Marta was named 2009’s World Player of the Year – for the fourth year in succession – but there is a strong body of opinion which suggests that the honour should have gone to Germany’s Inka Grings after her superb Euro 2009 following the key role she played in her club team FCR 2001 Duisburg’s Uefa Cup triumph. England captain Faye White, part of the national team that was destroyed by two-goal Grings as Germany won 6-2 in the Euro 2009 final, cast one of the many votes that went to the German star – and White, as a central defender who tried in vain to keep Grings at bay in the final, knows better than most just how good the 31 year-old striker was during 2009.

(Photo: Inka Grings scores v France, Euro 2009, www.jamesprickett.co.uk)

So although – like England’s Kelly Smith who also had an outstanding year – Grings did not receive the World Player accolade, she does get to start 2010 with a She Kicks Q&A session. Tony Leighton gave the questions to a player who has known adversity – ironically she nearly didn’t even make it to the actual World Player Gala ceremony after having colliding with a lorry in her car on the way to the airport, then having her flight cancelled and switched to a different airport, then being delayed and then the airline lost her luggage so she had to buy new shoes in Zurich - as well as triumph in a career that has been badly affected by injuries but in which she has nevertheless twice won the European Championship finals Golden Boot award, has hit 50 goals in 79 international appearances and has scored 304 goals in 15 Bundesliga seasons (several of them injury-disrupted) with Duisburg.  

Q: Was 2009 the best year of your playing career?
A: Definitely, it was the best and most successful year of my career. I finished the year as a very happy player.

Q: What did it mean to you to be nominated as the World Player of the Year?
A: For me it was a great honour to be on the list of the last five players. It made me very proud to be nominated for such an outstanding award.

Q: What would it have meant to win - the pinnacle of your career?
A: There is nothing bigger than this for an individual player. Since this award is given through the vote of all the national coaches und captains of the national teams it is an incomparable confirmation for one player’s performance during the last year. But I did not expect to win it and I did not count on winning it.

Q: Could you give your thoughts on the other players who were nominated – Marta, Cristiane, Birgit Prinz and Kelly Smith?
A: All players nominated deserved to win this award. Marta is an outstanding player, nobody handles the ball like her. Cristiane – I know her from her years in the Bundesliga – played great tournaments in the past. Birgit Prinz is such an impressive personality, she is a world class forward for lots of years. I have the greatest and deepest respect for what she has achieved and it is a pleasure to play with someone like her in the national team. And Kelly Smith is a superb Number 10. It is fun to watch her play – English football can be proud to have her. If I were a manager I would try to trade her to my club.

Q: In the past you have suffered so much with injuries - did this make 2009 an even more special year for you?
A: Certainly, I am happy that I am free of major injuries for quite a while. Not only because it is hard work to get back, but when you are able to practice continuously you are more likely to show what you are capable of on the pitch.

Q: After being away from the Germany team for almost three and a half years, what brought about your return at the start of 2009?
A: I am a very ambitious player. It was always my aim to play at the highest level and that meant to be part of the German national team. And I have learned from my mistakes in the past. I am happy that I talked that over with national coach Silvia Neid early in the year and that she gave me a second chance.

Q: You won the Euro 2005 Golden Boot award - did it mean as much to you to win it again in 2009?
A: I felt that winning the Golden Boot 2009 was a bit of a confirmation of what I did four years before. I must admit that this makes me proud. But you should not forget that this was made possible through a very strong team that we were during the Euro finals in Finland.

Q: Do you and your Germany colleagues ever get bored with winning gold medals, or is every success as sweet as the ones before?
A: If you play, you want to win. This is the case especially when you play in big tournaments like the Euros or the World Cup. Each tournament must be seen as a whole new experience. Each game has its own story through which it becomes unique. I think if one day I should get bored by winning games I should better stop playing.

Q: How good was it to win the Uefa Cup with FCR 2001 Duisburg in 2009, especially having been part of the club for so long?
A: We were new to the competition and as first timers we did not expect to win the Cup. That made it even bigger to hold it in the hands at the end of the season. Especially the second leg in the final is an unforgettable experience to me, when we played our home game in front of more than 28,000 spectators. It was just a great evening.

Q: In this season’s Champions League quarter-final you will meet Arsenal – do you know much about them, and do you think they will be very difficult opponents?
A: Of course we know quite a bit about Arsenal. We expect a very physical and fast-playing team. Arsenal has got a lot of national players on their squad. Arsenal has a very good name. I expect two interesting games against them. I am looking forward to this match-up.

Q: And finally, can Duisburg be the first team to win the Champions League?
A: I would not mind! But it will be very difficult. As every other team that still is in the race for the Cup, we will do everything that is possible to win the Champions League.