The Night Of Basel
A magical night.
We witnessed the miracle of Dortmund when the 3-2 goal against Málaga was scored at the very last moment.
We saw Liverpool FC’s sensational 4-0 victory over Barcelona and the German men’s national team’s epic 7-1 win over Brazil.
And then, on July 19, 2025, we faced France in the quarterfinals of the Women's European Soccer Championship.
Early shock.
With only 10 players on the field at 1-4 due to a red card, things got even worse in the quarterfinals.
As early as the 13th minute, France was awarded a penalty kick and a red card—for what we’ll call an unnecessary hair-pulling incident.
1–0 France—at that point, the game was basically over for me. It looked as though the only question was how big the loss would be.
The 2:0 goal was correctly disallowed, and then in the 25th minute, the equalizer came—and from that point on, it was as if the red card hadn’t led to resignation but rather to a “now more than ever” feeling.
Gameplay.
Sure, it wasn't entirely unbiased, but at times it felt as if 10 German women soccer players were playing against 11 French women and the referees.
Germany fought and fought—until one of their few forays into the opponent’s penalty area resulted in a penalty kick.
Would that have been the deciding moment if it had been converted?
After all, it was already the 67th minute—and taking the lead wouldn’t have been entirely undeserved.
However, things turned out differently, and the score remained a thrilling 1–1.
The Extension.
Despite controlling possession, France was unable to create any truly dangerous chances, so the match went into extra time.
Germany fought with everything they had—and the most dangerous moment came in the 103rd minute, when a header clearance dropped very, very dangerously toward their own goal.
How Ann Katrin Berger managed to save that one is beyond me. The press is already calling it the “save of the century.” That’s pretty close to my definition.
Just before the end, the French team hit the crossbar, but the German goalkeeper was well-positioned and would likely have saved the ball if it had come in a little lower.
The penalty shootout.
By now, at the very latest, my nerves were on edge, but there was still Ms. Berger.
And she saved the very first penalty kick :-)
Unfortunately, Germany also hit the crossbar with a penalty kick, so it remained very exciting.
But there was still Ms. Berger. Not only did she successfully take a penalty kick herself, but she also saved a second one. With that, the semifinal was in the bag.
Conclusion.
I’ve rarely had the chance to experience a soccer night like this. Even more rarely have I seen a German team (whether the men’s or women’s) fight so hard. Their advancement to the semifinals was a well-deserved reward.
That’s why, for me, there isn’t just one heroine of the game—it was a masterpiece of teamwork.
But I’m especially happy for German goalkeeper Berger and Ms. Nüsken.
Ann Katrin Berger for playing flawlessly and keeping her cool during the penalty shootout that evening. By the end of the shootout, at the very latest, many critics must have fallen silent.
Sjoeke Nüsken for having the courage to step up again after missing a penalty kick.
Update from July 24, 2025.
Even though things unfortunately didn't go our way against Spain on July 23, 2025:
What will stay in our memories isn't the 0-1 loss to what is arguably the best team in the world right now, but the victory over France.
I'm already looking forward to the women's national team's next games. This European Championship has left me wanting more.
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