The women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin welcomes its next new summer signing, in the shape of defender Judith Steinert. The 28-year-old was previously under contract at SC Freiburg. 

150 games of Bundesliga experience

Born in Mosbach, she received her football training at ASV Hagsfeld and joined TSG 1899 Hoffenheim U-17s at the age of 15. In her first season with TSG, she won the German Junior B Championship, made her Bundesliga debut in December 2013 in a 2-2 draw against FC Bayern München and was promoted to Hoffenheim's second team one season later. There, the defender achieved promotion to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in the summer of 2014. In December 2021, Steinert was honoured for her hundredth Bundesliga match.

In the 2020/21 season, Steinert and Hoffenheim qualified for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time where they faced FC Barcelona, Arsenal and HB Køge in the group stage. Despite their best efforts, the team was eliminated before reaching the quarter-finals. Steinert played all six games in Group C and all four qualifying matches. She also played three international matches for the U19 national team against England and Sweden in September and October 2013.

When Steinert moved from TSG to SC Freiburg in the summer of 2022, she reached the DFB Pokal final in her first season with her new team, where they lost to VfL Wolfsburg. Steinert played a total of 48 competitive matches for the Breisgauers and has now made over 150 appearances in the Bundesliga.

Three facts about Judith

• Steinert has never been sent off in her professional career and has only collected eleven yellow cards in over 200 matches
• With her top flight appearances, Steinert is the most experienced player in the Union squad
• She becomes the second-oldest player in the 1. FC Union Berlin first team

Views on the transfer

"I'm very happy to be joining Union. The conditions and goals of the club convinced me straight away and I want to use my experience and quality to help continue their successful development,” said a delighted Steinert on her move to the capital. “I also like the way football is played here, which I can really identify with."

"In Judith,” said Jennifer Zietz, Union’s director of women’s professional football, “we are gaining a very experienced player who has already proven her skills in the Bundesliga over the years and will strengthen our squad with her quality. We are delighted that we have been able to recruit Judith and are confident that she will fit well into our team structure.”