Mel in the Middle

Chris Brookes interviews the Germany midfielder more than a year into her Chelsea career, an Olympic and European champion who added a league title in her first season in England as part of a clean sweep of domestic trophies. Leupolz describes how going abroad without the language forces you to grow, and jokes that her head is now so much in English that she catches herself using it with the national team. Sam Kerr and Lauren James are the hardest teammates to follow for slang. She signed early in the pandemic without seeing her flat, sang her initiation with Pernille Harder, and describes herself as quiet and observant. She praises Emma Hayes’ leadership, comparing her to Silvia Neid and Martina Voss-Tecklenburg, rates Barcelona’s midfield and Alexia Putellas the toughest opposition, and credits Melanie Behringer as an early role model.