Borussia Dortmund's women's team, which began in the seventh tier of German football, is making a bold push for promotion to the 2. Bundesliga after narrowly missing out last season. The club has signed high-profile players Manuela Zinsberger and Alexandra Popp to strengthen their squad.
Rapid Rise and Near Miss
Dortmund finished two points off the top spot in the third division last season, despite a goal difference of +101. The team missed the regional playoffs, prompting the club to invest in top talent to ensure promotion this time around.
Star Signings Make Statement
The arrival of Austria goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger, formerly of Bayern Munich and Arsenal, and Germany legend Alexandra Popp signals Dortmund's intent. Svenja Schlenker, the team's managing director, said: “We have great new players, we have a great environment, Manuela, wouldn’t you agree?” Zinsberger replied: “Definitely. I’m looking forward to the new season and the first matches, so it couldn’t be better right now.”
Zinsberger's Move Explained
Zinsberger's decision to leave Arsenal for the third tier surprised many. She cited family reasons and conversations with Schlenker: “The vision of the club, where they are now, where they want to be, what my role would be in that, and coming out of my comfort zone was a big part of it.” She added: “Dortmund is doing really well. The level from a club perspective, staff, infrastructure, is already high for a third-division club.”
Ambitions for Frauen-Bundesliga
Dortmund aims to join the Frauen-Bundesliga elite, including Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg, and Eintracht Frankfurt. Schlenker acknowledged the financial commitment: “It means we will have to spend a lot of money, and that’s OK on one end, but I don’t know what will happen in the next few years.” Zinsberger noted the gap with England: “We are a little behind England in general, we have to push it.”
Key Appointments and Infrastructure
The club also hired former Wolfsburg sporting director Ralf Kellermann. Schlenker said: “We’re so happy to have both of them, as well as Ralf. They bring huge experience to Borussia Dortmund. We started in the seventh division, so we have a lot of firsts every year.” Plans include a new training facility next to the men's campus. Schlenker explained: “We will build our own training facility next to the men’s campus. I’ve spoken to so many players and it’s about that – facilities, infrastructures.”
Team Focus and Goals
Zinsberger emphasized the team's approach: “We have internal goals, but we look game by game. We have a job to do and that’s to win every single game, that’s the aim of the club.” She added: “We all need money, we all need to pay our bills, but we need the right infrastructure to build for the next generations. I’m so happy we’re doing that here.”
