On August 6, the tide turned when the German Football Federation (DFB) issued an urgent official statement revealing the shocking news that the soul leader of the German women's soccer team, 33-year-old captain and top scorer Popp, had regrettably said goodbye to the upcoming Olympic semifinals due to a sudden infection.
Popp's absence will undoubtedly be a huge blow for Germany. It is reported that the experienced star will miss the crucial clash with the USA due to health reasons.
In Pope's absence, Frankfurt's Nicole Aniomi was quickly named as a replacement to fill the void left by Pope, and she will join 17 other players in a new lineup to meet the challenge.
