Nia Künzer arrived in Windhoek in October to accept her status as International Ambassador for the Galz & Goals Programme. Nia was born in Mochudi, Botswana, where her parents were based with an Aid organization. On her return to Germany, Nia began a football career that would change the women’s game forever. Playing in defense and midfield for Eintracht Wetzlar and VfB Gießen, Nia went on to join 1 FFC Frankfurt in 1997 where she would play at the top of the German and European game until her premature retirement just last year, in a team that would create more interest in women’s football than ever before both at home in Germany and around the world.

International honours soon followed and her finest hour came in 2003 when Germany lifted the World Cup, with Nia scoring the “Golden Goal” and parading the trophy in front of thousands of fans. While playing and in retirement, Nia has done all she can to promote women’s football and encourage the next generation of young girls to get their boots on and play and is currently the Ambassador of the Hessen region for the World Championship 2011 at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Sports in Germany

Nia’s parents have also visited Namibia as humanitarian workers for under privilege children in Katutura and the 1st ever young girls tournament on Namibian soil was named the Nia Künzer Girls Festival in 2008 and was sponsored with vouchers for sports equipment for all teams by the German Embassy. All this has been a tremendous help in kick-starting girls football in Namibia.