Germany captain Giulia Gwinn will miss the remainder of the 2025 European Championship due to a knee injury.
Gwinn, 26, underwent a scan on Saturday after being forced off in the first half of Germany’s group stage opener against Poland.
The German Football Association (DFB) confirmed she had sustained a medial ligament injury in her left knee and was expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
The DFB later stated that the federation had agreed with Gwinn’s club Bayern Munich that she would return to Munich to undergo treatment. She is scheduled to return to Zurich for Germany’s final group stage game against Sweden on July 12 to support her side.
Germany are unable to call up a replacement, with UEFA regulations dictating that a new outfield player can only be selected on medical grounds up to 24 hours before the first matchday.
The right-back sustained the injury following a last-ditch sliding challenge on Ewa Pajor as the Poland striker prepared to shoot.
Gwinn was visibly emotional as she was helped off the pitch by a member of Germany’s medical team. She was replaced by Carlotta Wamser in the 40th minute and centre-back Janina Minge captained the side in her absence.
“I’ve always said that you don’t go into a tournament like this with 11 players, but rather with 23 and that you have to be prepared for every possibility,” head coach Christian Wuck said at full time.
Gwinn has made 63 appearances for Germany and scored 14 goals. She was named national team captain in February.
The Bayern Munich defender missed the 2023 World Cup due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury — the second injury of her career of such nature, having first ruptured her ACL in 2020.
Germany began their Euro 2025 campaign with a 2-0 win over Poland after second-half goals from Jule Brand and Lea Schuller.
They return to action against Denmark on Tuesday and conclude the group stages against Sweden on July 12.
(Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)