'German football made me,' says New Zealand's W-League star

W-League star Rebekah Stott loves cliff jumping (more of that later), it's this adventurous spirit that pushed Stott to give German football a go, a decision she believes made her the player she is today.

Ten years ago, Stott kicked off her W-League career as a raw, talented 16-year-old.

The teen played a season with Australian clubs Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory.

But it wasn’t till 2013 did the 172-cm defender's football education really kick in when she experienced a German football culture that took her game to a new level.

A level that she's maintained since at World Cups and Olympics for New Zealand, and her W-League campaigns.

“Going to Germany at a young age for two years. I learned so much from German football on and off the field,” she tells FTBL from her Melbourne base.

“I think that I definitely grew to the player I am now.

Stott (blue shirt second from right) says she'd love a return to German football

Stott’s German football destination was SC Sand, based in Baden-Württemberg around 12 kilometers east of Strasbourg.

Not one of the traditional women's powerhouses in German football, but a useful entree into a fantastic football culture.

“It wasn’t too crazy and different to what I had before. It was probably just more structured.

“I loved it. I really loved my time there in German football.

“In the beginning, we were in German football’s second tier, Bundesliga 2, so it wasn’t as much training but when we moved up to Bundesliga 1, it got a lot more intense and serious.

“I think it does fly under the radar [German football’s Bundesliga], it’s a very good league and a bit underrated.

“A lot of players have gone into the English league or to the US league, which kind of does a disservice to the German football league.

“It’s a quality league, with the top teams like Wolfsburg and Bayern who are very strong and compete in the UEFA Champions League.

“It’s a very strong league,” she says of German football’s top tier.

Stott also played in the US and Norway, but having conquered Australia’s W-League would a return to German football be on the Kiwi’s cards?

Stott during her time with German football club SC Sand

“I’m so down for that! I loved my experience in German football. I’d be more than happy to do that and of course I sprechen sie Deutsch!”

At 19, Stott opted to play for her country of birth New Zealand, though in a similar nod to German football, teenage Kiwi prodigy Maya Hahn this week pledged allegiances to Germany and could represent them at the next U20 World Cup (through her father’s heritage).

Now 26, Stott's rise has mirrored the rise of the women’s game in Australia and globally over the last 10 years.

CHECK OUT STOTT'S CAREER STATS

But she is more broadly known for being part of Melbourne City’s W-League golden era since 2015, working under current Arsenal coach Joe Montemurro a particular highlight for the defender.

“Being in that professional environment at Melbourne City, that has been priceless too,” she says.

Shortly after her German football phase Stott represented the Ferns at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015, famously scoring a well-taken goal in the group stage, the 2019 World Cup in France, and the Rio 2016 Olympics.

And with a World Cup bid for 2023 in Australia and New Zealand, Stott is gunning for a third straight World Cup.