Got a free trip to Australia for the World Cup? The result for the DFB player

24 DFB players are currently preparing for the World Cup opener against Morocco. One, the World Cup is over before the first game.

Noah Blatchko reports from Sydney

There is a term in ski jumping called the “lucky loser”. If you fail a qualification against a much stronger opponent, you can still compete on the main competition day with a suitable distance – and earn a place on the podium.

In football, the term is less common. However, there is always a chance of slipping into the starting XI or squad.

It will be decided on Sunday whether Janina Minge will become a “lucky” member of the German national team. The 24-year-old traveled to Australia with the DFB squad but was not included in the 23-woman squad named by national coach Martina Voss-Decklenburg on July 8 for the match “Down Under”.

Minge only traveled as a companion so he could step in if a teammate was injured. The German coaching staff flirted with the move in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Due to the eight-hour time difference, flying on short notice would have been problematic. There could have been two or three players, but in the end it was only Minge from Freiburg.

The midfielder is fully integrated into the team and completes all training sessions with his teammates – and he’s fit. In contrast to Lena Oberdorf (thigh muscle injury), Marina Hjering (sprained heel) and Sjök Nusken (knee ligament strain), Minge was able to complete all parts of the production without any problems.

And in pre-World Cup Tests, he knows how to score in a 2-0 Test win over Vietnam and has been cleared to complete a second training camp in Herzogenarach, as announced by the DFB. Will there be a coronation ceremony with the final team after the flight to Australia?

Minge can’t get his hopes up too high. Sunday is already a decision day because according to FIFA’s official rules, a player can only be nominated up to 24 hours before the first match. Only if they are obviously injured or sick. Kick-off against Morocco is at 10.30am (German time) on Monday.

Along with the aforementioned Oberdorf, Hegering and Nüsken, several players are struggling with injuries. However, no one seemed affected that they would miss most of the tournament – and make room for Ming.

Voss-Decklenburg is due to make a decision at 10.30am German time on Sunday – and Minge is to be informed. Even if it is not enough for them, it will not be in vain. He says he will take his experiences with him in the future. And yet she will believe till the last moment. Otherwise, SC Freiburg is already preparing for the season. Mingay can at least expect higher temperatures at home.

The DFB team, which has been preparing for the World Cup for ten days in Wyong, 100 kilometers from Sydney, finally arrived at the venue in Melbourne on Sunday morning (8am local time). The team will complete a final practice session at 4:00 pm, including a field inspection, before Germany joins the tournament on Monday.