German Women’s Football Icon Doris Fitschen Dies at 56

Doris Fitschen, a trailblazer in women’s football and key figure in the sport’s development, passed away after a long illness.

Doris Fitschen, a four-time European champion and 144-time German national team player, passed away on Saturday at age 56 after battling cancer.
She was instrumental in the German women’s football team’s first international title at the 1989 European Championship and won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Fitschen also achieved success at the club level, winning multiple league and cup titles with TSV Siegen and 1. FFC Frankfurt.
In her post-playing career, she worked as a manager and later as the DFB's coordinator for the 'Women in Football FF27' strategy, advocating for the sport’s growth and professionalization.
Tributes from DFB officials and FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted her leadership, empathy, and lasting impact on women’s football in Germany and beyond.