I am sure that many of our readers were already well aware of Christiane Endler prior to this Women’s World Cup, but as someone who is still quite new to women’s international football, I wasn’t one of them. At 1.82 m (5’11”) it makes her one of the tallest goalkeepers in this summer’s tournament.
As Chile and the United States were lining up against each other prior to kick off I noticed Endler and the way that the team captain was carrying herself. I thought that as she plays her club football with Paris Saint-Germain Féminines she could be quite a decent keeper. What I was about to see in the following 90 minutes was certainly much more than a decent goalkeeper!
With the United States winning 3-0 in a game which included two goals and a missed penalty from Carli Lloyd, you would think that she might be the one stealing all of the headlines but no, not this time. That accolade went to Endler as time and time again, the 27-year-old pulled off fantastic saves to deny the US running away with the game.
Like you would imagine Endler had mixed feelings after the game, she said “I’m sad that we lost, but satisfied with my own display. How we perform as a team is always more important than as individuals. I’m satisfied as somehow I was able to help the team during certain passages of the game. I prepared really extensively to be at my best coming into this World Cup, so I have mixed feelings right now. However, I’m pleased with the way I played, above all here in this stadium, which is like a home to me.”
Endler is well travelled and has previously played for Unions La Calera (Chile), Colo Colo (Chile), Chelsea (England) and Valencia (Spain) before finding a home at her current side, Paris St Germain. Her PSG side had a successful season, finishing second, five points behind the European Champions, Lyon.
Tonight, Chile takes on Thailand in search of their first win of the competition and potentially progress as one of the best third-placed finishers. I for one would love to see Endler and her teammates continue their French Adventure, although I appreciate that making it passed the round of sixteen might be one step too far.
