There are many different kinds of football players, including strong, tactically astute, and technical. But every so often—once every generation, or more frequently if you’re lucky—some people stand out. They glide and dance across the grass, making their skill appear effortless. They are the sport’s artists, creating various images on the field while moving at least three paces ahead of everyone else and directing plays much as an orchestra conductor might. Germany legend Dzsenifer bows out in typically graceful style.
Germany legend Dzsenifer Marozsán, a player from Germany, is a part of this particular group. On Tuesday, as she walked onto the field for the 112th and final time wearing a German uniform, it felt like we were saying farewell to one of her country’s all-time greatest players. She bowed in front of the 32,000 spectators, who collectively expressed their gratitude for a player who many consider the most technically proficient at playing for the national team.
Germany legend Dzsenifer bows out in typically graceful style.
Marozsán later played for Saarbrücken and made her Bundesliga debut at 14. She is still the league’s youngest active player. She then relocated to Frankfurt, where she won the first of her six Champions League championships. When Lyon’s flashing lights called her in 2016, she quickly moved to France. Since then, she has been a critical component of the French champions’ five league championships and UWCL victories. Her 18-year-old debut for Germany versus Australia was unavoidable.
A new German star was created when she replaced the renowned Birgit Prinz. She scored the winning goal against Sweden once more to earn gold at the 2016 Olympics, while her goal against Sweden in Euro 2013 advanced her side, the eventual champions, to the final. If not for a string of mishaps and a severe health crisis, further accolades and acclaim on the international stage would have undoubtedly followed. She didn’t play in the 2015 World Cup, skipped the 2011 tournament, and hurt her toe before the 2019 competition.
She also missed the European Championships last summer due to an ACL injury. The most serious of them was the identification of a pulmonary embolism in the summer of 2018, which made everyone unsure of whether she would survive. She missed three months of action, a recovery period appropriate for a player. For a young woman who “simply wanted to play football,” her 13-year international career has seen her and her country win Olympic gold for the first time and become European champions for the eighth time. Marozsán, born in Budapest, came to Germany when she was four when her father, János, a Hungarian international, joined FC Saarbrücken. Early on, her skill was recognized, and the DFB helped her and her family through naturalization.
Because of her clever and intelligent personality, Marozsán is not always the center of attention. Her aptitude for the job has always been evident, whether it be threading a needle’s eye or offering a distinctive finish. However, her work off the ball, as it does with so many players of her caliber, has occasionally gone underappreciated. She makes the runs to allow her teammates to penetrate the defensive lines thanks to her unmatched ability to read the game and sixth sense about where the space is. She received praise for her efforts from both her teammates and opponents.
Before her last game, Lina Magull said, “She is simply one of the best players in Germany. I learned much from her and truly loved my time with her.”
Lucy Bronze of England called her the “greatest player in the world.” There won’t be any more opportunities to wear the Germany shirt, but Marozsán isn’t quite ready to give up. She still identifies as a football-loving young lady, as she puts it. She could not subject her knee to the demands of both sides of the sport, which led to this decision. It is unclear where she will finish up for the upcoming season because her Lyon contract expires in the summer. Fans can see her work her magic for a bit longer. That much is clear. This year, the striker has scored at least once in every game for her country. Thanks to her quick run of form, she will be a player to watch at the major tournament this summer. With most recoveries taking at least six months, that goal is almost over.