Interview with Giulia Gwinn and Julien Wolff

If you write a book at the age of 25, you must have something to tell. Giulia Gwinn wants to inspire people with ‘Write Your Own Story’. For the captain of Germany and her author Julien Wolff, the book became a joint educational journey. FC Bayern members’ magazine ‘51’ spoke to the two of them.

Giulia, how, when and why did the idea of writing a book come about?
Giulia Gwinn: “It all started two years ago, and the impetus didn't come from me at all. My attitude was more along the lines of, well, you might write a book at the end of your career. But during the preliminary discussions, I was surprised myself. I actually already have quite a lot to tell, even though I'm only 25. I want to inspire with my story. The title ‘Write Your Own Story’ implies that there is not just one path. I want to encourage young girls in particular to have the courage to follow their dreams.”

You even have a tattoo of the saying…
Gwinn: “A few years ago, I was asked to write a message for a young girl on a ball. That's when I thought of this saying. It's actually about exactly that, that everyone writes their own story. That also characterises my life very well.”

Julien Wolff: “It's all in there. Go your own way. And above all, dare to go your own way. It's always easy to say everyone should do their own thing. But to really dare to do that - that's what Giulia exemplifies. That's why this was the perfect title.”

At the very beginning of the book it says: “For little and big dreamers in this world”.
Gwinn: “I've always been a dreamer. In the very first chapter, you read how I wrote down our big dream with my grandma and my brother and hid it in a magic ball. This is one of my favourite parts because it sets the tone. At the age of six, I had written down that I wanted to be a footballer. Fifteen years later, I came across it again and realised what you dream of as a small child can become reality.”

Wolff: “It was an inspiring moment when you told me about it. Unfortunately, Grandma is no longer alive, so it's also a small tribute. At first, we wanted to start the book with a scene after the first cruciate ligament rupture. But then we decided in favour of the magic ball, because it just encompasses everything: Dreams, family, football.”

Gwinn: “I didn't want to start with something negative. The book is supposed to encourage people. Funnily enough, I didn't even remember what I had written back then. It was exciting to open the note, and to read it was really eye-opening. I’d written it at the age of six, with so much desire and such big dreams.”

Overcoming resistance is a central theme of the book. Do you still have to battle against resistance today?
Gwinn: “There’s now more tolerance in women's football, but of course there are still hurdles and you have to keep pushing back to achieve things that are important to you. As a child, I had to listen to a lot of discriminatory comments. Today there’s different resistance, and I deliberately write in the book: ‘If you duck away, you won't achieve anything’. That's a sentence that I've internalised a lot. Women's football wouldn't be where it is today if many before us hadn't had the courage to speak up and express their opinion - even if it doesn't go down well. That's the only way to pave the way, for future generations too.”

Julien, with all due respect, how difficult is it for an ‘old white man’ to put himself in the shoes of a young woman like Giulia for a book together?
Wolff: “Putting yourself completely in a woman's shoes will never be entirely possible. And that's okay. Empathy is the key. We complemented each other well. In the end, gender isn't the deciding factor. It's the human element. So, I was able to put myself in her shoes. It’d be a lie to say that it doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman. Of course there are differences, but they shouldn't be decisive.”

Were there any moments during the collaboration that opened your own eyes?
Wolff: “Of course. As a man, you're not naive and you know that sexism is an issue, for example. But when you hear about the things female players are confronted with, you realise a lot of things even more. That moves me. I think it's all the more important that Giulia addresses such issues. For me, working on the book was like an education and a positive eye-opener about the opportunities, but also the challenges, in football and beyond, and how young women like Giulia deal with them.”

A penalty against Paul Breitner was particularly memorable. Why?
Gwinn: “Once there was an event outside the Olympic Stadium where I had the opportunity to compete with Paul Breitner in a penalty shootout. My Dad first had to persuade me to take the plunge. It felt like 60,000 people were watching. When I scored, it was an emotional boost. I thought if I can compete against Paul Breitner, I can do anything. To this day, I keep that in my head to give me confidence.”

And you also have a special story with Uli Hoeneß...
Gwinn: “I was in hospital after rupturing my cruciate ligament again and had just woken up from the operation. Then I got a phone call from an anonymous number. It was Uli Hoeneß, who wanted to tell me that the whole of FC Bayern was behind me and that I could always get in touch with him. He didn't have to do that. It meant all the more to me. Herbert Hainer also contacted Mala Grohs after her cancer diagnosis. Those are exactly the values that the club represents. Uli Hoeneß once said: ‘Anyone can pat you on the back. It's about being there when things aren't going well’. Whether it's an injury like mine or Mala's serious illness, these are gestures for us as players, but also for everyone out there. And that's what makes Bayern special for me.”

Julien, what was your view of Giulia before the book and then afterwards?
Wolff: “Before, I would have said grade A. Now I say A*. She has courage, is special, and I admire the way she goes through life with her attitude.”

Giulia, one of your life lessons is that everything is good as long as you're wild.
Gwinn: “I'm no longer the little girl on the football pitch. I'm now part of the big football world. But I still want to keep that ease, that wildness. A good mix of discipline, focus and also a carefree attitude.”

You write: ‘Where there are headlights, there are also shadows.’ How do you manage to keep your eyes on the road in the dark?
Gwinn: “With a lot of self-drive. And with the belief that the positive stories will come back. You have to keep visualising the good moments, store them like an internal filter. You put the bad experiences to one side. What helps me a lot is believing in the good.”

You can read the full interview in the summer issue of FC Bayern members’ magazine ‘51’: