When Alexandra Popp stepped onto the pitch for Borussia Dortmund, the atmosphere was electric. The match ended 3-0, and a crowd of 4,527 filled the Stadion Rote Erde, a record for the club’s third‑tier women’s side.\n\nLast season’s average attendance was below half that of the men’s fixtures, but season‑ticket sales have jumped from 600 to 1,700 after Popp’s arrival. Fans have seized the chance to see a 67‑goal‑scoring former Germany captain return to the club she grew up supporting.\n\nPopp’s shirt is flying off shelves, outselling even the men’s top scorer Serhou Guirassy.

She described the day as “amazing” and said playing in a packed stadium was a rare experience for a veteran who has spent years in the Bundesliga.\n\nAlthough the team only formed in 2020, Dortmund’s women have climbed from the seventh to the third tier. With a three‑year contract, Popp aims to lift the side to the Bundesliga and inspire the next generation.\n\nAgainst Arminia Bielefeld, the game was hard‑fought, with Popp facing hone‑in fouls that drew two bookings. Yet she remained dynamic, moving across the pitch to create space, and she welcomed the younger teammates, who were initially nervous but grew confident through her example.