Germany captain Giulia Gwinn has been ruled out of the upcoming UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 after suffering a serious knee injury during her team’s 2-0 win over Poland in the group stage.
The 26-year-old Bayern Munich defender sustained the injury while making a defensive challenge against Polish captain Ewa Pajor in Friday’s Group C match in St Gallen. Gwinn, who appeared visibly distressed, had to be helped off the field.
Following medical scans conducted on Saturday, it was confirmed that she had suffered a medial ligament injury in her left knee. In a statement, the German national team said Gwinn would be sidelined for “several weeks.”
“Giuli is out! The next steps will be discussed with everyone involved. We’re with you, Giuli!” the team shared on social media.
The loss of Gwinn is a significant setback for Germany, the record eight-time European champions and one of the top contenders for the Euro 2025 title in Switzerland. Ranked third in the world, Germany will now have to navigate the tournament without one of their most experienced and influential players.
Gwinn has earned 64 caps for Germany, scoring 14 goals, and has been twice named the German national team’s Player of the Year. She played a key role in Germany’s run to the Euro 2022 final and also helped the team secure an Olympic bronze medal at Paris 2024.
Unfortunately, this latest injury marks another chapter in a series of fitness struggles for Gwinn. She missed the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup due to an ACL injury and previously suffered a cruciate ligament tear in September 2020, which kept her out of action for nearly a year.
As Germany look ahead to their Euro 2025 campaign, they will have to fill the leadership void left by their sidelined captain.
