A 0: 4 slap against the top team and Bundesliga leaders, VfL Wolfsburg, of course, is never a fun deal: for Allie Hess of MSV Duisburg it was already an extraordinary result to be able to be on the pitch too.
After suffering a string of ankle injuries, the American striker never thought he would ever play professional football again, let alone compete in the Bundesliga at eye level again.
Hess was injured for a few months. At the time she was a player at the University of Kansas City, Missouri. At one point she even lost her passion for the game, believing that her ankle problems could spell the end of her career. Instead, Hess devoted himself to training young players. But he has found his way back. Seeing the joy sport brought to these girls rekindled Hess’s desire to play alone. Just like the fledgling Kansas City Current team she was to play her first season in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in 2021.
Important player of the MSV
This was his chance. Although Hess impressed at the trial, he couldn’t hide his two-year hiatus. Although it was signed, he had to fight for playing time. Then the opportunity presented itself to join Duisburg, which was playing in the 2nd Bundesliga at the time.
Now the 26-year-old has been able to play regularly again. Hess’s style of play of having the ball on his feet and running towards the defense turned out to be more suited to European play than the American style, which relied more on speed and power. As a forward, he helped the Zebras move up to the German top division.
Hess is an MSV regular and has made six appearances for the promoted side this season. “I’ve been able to improve my skills a lot in this league by playing against some of the best players in the world,” he told DW. “The German national team is disciplined like no other and the way they move the ball well is reflected throughout the league.”
A great help
Hess attributes to one particular person that his fortune could turn like this: Vlatko Andonovski. The current head coach of the US women’s national team, who coached Hess during the formative seven years of her childhood, was helpful. “He has such a high football IQ and always opened my eyes to new things at such a young age,” said Hess. “It taught me so much as a person and as a player. It helped me develop the mindset of ‘working smarter, not harder’. It helped me see the game differently and open my eyes to the bigger picture. , rather than just looking at a single position, “explained Hess.
The 26-year-old is now looking to apply those lessons in Duisburg, where the Zebras are struggling to stay in the Bundesliga as promoted teams, also grappling with the typical problems of women’s football. “It’s a classic problem in the world of football: in the Bundesliga, a lot of money is always invested in men’s teams,” said Hess. “We are fighting a pretty tough battle here in Duisburg because they want to invest a lot in men and not so much in women, but it’s the same everywhere. The team is just trying to stay afloat and build on what we have.”
For these reasons, Duisburg’s goal of the season is very simple. “Our goal is not to back down,” Hess said. “We have a small and young team. And I think we will show people that we will stay awake.”
Translated from English by Jörg Strohschein
