Germany women's football team: Can Ena Mahmutovic make a case to become Germany's next No.1 goalkeeper?

Having qualified for next summer's World Cup in Brazil, the German women's national team is wrapping up this year's schedule with friendlies against Australia this Friday and Japan next Tuesday, and the choice of opponents was deliberate.

"Their style of play isn't what we're used to in Europe. That's what I want to prepare my team for," Germany coach Christian Wück said.

"These will be high-level matches, and they will challenge us in a completely different way than European teams do."

Wück said that his team had built a "solid foundation" over the past few years and that now it was all about taking the "next step" in their development.

"We are looking to continue along this path and refine it," he said.

"We know our strengths, but we need to utilize them 100% against top teams if we are going to hold our own," sporting director Nia Künzer said.

Can Mahmutovic seize her chance in goal?

Much like it was with the men's team during Jürgen Klopp's first international break as Germany head coach, the question as to who will emerge as the next number one goalkeeper for the women is also a hot topic.

The difference is that unlike Manuel Neuer, who has retired from international football, Ann-Katrin Berger is sticking around for at least one more tournament cycle.

However, with just three matches to go before the start of the playoffs in the National Women's Soccer League, where she plays for Gotham FC, Berger is giving these two Germany friendlies a miss. 

Parallels to men's goalkeeping situation

This means 22-year-old Bayern Munich goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic, who is seen as a potential successor to Berger, is set to get her chance to shine.

"Ena deserves to play the next match," Wück told the prematch press conference in Karlsruhe on Thursday.

"We must not forget that she already kept a clean sheet in Slovenia (Germany's last World Cup qualifier). And I hope she can repeat that tomorrow."

Some will draw parallels to Jonas Urbig, who many see as a future number one for Germany's men. Both he and Mahmutovic were born in 2003 in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and both are seen as up-and-coming stars for their club and country. 

The difference is that while Urbig remains an understudy to Neuer at Bayern, Mahmutovic is already the first-choice keeper at her club, having won the starting job over Maria Luisa Grohs prior to the start of the season.

For Germany, though, Mahmutovic still has to bide her time, while there are already strong indications that Klopp intends to make Urbig his number one.

'The future of the national team'

"I'm obviously delighted," Mahmutovic said with a view to the upcoming friendlies.

"It's always something special, of course – especially playing against a team from another continent. I think testing ourselves against them is very helpful as we look ahead to the World Cup."

Bayern director Bianca Rech recently described Mahmutovic as "the future of the national team," calling on Wück not only to give her a callup, but also regular playing time.

Wück still sees Berger as slightly better than Mahmutovic, but he is also full of praise for the young keeper.

"Ena's performances have been very good," he said. "She will get her playing time."

Costly mistake in Germany debut

The match against Slovenia was just Mahmutovic's second appearances for Germany. Her first, which came almost two years ago, was memorable for the wrong reason. In the dying minutes of a friendly in December 2024, she lost control of the ball after a back pass, allowing an Italian forward to score the winner in a 2-1 defeat for Germany.  Still, Mahmutovic was included in Germany's squad for the 2025 Euros.

Had it been up to her father – who is from Montenegro – Mahmutovic would never have become a goalkeeper.

"He still says I would have been better as an outfield player because I'm good with both feet," she said.

Unusual Bundesliga debut

That's a quality that evidently wasn't lost on Thomas Gerstner, when her coach at her then-club Duisburg, gave her her Women's Bundesliga debut in May 2020. With the team coping with several absences, the then-16-year-old, who had been on the bench as backup goalkeeper, came on as an outfield player.

"The coach brought me on during stoppage time," Mahmutovic recalled. "I got to make two sprints – that was my debut."

That, however, was a one-off, and nobody questions Mahmutovic's strengths as a goalkeeper.

"She is one of the most talented goalkeepers in the world," said Bayern coach Jose Barcala, noting that she is the kind of player who can decide a match.

Mahmutovic will be hoping she gets many more opportunities to do just that for Germany.