The German Christian centre forward knelt dow in the pitch after scoring a penalty. She wanted to “briefly experience this moment with God”.
Giovanna Hoffmann. / [link] Steffen Prößdorf[/link], Wikipedia.
German Christian centre forward Giovanna Hoffmann (26) made her debut in the starting line-up in the quarter-finals of the Women's European football Championship against France last week (7-6 on penalties).
After scoring the penalty, she knelt down and thanked God, because “it was a very personal moment. When you receive such a great gift of being able to play in such a game with such a positive outcome, I fell to my knees in gratitude”, Hoffmann explained.
“Before the game, I read a Bible verse that was very fitting for this match. That it is not always the strong who win the battle, nor the swift who win the race. This verse was very much on my mind during the game”, she told German newspaper Bild.
She wanted to “briefly experience this moment with God” on the pitch before celebrating with her teammates.
In 2020 Hoffmann was playing for SC Freiburg, when she suffered a serious knee injury, the second serious injury of her career.
“I didn't know whether to continue playing, then I prayed and opened the Bible and I received clear guidance that I should continue. If I hadn't experienced those injuries, my faith would never have matured to where it is now”, she recalled in the Bild interview.
Before her first injury, “my relationship with God was centred on football. I prayed when we needed help for a game or a goal. But then I realised that my relationship with God is independent of football. Today, I no longer have to define my worth by my performance in football. I am a child of God. That gives me more freedom”.
Hoffmann explained that she grew up with faith at home and attended church services as a child, but “faith is not innate; everyone has to make a conscious decision for themselves”.
“I am a Christian; that is my identity. I do not have strict rules, but rather I walk with God through my daily life; He is always with me. It is important to me that I have time in the morning to read the Bible, discuss things that are coming up with God, and pray for other people. For me, faith is as much a part of life as eating and drinking”, underlined the German Christian centre forward.
Germany will play Spain in the Euro semi-finals this Wednesday.
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