Ann-Katrin Berger is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for NJ/NY Gotham FC in the National Women's Soccer League and the Germany national team.
Since 2017, Berger has been in a relationship with fellow footballer Jess Carter — a teammate at Birmingham City, Chelsea, and Gotham FC. They got engaged in May 2024.
She is an Ambassador and co-founder of the Judan Ali Football Academy.
She was twice diagnosed with thyroid cancer (2017 and 2022), she returned to elite form both times — even winning awards and making critical saves shortly after her comebacks.
She didn’t become a goalkeeper until age 16 — after playing as a striker, midfielder, and defender. She jokes it was because she “got lazy to run” and had “grown again.”
She’s renowned for saving penalties under pressure — including a shootout hero moment at the 2024 Olympics, where she not only saved two but scored the winner herself.
She says she’s good at mentally resetting after setbacks — she allows herself to feel sad for a day and then focuses on the next challenge.
She likes penalty shootouts and views them as “a free chance” to become the hero — there's nothing to lose for the goalkeeper.
She Reads the Body, Not the Ball: When preparing to dive, she focuses on a specific part of the shooter's body (she won’t say which) to predict where they’ll shoot — not the ball itself.
Her two favorite American eats? A Philly cheesesteak and a biscuit.
German football fans can breathe a sigh of relief. First-choice goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger will continue to wear the national team jersey for the World Cup qualifying campaign.
For the first time since 1996, two players will share the women’s Footballer of the Year award. The winners are Germany captain Giulia Gwinn (FC Bayern) and goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC).
Former Chelsea number one, now playing in the U.S., Ann-Katrin Berger helped Germany won bronze medals at the last Olympics—and has beaten cancer not once, but twice. She also impressed at this year’s Euros. Who is Ann-Katrin Berger?
England's defender Jess Carter has had a tough time at the Euros, having been subjected to a wave of hateful racist comments, especially after the match against Sweden. Her fiancée and German goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger says she is very proud of her.
| Puma |
| Summer Olympics bronze medal | 1× |
| UEFA Women's Championship runner-up | 1× |
| UEFA Women's Champions League runner-up | 1× |
| Women's FA Cup | 3× |
| Women's FA Community Shield | 1× |
| FA Women's League Cup | 2× |
| FA Women's Super League | 4× |
| Women's FA Cup: runner-up | 1× |
| DFB-Hallenpokal for women | 1× |
| Frauen Bundesliga | 1× |
| NWSL Championship | 1× |
| CONCACAF W Champions Cup | 1× |
| Year | Club | AP | GL |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2024
-
present
|
NJ/NY Gotham FC | 28 | 0 |
|
2019
-
2024
|
Chelsea | 108 | 0 |
|
2016
-
2018
|
Birmingham City | 44 | 0 |
|
2014
-
2016
|
Paris Saint-Germain | 15 | 0 |
|
2011
-
2014
|
1. FFC Turbine Potsdam | 32 | 0 |
|
2009
-
2011
|
VfL Sindelfingen | 12 | 0 |
| International Stats | |||
|
2020
-
present
|
Germany | 20 | 0 |
|
2009
-
2009
|
Germany U19 | 1 | |