Ann-Katrin Berger’s Penalty Heroics Send 10-Player Germany to Euro 2025 Semi-Final
What an unforgettable night of football it was in Basel. Germany, down to 10 players from just the 13th minute, somehow clawed their way into the semi-finals of Euro 2025—and the name on everyone's lips? Ann-Katrin Berger.
Let me walk you through it.
The drama started early. In a moment of sheer madness, German defender Kathrin Hendrich was shown a straight red card for pulling Griedge Mbock’s hair inside the penalty area. VAR confirmed the offense, and France’s Grace Geyoro calmly slotted home the penalty, giving France a 1-0 lead. From there, it looked like the match was only going one way.
But this German side is built different.
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Despite being a player down, Germany didn’t collapse. In fact, they fought back with real grit. Just ten minutes after going behind, Sjoeke Nüsken rose high to head home an equalizer from a Klara Bühl corner, and the belief surged through the team. From then on, it was a war of attrition—France had the possession, the numerical advantage, and even a second goal disallowed by VAR. But they couldn’t break Germany’s resolve.
And then came Ann-Katrin Berger.
Let’s be clear—Berger wasn’t just good. She was phenomenal. She faced ten shots, saved nine, made a couple of world-class stops, and kept Germany alive when France pushed hard late in the game. The atmosphere at St. Jakob-Park was electric, but it was Berger’s calm under pressure that really stood out.
When the game went to penalties, the pressure was unimaginable. Yet Germany stayed composed. They scored six out of seven, and it was Berger—already a hero—who had the final say. She dived low to deny Alice Sombath, sending Germany through to the semis with a 6-5 shootout win.
And if that wasn’t enough, she even stepped up to take one of the penalties herself—and buried it.
Let that sink in: a two-time cancer survivor, under the brightest spotlight, saving her team in regulation, scoring a penalty, then making the winning save. That’s movie script material.
Berger didn’t just play well—she etched her name into tournament history. Germany now look ahead to a semi-final clash with world champions Spain, but no matter what happens next, Ann-Katrin Berger has already delivered one of the defining performances of Euro 2025.
This wasn’t just football. This was pure resilience, drama, and heart—personified by one goalkeeper in green.
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