Every game could be their last: Swiss hymns to “Katze” Thalmann

class=”sc-29f61514-0 icZBHN”>

Goalkeeper Gaëlle Thalmann (37) is the woman of the match in the 0-0 win against Norway. From now on, the next game can always be the last for the Freiburg player.

For once, after the game, there are no two opinions about who will receive the Player of the Match trophy. “Hammer, hammer,” says Julia Stierli (26). And teammate Nadine Riesen (23) adds: “She was like a cat – she caught everything. It was an excellent game from her.”

We are talking about Gaëlle Thalmann (37). While her colleagues praise her highly, she herself remains modest. “Gaga” very cool: “It’s part of my job to occasionally hold a ball. That’s why I’m here.” Preventing everything was not possible against such a strong offensive. “Just the fact that they can leave Graham Hansen on the bench at the start shows the quality they have.”

Brilliant performance in the 107th international match

Thalmann excelled several times against the Scandinavians after he did not have to save a ball in the opening game against the Philippines. She wins the duel against Sophie Roman Haug by miraculously parrying both the header (24th) and the powerful shot (55th) of Hegerberg’s substitute. And Thalmann is also there when Graham Hansen closes. Otherwise she shows no insecurities, she convinces with both foot and flanks. And she controls the penalty area.

Thalmann has now played 107 international matches. She looks back on an illustrious career in the SFV shirt. In 2015 she won the race against the clock and fought her way back to the World Cup after tearing her cruciate ligament. At the Swiss World Cup premiere against Japan, she is in the penalty area, but is responsible for the penalty that leads to a goal. After that she is so angry that she does not want to talk to the journalists.

Grings: “She’s too modest”

Ups and downs alternate again and again in the national team, but she is always in the goal in Swiss finals. Thalmann played in 16 different clubs in four countries. Your experience is immense. She will bring this to FC Lugano after the World Cup.

But she hasn’t hung up the gloves yet. The focus is entirely on the World Cup. “We have a common goal and that is to reach the round of 16,” Thalmann said at the press conference. When she left the stage, says national coach Inka Grings. “She’s too modest because she did a great job. I hope it wasn’t her last prize in this tournament.”

Source : Blick