The 19-year-old will be one of the stars of the German team that aims to win the U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
Akim Feffal, Leverkusen Women’s Technical Director, can’t help laughing when he thinks back to the first time he met Lisaine Grave.
As the club’s most talented midfielder, Grave previously played for the two-time Champions League winner Wolfsburg’s reserve team and joined the team in the second division, but she was not satisfied with this, and then she chose a team that could have A team with a full performance opportunity.
As head coach at the time, Fifer was thrilled to sign Gravey. He knew Grave well, and Fifer started paying attention when he was still playing in the regional leagues. Still, when Fifer finally got a chance to work with Grave last year, he was still taken aback.
In an interview with GOAL, Fifer said: “I think she’s calm under pressure. Not all players at this age have that level of composure. That’s what I observed in my first training session, I Surprised.”
Although Grave only made one appearance in the Bundesliga Women’s League during her time with Wolfsburg, she has quickly become an important part of Bayer Leverkusen’s squad at No. 5 on the NXGN list.
That’s one of the many reasons why she’s one of the most promising talents in Germany, Europe and beyond, and she’ll no doubt show her strength at this summer’s U20 Women’s World Cup in Costa Rica.
Grave started his football career with his father and two older brothers, first joining the local team, FC Kowenz, and then joining Weydenbrook at the age of 14. On both teams, Grave played with the men’s team, only returning to the women’s team when she joined Wolfsburg at the age of 16.
Grave himself said: “Physically it’s totally different. I’ve learned a lot from it, including speed. Playing with girls, you can hold the ball longer and you can be more one-on-one, so I watch and pass the ball. Dealing with the situation on the court. It’s also important for the speed of thinking, and I learned a lot during that time.”
There is no doubt that this special growth path has helped Gravey to greatly improve his understanding and participation in the game, which are also the two magic weapons of her proud midfield.
Her vision and passing ability are two other standout traits, which is not surprising given that Grave has long idolised German men’s football midfielder Toni Kroos and regularly watches Kroos videos to analyze how he distributes the ball.
“You could see in the youth team that she was very technical, she could use her left and right feet,” Fifer recalled. “She was very good at controlling the rhythm of the team, including speed and athleticism. You can easily Just found out that she was going to be a special player.”
Beyond those talents, though, Gravee has real dedication. Grave’s decision to leave one of Europe’s top clubs in order to gain game time in the Bundesliga shows her hunger, even as a teenager.
Fifer believes the move will benefit Grave’s growth. “It’s important for her to be able to play every week and to finish enough games. It’s good for her development.”
“This is her first season from the second division to the top division. Sometimes, there are still some problems in the game. But she is very clear that she has room to improve.”
“I hope, and we are convinced, that Grave can go a step further in the second season, maintain a consistent performance in the game, and improve the stability of his performance.”
However, in the new season, Fifer will be transferred to the technical director, and the Leverkusen women’s team will welcome a new coach, Robert DePau. The Dutch led Twente to the local championship last season.
“I think the new coach’s game tactics will focus on offense, reduce long passes, but require midfielders to have passing ability. I think it’s a good thing for midfielders to coach this kind of tactic, and it’s a good thing for Grave’s development. That’s good news, too.”
Bayer 04 women’s team midfielder Lisanne Gräwe has been named to @goal NXGN 2022 highlighting the top 50 wonderkids in women’s football!
Here’s a look back at a 🚀 she scored earlier this season! pic.twitter.com/gAdSmzrWuc
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) March 22, 2022
“I think she has a clear goal, the goal is to get into the national team. That’s something I can expect. She’s going to keep, keep, keep training. Sometimes we have to tell her, ‘No, no, no, the more the better. The quality of the training is what matters. Sometimes it’s a combination of work and rest.'”
“She has the personality and the mentality that needs to be there to be a very good player in the Bundesliga and maybe take that last step and get into the national team. I think you can see the way she works and she will achieve this for herself. Goal.”
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