Anne-Katrin Berger was in the spotlight for her performance against France, making a stunning diving save and then saving two penalties in the shootout; it's not the first time she's excelled in penalties; Berger has twice survived thyroid cancer and is in remission.
Pictured: Ann-Kathrin Berger made a stunning save to help Germany beat France in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals.
Ann-Kathrin Berger was a key figure for Germany against France. Her amazing save in extra time and successful penalties in the shootout attracted media attention and Germany advanced to the Euro semi-finals, where they will face Spain on Wednesday.
The goalkeeper showed her savvy in penalty shootouts, one of the most stressful moments a player can experience. However, her ability to stay calm and overcome adversity extends beyond the pitch.
Perhaps most significant of all, the 34-year-old woman has beaten thyroid cancer twice.
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The first time was in 2017, when Berger was playing for Birmingham. She continued to play during treatment and was named in the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Team of the Season for the 2017/18 season, an approach she continued at Chelsea when her cancer returned in 2022.
This is especially relevant given that her second diagnosis was made during the last European Championships.
Pictured: Ann-Kathrin Berger celebrates Germany's victory over France.
She underwent a series of tests during the tournament and said she only realised the cancer had likely returned just days before the final, which Germany lost to England.
“It was a difficult moment,” she shared in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports in 2022. “But I tried to keep it under wraps.”
“I wanted to enjoy the Euros for myself because it gave me strength – it was just nice to do something and not feel sorry for myself, really.
“It was my first Euro in my second home country and before we knew it, it was gone. The emotions overwhelmed everything and that's what has helped me to go through this process all the time because I show people that even on the pitch things can look good but off the pitch it can be tough for people.
Pictured: Ann-Katrin Berger continued to play for Chelsea during her cancer treatment, as she did for Birmingham.
“Football saved my sanity and my mental health because I had something to hold on to. I think that's my main message to anyone who's going through hard times.
“It doesn't matter if it's illness, mental health or anything else, the most important thing is to have something to cling to. For me, that was football.”
She made 15 WSL appearances that season, but her highlight of the year – and, trophy aside, perhaps her most important moment in a Blues shirt – was her performance in the Champions League quarter-final penalty shootout against Lyon.
The tie was tense, with Chelsea levelling the score on aggregate in the 128th minute to send the game to penalties.
Sourse: skysports.com
