Lena Oberdorf is Germany's MVP for Euro 2022 final, even if crunching tackles get fewer plaudits than goals

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There were questions when Germany arrived in England ahead of the European Championships. Germany, with a team spirit and resilience, have impressed on their way to the file.

Although most players in the squad would prefer to praise the team ethic as a whole rather than their individual contributions, few players have stood out like the lynchpin in the middle of the field. The versatile Oberdorf has played most roles on the pitch, even finding herself between the sticks in the past.

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A tough tackler with a nose for danger, Oberdorf's first senior outing was with the German national team in their run up to the 2019?

Oberdorf's early run in the team was in the backline, a position that has been Germany's weakness. It was clear that she wasn't being used to her full potential. The youngster was moved to the middle of the park by Germany's coach, who wanted her to play in the center of the park.

After Germany's first game at the Euros, Oberdorf remarked that she didn't know that she was 20. Everybody sees me as a 28-year-old player when I play.

The Euros final will be live on Wednesday at 11:30m. The time has not yet been determined.

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Playing a starring role in her second major tournament with a growing cache of team and individual accolades, it is easy to forget that Oberdorf is only 20.

Take-ons and tackling are where the player shines, but rather than simply throwing her body into challenges and sliding along the grass with studs raised, the player is able to read the play. She sat out Germany's win over Finland because of her back-to-back yellows, but she is not a rash player.

Oberdorf ranks third at the tournament for successful duels with 69 and is tied for second with 19 tackles, which isn't too bad for her tally of cards, since she grew up watching Ramos on the internet.

Her father and brother played football in the garden while she was growing up. Oberdorf played on boys teams. Standing at 5-foot-9 and built to be just muscular enough, theMidfielder cuts an imposing figure in the women's game, but on a team with teenage boys, she quickly learned she needed to be smart as well as strong The 20-year-old knows when to step in and get her body between the opposing player and the ball or when to stretch out a leg to swat away the ball.

We've seen a calmness about the team's duties on the pitch, as well as an unerring team mentality from Germany. "It's been important throughout the whole tournament that we've had a good mix of experienced players that bring a certain ease," Huth said.

With a squad that is split between young and old, with 10 players aged 24 or younger and six in their 30s, it would be easy to just think of a centurion like Alex Popp as one of the experienced players.

There's a beautiful game here. You can watch tournaments and teams.

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Saturday, July 30th.

• Cercle Brugge vs. Anderlecht (10 a.m. ET)

• Middlesbrough vs. Albion (1 p.m. ET)

• Community Shield: Liverpool vs. Manchester City (12 p.m. ET)

• DFL-Supercup: Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich (2:30 p.m. ET)

On Sunday, July 31st.

• Euro final: England vs. Germany (11:30 a.m. ET)

On Monday, August 1st.

• Watford vs. Sheffield United (3 p.m. ET)

• German Cup: Energie Cottbus vs. Werder Bremen (2:30 p.m. ET)

The assured play from Oberdorf shines when the team is asked to defend, to get behind the ball, and refuse their opposition any clear or obvious routes through to the goal. Oberdorf's ability to read the play and run before sliding to take the ball off the attacker that she displays is one of the senior players on the squad.

Oberdorf typifies the group Voss-Tecklenburg has brought together: young but experienced, talented yet humble, individually brilliant but focused on the success of the team. If the Lionesses are to have the same joy at the final as they did last time, they will need to overcome the cornerstone of the German, Oberdorf.

Without Oberdorf's consistency and talent, Germany wouldn't have gotten this far in the tournament. Oberdorf is the obvious choice for the player of the tournament.