Giulia Gwinn Injury Ends German Captain’s Euro 2025

Giulia Gwinn injury has delivered an early body-blow to Germany’s Euro 2025 ambitions after the inspirational captain was ruled out of the tournament with a serious knee problem sustained in the opening win over Poland.

Giulia Gwinn injury: What happened?

The 26-year-old full-back collapsed midway through the first half in Dortmund while challenging for a loose ball. Initial scans confirmed ligament damage, forcing head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg to replace her skipper after just 24 minutes and to tear up a tactical plan built around Gwinn’s energy on both flanks.

How Germany will cope without their leader

Without their captain, Germany must shuffle the back line. Experienced defender Kathrin Hendrich is expected to slot into the right-back role, while Lena Oberdorf could inherit the armband to provide bite in midfield. Voss-Tecklenburg also hinted at a potential switch to a 3-4-3 to mask the absence of Gwinn’s overlapping runs.

Fixture list grows tougher

Germany face Denmark next, followed by a decisive showdown with Sweden. Losing Gwinn’s set-piece delivery and defensive assurance piles extra pressure on stars such as Alexandra Popp and Klara Bühl to find goals early and keep the group in German hands.

Recovery timeline

Team doctors predict a lay-off of at least eight weeks, ruling Gwinn out not only of the Euros but also of Bayern Munich’s start to the Frauen-Bundesliga season. Rehabilitation will begin immediately in Munich once swelling subsides.

What it means for Euro 2025

The Giulia Gwinn injury removes one of the tournament’s premier defenders and hands rivals an unexpected boost. Germany’s depth remains strong, yet the psychological gap left by their captain could prove decisive in latter-stage battles.

Opinion: Germany can survive the group without Gwinn, but lifting the trophy will now demand flawless performances from the second string and a tactical masterclass from Voss-Tecklenburg.