Germany star striker Alexandra Popp is ruled OUT of the Euro 2022 final with England after tournament’s joint top-scorer picks up injury in warm-up and is forced to sit out Wembley showpiece
Alexandra Popp has scored six of Germany’s 13 goals in Euro 2022 so far
She is an experienced player for the side with over 100 international caps
Her absence means Beth Mead is likely to win the tournament’s Golden Boot
Germany’s star forward Alexandra Popp has not started the Euros final after picking up an injury in the warm-up.
She suffered a muscular problem before the final at Wembley and has been replaced in Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s starting line-up by Bayern Munich forward Lea Schuller.
It will be a blow for the side as Popp is the joint top scorer in the tournament along with England star Beth Mead.
She has scored six of Germany’s 13 goals in the Euros so far, while England have picked up 20.
The 31-year-old is also an experienced member of the German squad, and has scored 59 international goals in 119 games.
Alex Scott felt the Wolfsburg star would be sorely missed. She said: ‘That is going to hurt [Germany].
‘But from an England perspective you’ve got to keep focused. You haven’t won anything yet.
‘In all honesty I’m gutted for Alex Popp – the tournament she’s had to miss this occasion.’
Popp’s absence means the Golden Boot will almost certainly go to an England player, as Mead is level on goals with the German and has picked up more assists.
Alessia Russo could also win the award with a hattrick, while no starting German player has more than two goals in the tournament.
