Meet Doris Fitschen

Westmount’s beauty impresses manager of German women’s soccer team

By Nadine Hennelly

Last Wednesday I made my way up to Westmount’s Summit lookout to meet with former German soccer player Doris Fitschen, who now manages Germany’s women’s national team. She was in town with the team for the FIFA 2015 World Cup series at Olympic Stadium.

In the following day’s match, Germany won against France in the quarter-finals but eventually lost to the USA team in the semi-finals.

I asked Doris a few questions about being a professional female soccer player. Doris, who began playing soccer professionally for Germany’s national team in 1986, is a very accomplished woman. Not only is she one of her country’s most successful soccer players, but she won four European titles, three national championships, and competed for Germany in the Olympics, taking home a bronze medal.

Until a wrist fracture ended her career in 2001, Doris had a reputation for exceptional power, pace, and being technically accomplished. Since there were no soccer clubs for women when Doris was growing up, her only option was to hone her skills with friends at her parents’ farm, where she grew up. She began playing at the very young age of 9, wanting to be just like local star Klaus Fischer.

Doris, a tall, fit and sporty 47-year-old-blond, was a pleasure to meet and talk with. She thought Westmount was beautiful, and was pleased that her team’s BlogHaus from Allianz had set up shop at the Summit lookout.

Germany’s women’s soccer team was ranked number one in 2014 by FIFA.

Watch the video interview to learn more about Doris’s experiences as a pioneer in the women’s division of the sport, as well as her answer as to why Germany’s team consistently ranks as one of the league’s most successful.