Living in America

German national Meinert finds pay for play an incredible experience

Maren Meinert: "In Germany you have to work, and then you go to play soccer." Ezra Shaw/Allsport

By Karyn Lush

With the founding of the WUSA, much was made of how American players finally had a professional environment in which to develop their games; of how American girls could finally dream of growing up to become a soccer player; of how all the United States national team veterans had hoped for and worked so hard for had finally come to fruition.

Often overlooked in all of these worthy story lines has been the tale of the international players.

Since women's soccer is developed furthest in America, thirty-five international players have made the journey to the United States to pursue their professional soccer dreams.

Among these international players are Germany's Maren Meinert and Bettina Wiegmann, who were allocated to the Boston Breakers. In Germany, soccer comes in the evening after spending much of the day at a job or at classes because there are no financial rewards for playing.

"I think it's different in Germany because you are poor," Wiegmann explained. "In this league, you can play soccer. You can earn money from playing soccer. In Germany, you have to work and then you go to play soccer so it is very different."

For Wiegmann this meant being an electrician. Meinert, meanwhile, has almost completed her degree in physical education at the German Sports University, Cologne.

After work or studying was finished, both would lace up their boots for FFC Brauweiler-Pulheim.

Wiegmann performed this routine for 10 years as a member of the Brauweiler team, which prior to July 1, 2000 was known as SV Gruen-Weiss Brauweiler. Although Meinert only joined Brauweiler in 2000, she too has played for years in the women's Bundesliga, an amateur league.

Having the opportunity to play professionally in the WUSA has been an incredible experience for Meinert.

"It's a highlight in my career to play as a professional soccer player," she said. "I feel excited [that] I can be a professional soccer player because in Germany it's far away to be a professional. It's just great to play here and to be in this league."

Back in Germany, their teammates on the national team are intrigued about the prospects of joining their compatriots in the WUSA.

"They are very excited," said Meinert. "They often ask us about the league and if it's great to play here and to have so many supporters. I think and I hope that many other German players can come over here and play."

Breakers head coach and former U.S. national team assistant, Jay Hoffman, believes that more Germans will be added to Meinert, Wiegmann, and Philadelphia's Doris Fitschen in having the WUSA listed on their resumes.

"I would certainly think so, if they're available," commented Hoffman. "I think they've shown that they bring a good brand of soccer.

"They work extremely hard. They're good people. Their character is great. You know what they bring to work everyday. They come to play hard and word hard. I'm not so sure you can ask for much more than that."

In addition to playing for the Boston Breakers and FFC Brauweiler-Pulheim, Meinert and Wiegmann have also represented their national side for much of their careers. Debuting at the ages of 18 and 17, respectively, both Meinert and Wiegmann have showcased their talents at the World Cup and the Olympics plus won the European Championships four times.

Meinert found the most recent European tournament, which Germany hosted this summer, to be the most satisfying. After donning her country's colors for 10 years, Meinert chose to end her national team career on a high note with Germany winning the Euro title in front of her home fans on Claudia Müller's sudden-death goal.

"It was my last big tournament because I retired after the European Championships," said Meinert. "It was great to play in front of your own crowd and to win the women's championship by a golden goal."

When asked about the impact of winning the European Championship in their home country and the effect it might have on women's soccer in both Germany and Europe, Meinert and Wiegmann displayed guarded optimism.

"It was a great tournament," recalled Wiegmann. "Winning it was very great. We hope that now it's closer to grasp for women and girls to play soccer and to expand the [German] league a bit. We hope, but you don't know exactly."

"We hope that it will grow a little bit more than the last years because it was a championship in Germany," Meinert added. "So many people recognized women's soccer so we hope that many more people will come to the games. It should help women's German soccer to grow.

"If you compare it with the United States, it will take a long time, but you have to go step by step. I think the first step is the European Championship. It was a great tournament. All the people I asked told me it was a great tournament for the other countries.

"We hope that Germany made the first step."