Lena Oberdorf celebrates triumphant Supercup comeback at Bayern!

Lena Oberdorf celebrates triumphant Supercup comeback at Bayern!

On August 31, 2025 the time had finally come: Lena Oberdorf celebrated her long-awaited competitive debut for FC Bayern Munich in the Supercup against VfL Wolfsburg. After a dry spell of 410 days caused by a torn cruciate ligament during a European Championship qualifier against Austria, she stepped onto the pitch again. As the Free press reported, the game ended with a clear 4-2 win for Bayern, and Oberdorf's return was celebrated with great applause by the fans.

What a day for the talented midfielder! She came on as a substitute in the 62nd minute to the cheers of the crowd, demonstrated her skills and was even involved in both of the game's decisive penalties. She took the penalty to make it 4-1 from Georgia Stanway and awarded a penalty to Wolfsburg, which led to Vivien Endemann making it 2-1. When the trophy was handed over, Oberdorf was the first to lift the trophy - a gesture that she found surprising, but certainly anything but undeserved.

A long way back

The last few months have not been easy for Oberdorf. The cruciate ligament rupture posed not only a physical challenge, but also an emotional one. She described the rehabilitation as “hell” and recalled the moment of her injury as “violent.” Nevertheless, she managed to develop some new perspectives during the long downtime: she played the guitar, invested time in her DJ booth and even started a podcast. She also now enjoys the company of her dog Skyla. However, her restlessness during training shows that she can hardly wait to get back to work as soon as the balls don't fly as usual.

In addition to her sporting comeback, Oberdorf has also found her way back into a resilient women's soccer scene. In view of the upcoming women's European Football Championship in 2025, the specialist audience is intensively concerned with the topic of cruciate ligament injuries. Women are commonly affected - it is estimated that they are 4 to 8 times more likely to tear their anterior cruciate ligament than men. An aspect that Association office clearly shows. The causes of this susceptibility to injury range from anatomical differences to biomechanical peculiarities.

Prevention and future

In order to reduce Croosligament tears in women's football, specialists rely on gender-specific training. The focus is on developing targeted prevention strategies that are tailored to the physical characteristics of female athletes. Dr. Rebecca Singer emphasizes that, in addition to strengthening the thighs and buttocks, coordination and balance exercises are also crucial in order to avoid injuries.

Oberdorf's return and the associated awareness of the risks of injury in women's football could not only have a positive impact on her own career, but also help other players to get through their careers unscathed. In this sense, their return is more than just a sporting comeback - it is a sign of hope for many who have to overcome similar challenges.