When Giulia injured her knee during a big match, she was devastated. It was going to take almost a year for her to be back playing with her team again. Lying in her hospital bed, Giulia felt a wave of sadness wash over her. A comeback seemed so far away.

During her first weeks in physical therapy, all she could think about was getting back to the excitement of the football pitch. But there was a silver lining

“I realised that I was able to fight back and I have more self-confidence now.”

She had a recovery buddy. A teammate who was injured at the same time. Slowly, the two young women became closer, sharing their small wins like walking normally, then running, then jumping.

Together, they went to their team’s games—both home and away—and cheered from the sidelines. Every time Germany scored, the players on the pitch ran to Giulia for a group hug so the whole team could celebrate together.

During the last few months of rehab, Giulia and her trainer hung up a tape measure and cut off a piece at the end of each session. Snip, snip, snip. The weeks started to fly by. Finally, Giulia got the okay to play in her first match since her injury. She was thrilled. Of course, the first person she told her happy news to was her recovery buddy and teammate.

The whole day felt magical. Giulia found herself relishing in the little things she had taken for granted before her injury, like seeing her jersey waiting for her in the locker room.

‘I went through it a thousand times in my head’,she said. ‘And it was still 100 times more beautiful.

Now, both Giulia and her best friend are back on the pitch together, and stronger than ever.