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| Anja Mittag | |
|---|---|
| Name | Anja Mittag |
| Fullname | Anja Mittag |
| Birth date | 16 May 1985 |
| Birth place | Freiberg, East Germany |
| Height | 1.67 m |
| Position | Forward |
| Nationalteam | Germany |
| Nationalcaps | 158 |
| Nationalgoals | 50 |
Anja Mittag (born 16 May 1985) is a German former professional footballer and current coach, best known for her prolific goalscoring, technical skill, and success at club and international levels. She earned multiple league titles, Champions League trophies, and major tournament medals while playing in Germany, Sweden, France, and the United States. Mittag later transitioned into coaching and development roles in women's football.
Born in Freiberg, Saxony, in the former East Germany, Mittag began playing with local clubs before moving into structured youth systems that included FC Erzgebirge Aue and 1. FC Nürnberg youth setups. As a teenager she joined the academy of FC Carl Zeiss Jena, where she developed alongside prospects who later featured in the Frauen-Bundesliga and in youth squads for Germany women's national football team. Her progression through regional competitions brought attention from scouts associated with 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and SGS Essen, leading to her first professional contract.
Mittag's professional breakthrough came at 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, where she won multiple Frauen-Bundesliga titles and the UEFA Women's Cup alongside teammates who included internationals from Germany and other European countries. She transferred to FC Rosengård (formerly LdB FC Malmö) in the Damallsvenskan, contributing to Swedish championship campaigns and forming partnerships with players from Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Mittag had stints with Paris Saint-Germain Féminines in France's Division 1 Féminine and with FC Bayern Munich (women) back in the Frauen-Bundesliga, where she added domestic cups to her honors list. She also played for the Boston Breakers in the Women's Professional Soccer league in the United States, integrating with international stars from England, Australia, and United States women's national soccer team alumni. Throughout her club career she collected multiple UEFA Women's Champions League trophies, league top-scorer awards, and selections to seasonal best XIs.
Mittag represented Germany women's national football team across youth levels before earning senior caps, featuring in major tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup, the UEFA Women's Championship, and the Olympic Games. She was part of the Germany squads that won the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 and UEFA Women's Euro 2013 campaigns, and contributed goals during qualification and final tournaments alongside teammates from the generation that included Birgit Prinz, Nadine Angerer, Marta-era opponents, and other European internationals. Mittag played at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, and was selected for Olympic squads at competitions held in Beijing and London cycles. Her national team tenure featured partnerships with players from Bayern Munich, VfL Wolfsburg (women), and other leading clubs.
Mittag was widely regarded as a clinical striker with technical finishing, spatial intelligence, and strong off-the-ball movement; commentators compared her to prolific forwards who starred in Frauen-Bundesliga and Damallsvenskan history. Analysts and pundits from outlets covering UEFA competitions and FIFA tournaments praised her positional sense, link-up play with wingers from clubs like FC Rosengård and Paris Saint-Germain, and ability to score with both feet and the head. Coaches from 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, FC Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain highlighted her work rate and tactical adaptability in systems used in Germany, France, and Sweden. Award panels and sports journalists included her in seasonal best XI lists and nominated her for continental player awards during peak seasons.
After retiring as a player, Mittag moved into coaching and development roles, taking positions within club academies and national youth programs associated with organizations like FC Rosengård and regional federations in Germany and Sweden. She has worked on talent identification and forward coaching while collaborating with technical staff from UEFA-affiliated coaching courses and seminars linked to the German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund) and Scandinavian coaching networks. Mittag also engaged with initiatives promoting women's football alongside stakeholders from FIFA, continental confederations, and clubs competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Mittag is known to maintain ties to her hometown region in Saxony and has been involved in community outreach projects and youth development schemes that partner with clubs such as FC Erzgebirge Aue. Off the pitch she has appeared in interviews and media features covering athletes from Germany, and has connections with former teammates and colleagues across European football including figures associated with VfL Wolfsburg (women), 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, and FC Bayern Munich.
Category:1985 births Category:German women's footballers Category:Germany women's international footballers Category:Frauen-Bundesliga players