Germany claimed the bronze medal in women’s soccer at the Paris Olympics with a tense 1-0 victory over Spain, the reigning Women’s World Cup champions. Ann-Katrin Berger became the hero of the match, saving a last-minute penalty taken by Spain’s Alexia Putellas in the ninth minute of stoppage time. As the whistle blew, Berger celebrated with her arms raised, while Putellas, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, was visibly emotional on the field.
Giulia Gwinn scored the decisive goal for Germany, converting a penalty in the 64th minute after being fouled by Spain’s goalkeeper Cata Coll. This victory marks Germany’s fourth bronze medal in women’s soccer at the Olympics. They previously won gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games but did not qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Spain, making their Olympic debut, had several close calls during the match. Aitana Bonmati, the reigning FIFA World Player of the Year, struck the crossbar with a shot in the first half, and Jenni Hermoso’s follow-up was blocked by a German defender. Alexandra Popp, the only remaining player from Germany’s 2016 gold medal-winning squad, returned to the starting lineup after missing the semifinal due to illness.
Spain entered the tournament with high expectations after their World Cup victory but faced challenges throughout the Olympics. They required penalties to defeat Colombia and lost to Brazil in the semifinals. Spain’s run was overshadowed by past controversies, including the departure of over a dozen players citing an unprofessional atmosphere and a scandal involving former federation president Luis Rubiales. Despite these issues, Spain showed resilience under coach Montse Tomé.
Germany’s victory was achieved under interim coach Horst Hrubesch, who took over following Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s dismissal after a disappointing World Cup performance. Christian Wück is set to assume the head coaching role for Germany ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Meanwhile, the United States advanced to the gold medal match against host nation France, securing their place in the final with a narrow win over Germany.
