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Overview

Birgit Prinz (born 25 October 1977) is a German retired footballer, two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year. In addition to the German national team, Prinz played for 1. FFC Frankfurt in the Frauen-Bundesliga as well as the Carolina Courage in the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women’s league in the United States. Prinz remains one of the game’s most prolific strikers and is the second FIFA Women’s World Cup all-time leading scorer with 14 goals (second only to Marta from Brazil). On 12 August 2011, she announced the end of her active career.[3] She currently works as a sport psychologist for the men’s and women’s teams of 1. Bundesliga club TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.[4]

Career

Club

Prinz began her career at SV Drnigheim FC. She made her Bundesliga debut for FSV Frankfurt, where she played from 1993 to 1998. During that time Prinz won two Bundesliga titles and two German Cups. In 1997 and 1998 she was the Bundesliga top scorer. In 1998, she moved to local rivals 1. FFC Frankfurt, where she has had her biggest success at club level. In 13 seasons at the club, Prinz won six Bundesliga and eight German Cup titles. She also won the Bundesliga top-scorer award twice more in 2001 and 2007. Prinz won the UEFA Women’s Cup three times with Frankfurt, in the 2001-02, 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons. She also reached the final in 2004, but lost to the Swedish side Ume IK.[1]

For two seasons, Prinz joined Carolina Courage in the professional women’s league WUSA in the United States. During her short stint in America she claimed the 2002 WUSA Championship. After the 2003 World Cup, Prinz declined an offer from AC Perugia to play in Italy’s men’s Serie A, fearing her transfer would be used as a publicity stunt and she would end up on the bench.[5]

In her time at FFC Frankfurt, Prinz won many personal awards, including a record eight German Female Footballer of the Year awards from 2001 to 2008.[6] She was named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2003, 2004 and 2005. For four consecutive years from 2007 to 2010 she came second, behind Brazil’s Marta.[7]

International

At the age of 16, Prinz made her debut for Germany’s national team in July 1994 against Canada. She came on after 72 minutes and scored the game-winner in the 89th minute.[8] One year later, she won her first major title at the 1995 European Championship, scoring in the final. In the same year, she was named to Germany’s squad for the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup, where they lost to Norway in the final match.[1] She remains the youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup Final.[8]

For the next decade, Prinz had one of the most successful international careers in women’s football. She won four more UEFA European Championships in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009. At the Summer Olympics she won bronze three times with the German team, in 2000, 2004 and 2008. At the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Prinz helped Germany win its first World Cup title in the women’s game. She was honoured as the tournament’s best player and top-scorer. Prinz became the women’s national team captain at the end of 2003, and remained until her retirement. Four years later, at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, she captained the team to Germany’s second World Cup title; she was awarded the Silver Ball as the second-best player at the tournament.[1]

Prinz holds several national and international records. With 14 goals, she is the second all-time leading goalscorer at FIFA Women’s World Cups. From 2008 until 2012, Prinz and Brazil’s Cristiane both held the tournament record of 10 goals at the Summer Olympics, although Cristiane has now surpassed Prinz. For the German national team Prinz appeared 214 times and scored 128 goals, and is the team’s most capped player and top goalscorer.[1]

Statistics at World Cup and Olympic Tournaments

Prinz competed in five FIFA Women’s World Cup:Sweden 1995,USA 1999,USA 2003,China 2007;and Germany 2011;and four Olympics:Atlanta 1996,Sydney 2000,Athens 2004,and Beijing 2008. Altogether she played in 43 matches and scored 24 goals at those nine global tournaments.[9] With Germany, Prinz is a two-time world champion from USA 2003 and China 2007, and a runner-up from Sweden 1995, as well as a three-time bronze medalist from Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Key (expand for notes on world cup and olympic goals)LocationGeographic location of the venue where the competition occurredLineupStart – played entire match
on minute (off player) – substituted on at the minute indicated, and player was substituted off at the same time

off minute (on player) – substituted off at the minute indicated, and player was substituted on at the same time
(c) – captain

MinThe minute in the match the goal was scored. For list that include caps, blank indicates played in the match but did not score a goal.Assist/passThe ball was passed by the player, which assisted in scoring the goal. This column depends on the availability and source of this information.penalty or pkGoal scored on penalty-kick which was awarded due to foul by opponent. (Goals scored in penalty-shoot-out, at the end of a tied match after extra-time, are not included.)ScoreThe match score after the goal was scored.ResultThe final score.

W – match was won
L – match was lost to opponent
D – match was drawn
(W) – penalty-shoot-out was won after a drawn match
(L) – penalty-shoot-out was lost after a drawn match

aetThe score at the end of extra-time; the match was tied at the end of 90′ regulationpsoPenalty-shoot-out score shown in parenthesis; the match was tied at the end of extra-timeOrange background color – Olympic women’s football tournamentBlue background color – FIFA women’s world cup final tournamentGoalMatchDateLocationOpponentLineupMinScoreResultCompetitionSweden Sweden 1995 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final11995-06-05[m 1]Karlstad Japan{{{4}}}.

on 65′ (off Tecklenburg)

1-0 W

Group stage21995-06-07[m 2]Helsingborg Sweden{{{4}}}.

on 57′ (off Brocker)

2-3 L

Group stage131995-06-09[m 3]Karlstad BrazilStart51-0

6-1 W

Group stage41995-06-13[m 4]Vsters England{{{4}}}.

off 67′ (on Brocker)

3-0 W

Quarter-final51995-06-15[m 5]Helsingborg China PR{{{4}}}.

off 83′ (on Wunderlich)

1-0 W

Semifinal61995-06-18[m 6]Solna Norway{{{4}}}.

off 42′ (on Brocker)

0-2 L

FinalUnited States Atlanta 1996 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament71996-07-21[m 7]Birmingham, AL Japan{{{4}}}.

on 53′ (off Brocker)

3-2 W

Group match281996-07-23[m 8]Washington, D.C. Norway{{{4}}}.

on 52′ (off Brocker)

622-2

2-3 L

Group match91996-07-25[m 9]Birmingham, AL Brazil{{{4}}}.

on 42′ (off Brocker)

1-1 D

Group matchUnited States USA 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup101999-06-20[m 10]Los Angeles ItalyStart

1-1 D

Group match111999-06-24[m 11]Portland, OR Mexico{{{4}}}.

off 75′ (on Mueller)

6-0 W

Group match3121999-06-27[m 12]Washington, D.C. BrazilStart81-0

3-3 D

Group match131999-07-01[m 13]Washington, D.C. United StatesStart

2-3 L

Quarter-finalAustralia Sydney 2000 Olympic Women’s Football Tournament142000-09-13[m 14]Canberra AustraliaStart

3-0 W

Group match4152000-09-16[m 15]Canberra BrazilStart331-0

2-1 W

Group match5412-0162000-09-19[m 16]Melbourne SwedenStart

1-0 W

Group match172000-09-24[m 17]Sydney NorwayStart

0-1 L

Semifinal6182000-09-28[m 18]Sydney BrazilStart792-0

2-0 W

Bronze medal matchUnited States USA 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup7192003-09-20[m 19]Columbus, OH CanadaStart753-1

4-1 W

Group match8202003-09-24[m 20]Columbus, OH JapanStart362-0

3-0 W

Group match9663-010212003-09-27[m 21]Washington, D.C. ArgentinaStart323-0

6-1 W

Group match11222003-10-02[m 22]Portland, OR RussiaStart805-1

7-1 W

Quarter-final12897-113232003-10-05[m 23]Portland, OR United StatesStart90+33-0

3-0 W

Semifinal242003-10-12[m 24]Carson, CA SwedenStart

2-1 aetW

FinalGreece Athens 2004 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament14252004-08-11[m 25]Patras China PRStart131-0

8-0 W

Group match15212-016734-017887-018262004-08-17[m 26]Piraeus MexicoStart; (c)792-0

2-0 W

Group match272004-08-20[m 27]Patras NigeriaStart; (c)

2-1 W

Quarter-final282004-08-23[m 28]Heraklion United StatesStart; (c)

1-2 L

Semifinal292004-08-26[m 29]Piraeus SwedenStart; (c)

1-0 W

Bronze medal matchChina China 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup19302007-09-10[m 30]Shanghai ArgentinaStart; (c)294-0

11-0 W

Group match2045+15-021598-0312007-09-14[m 31]Shanghai EnglandStart; (c)

0-0 D

Group match22322007-09-17[m 32]Hangzhou JapanStart; (c)211-0

2-0 W

Group match332007-09-22[m 33]Wuhan Korea DPRStart; (c)

3-0 W

Quarter-final342007-09-26[m 34]Tianjin NorwayStart; (c)

3-0 W

Semifinal23352007-09-30[m 35]Shanghai BrazilStart; (c)521-0

2-0 W

FinalChina Beijing 2008 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament362008-08-06[m 36]Shenyang BrazilStart; (c)

0-0 D

Group match372008-08-09[m 37]Shenyang NigeriaStart; (c)

1-0 W

Group match382008-08-12[m 38]Tianjin Korea DPRStart; (c)

1-0 W

Group match392008-08-15[m 39]Shenyang SwedenStart; (c)

2-0 aetW

Quarter-final24402008-08-18[m 40]Shanghai BrazilStart; (c)101-0

1-4 L

Semifinal412008-08-21[m 41]Beijing JapanStart; (c)

2-0 W

Bronze medal matchGermany Germany 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup422011-06-26[m 42]Berlin Canada{{{4}}}.

off 56′ (on Popp); (c)

2-1 W

Group match432011-06-30[m 43]Frankfurt Nigeria{{{4}}}.

off 53′ (on Grings); (c)

1-0 W

Group match

Private life

Prinz is a trained physical therapist.[10] In 2010, she graduated with her master’s degree in psychology from the Goethe University Frankfurt.[11] Since January 2012, she has worked as a sport psychologist in the youth academy, women’s U-17 and women’s Bundesliga teams at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.[12]

Honours

Club

FSV Frankfurt
1. FFC Frankfurt
Carolina Courage

International

Individual