Twenty-one Bundesliga appearances and nine goals would be impressive stats for someone already established at Bundesliga level. They belong, however, to a VfL player who by far and away exceeded expectations during the 2023/24 season, and is now rightly seen as the shooting star of German women’s football.
The star in question is Vivien Endemann, who in the space of 12 months has matured into an international and Olympic participant. That last achievement is made all the more impressive when the size of the squad is taken into account, with just 16 outfield players being taken to Paris for the Olympic Women’s Football Tournament. The 22-year-old She-Wolves midfielder spoke in an interview about how excited she is to be going to her first major tournament.
Vivien, what was your reaction to the news that you had made the Olympic squad?
Vivien Endemann: “It came as a real surprise and it took me a while before it actually began to sink in. But clearly, I’m obviously absolutely thrilled to be going to the Olympics.”
What is it like when the phone rings and you see the name of Germany coach Horst Hrubesch on the screen? Do you get even more excited?
Endemann: “I knew that he’d call me either way, regardless of what the news was. I was obviously very nervous when my mobile finally rang as I didn’t know which way it would go. But yes, after the call, I was just so happy.”
Did he string it out and keep you in suspense?
Endemann: “Not really. He didn’t come out with it with the first thing he said, but he told me pretty quickly that I was in.”
Taking a step back, did you imagine such a rise when you moved from SGS Essen to VfL Wolfsburg a year ago?
Endemann: “Never. It’s all still surreal for me when I think about it. It’s like a fairytale, and that’s how some of the media have described it. But it’s not just down to me – there are people who made this happen for me, like the rest of the team and the coaching staff both here at VfL and of course with Germany. But if someone had told me this a year ago, I’d never have thought it possible.”
What are you looking forward to most about the Olympics?
Endemann: “All of it! Everything that goes along with it, but obviously the main thing is the actual matches that we want to win. I’ll try to soak it all up and can’t wait for the tournament to start”
