Prinz proud of latest landmark

To win four continental titles in a row is an incredible achievement - no team has claimed the men's UEFA European Championship more than three times overall, let alone in consecutive tournaments.

German success
On Sunday, Germany reclaimed the UEFA European Women's Championship which they had won in 1995 and successfully defended in 1997 and 2001. Two players provide a link to all these triumphs - Sandra Minnert and Birgit Prinz. But for the latter, just claiming a fourth gold medal was not enough.

Prinz strikes
As the hour mark passed in the final, Germany held a slender 2-1 lead against Norway. Prinz chose that moment to let fly with a long-range shot which deflected past Norwegian goalkeeper Bente Nordby and settled the result.

Third goal
Not only was it a third goal in England for Prinz, whose campaign had begun one game late due to injury; it was the third time she had scored in a European Championship final having done so as a 17-year-old in 1995, then again in 1997.

Countless honours
Yet for all her career baubles - including victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup, two Olympic medals, countless club honours with 1. FFC Frankfurt and the last two FIFA Women's World Player awards - Prinz still enjoys each triumph like the first.

Still special
"It is special every single time," she told uefa.com. "If it is not special every time, you have to stop playing soccer." However, having been in this position so often, Prinz could sense victory coming in Blackburn.

'Very positive'
"I was very positive," she said. "I was feeling very good in myself, and I thought the whole team was strong. I was a little concerned when they scored, but we played better after half-time and when it went to 3-1, I thought we would win."

Injury worry
Despite travelling to England on the cusp of another landmark - in a pre-tournament friendly she struck her 83rd Germany goal, equalling Heidi Mohr's record - it seemed that Prinz might not make her usual impact when she suffered a thigh injury in Frankfurt's German Cup final defeat in late May.

Back in business
Indeed, she missed Germany's opening win against Norway, but three days later the scorer of a tournament-leading 14 qualifying-round goals started against Italy and took just eleven minutes to set the holders on their way to a 4-0 success.

Solo effort
Prinz, who also registered a superb solo effort in the 4-1 semi-final victory against Finland, said: "It was a little disappointing for me coming into the tournament with an injury. But the team was doing well, they won the first game without me, so it was not a problem."

Coach's praise
Coach Tina Theune-Meyer said of Prinz: "Birgit's one of the most gifted finishers around." Sunday marked Theune-Meyer's final match in charge, and her captain dedicated the win to her. "We really wanted to win for her," Prinz said. "This is best present you can give your coach, so it was really important to win this match."

Formidable asset
Theune-Meyer's successor, Silvia Neid, is fortunate to have an asset like Prinz as she attempts to keep Germany's incredible run going. And still only 27, Prinz has plenty more medals to win.