,» Berger said. “I am happy that I am here and I am happy that I have the team that I have.

The ‘keeper was first diagnosed with cancer in 2017, while she was a Birmingham City player. Despite her Ilness, she was mentioned in the Team of the Year of the Professional Football players’ Association (PFA).

In 2019 she moved to Chelsea and won four consecutive ladies Super League titles during her stay in the London-based club.

«It is clear that time here makes it proud to be here and what happened in 2022 is in the past and I am now looking forward to the future and for me I now live my best life and I am in the semi -final,» she added.

Germany will be confronted with world champion Spain in the last four.

(With inputs of AP)