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Ex-professional Footballer STEGEMANN (GER) Still Going Strong at 42

 

 

WUHAN (CHN) - Ten years after she retired as a professional footballer, Germany's 42-year-old midfielder Kerstin STEGEMANN (GER) is still delivering on the international stage.

The former German national team player shone during her side's 1-0 win over USA on Thursday despite being the oldest competitor in women's football at the 7th CISM Military World Games (7th CWG).

She said an unrelenting fitness regime was key to her longevity: "I am running on a regular basis, I am swimming quite a lot and sometimes I also play football."

STEGEMANN lasted the full 90 minutes as Germany edged a close Group A encounter faced USA at Wuhan National Fitness Center Football Field, the team's other standout player, Sarah BEGUNK, bagging the winner deep into added time.

 

 

"It was a lucky match for us," STEGEMANN said. "Both teams were very strong but in the last minutes we scored a goal and won the game. Normally we lose the game in added time."

Coach Markus HEIN (GER) revealed STEGEMANN had even predicted the last-gasp victory.

"On the way to China we had a talk and she said, 'I think this time we are lucky and we will score the final goal in overtime'," HEIN said.

HEIN had no doubts about the decision to leave his veteran star performer on the pitch for the duration of the match.

"She is the oldest player in the whole tournament but nevertheless she is still a top player," he said. "She is still one of best and you could see it. Even after 90 minutes she kept on running."

HEIN was also certain that STEGEMANN would recover from her exertions in time to face competition favorites China on Saturday, despite a short turnaround of 48 hours between matches in the tournament's group stage.

 

 

"She is in a good condition (and) she will be playing again the day after tomorrow," he said, before joking: "She can. She will. She has to. There is no option."

STEGEMANN is just happy to still be competing at the top.

"For me personally this is of course great," she said. "I love to play at this level but today both of the teams were at the same level. Against China it will be against 11 professionals and I think then you will see a difference."

 

(Source : SUMOC Executive Committee - Editor WANG Mengqi)

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