There are many different kinds of football players, including strong, tactically astute, and technical. But every so often—once every generation, or more frequently if you’re lucky—some people stand out. They glide and dance across the grass, making their skill appear effortless. They are the sport’s artists, creating various images on the field while moving at least three paces ahead of everyone else and directing plays much as an orchestra conductor might. Germany legend Dzsenifer bows out in typically graceful style.
Germany legend Dzsenifer Marozsán, a player from Germany, is a part of this particular group. On Tuesday, as she walked onto the field for the 112th and final time wearing a German uniform, it felt like we were saying farewell to one of her country’s all-time greatest players. She bowed in front of the 32,000 spectators, who collectively expressed their gratitude for a player who many consider the most technically proficient at playing for the national team.
Germany legend Dzsenifer bows out in typically graceful style.
Marozsán later played for Saarbrücken and made her Bundesliga debut at 14. She is still the league’s youngest active player. She then relocated to Frankfurt, where she won the first of her six Champions League championships. When Lyon’s flashing lights called her in 2016, she quickly moved to France. Since then, she has been a critical component of the French champions’ five league championships and UWCL victories. Her 18-year-old debut for Germany versus Australia was unavoidable.
A new German star was created when she replaced the renowned Birgit Prinz. She scored the winning goal against Sweden once more to earn gold at the 2016 Olympics, while her goal against Sweden in Euro 2013 advanced her side, the eventual champions, to the final. If not for a string of mishaps and a severe health crisis, further accolades and acclaim on the international stage would have undoubtedly followed. She didn’t play in the 2015 World Cup, skipped the 2011 tournament, and hurt her toe before the 2019 competition.
