Germany goalkeeper Merle Frohms retires after Olympic benching
Goalkeeper Merle Frohms is retiring from the Germany women’s team shortly after being unexpectedly benched for the Paris Olympics.
Frohms earned 52 caps for Germany, including their run to the 2022 European Championship final and a surprising group-stage exit at the World Cup the following year.
In a statement from the German soccer federation on Tuesday, Frohms announced her decision to focus on her club career with Wolfsburg and expressed excitement about “having more time with family and friends again.”
The 29-year-old revealed she had already planned to retire from the national team after the Olympic tournament. Ann-Katrin Berger from Gotham FC started as Germany’s goalkeeper during their bronze medal win last month, while Frohms remained on the bench.
Coach Christian Wuck, who took charge after the Olympics, stated that Frohms would have continued to be a key player if she had stayed.
“I would have been very happy to work with Merle and I made that clear to her as well in a personal conversation,” he said in a statement. “Now she has made this decision, which I obviously must respect.”