Balancing Dreams: Carina Schluter’s Journey as a Goalkeeper and Medical Student

Carina Schluter has recorded an impressive 38 saves during St Polten’s three Champions League matches this season.

“Whenever you want something really badly, there’s always an opportunity to achieve it,” she reflects.

From a young age, Schluter aspired to become a doctor. However, she also discovered her considerable talent in football. Currently, the German goalkeeper divides her time between attending lectures and competing in the Women’s Champions League with Austrian club St Polten.

St Polten, champions of the Austrian Bundesliga for the past ten seasons, has facilitated Schluter’s dual pursuits of athletics and medicine at a local university. “I am living my dream life—playing football professionally and training to become a physician. There is nothing better for me in this world,” she shared on the BBC’s Women’s Football Weekly podcast.

As St Polten prepares to face Valerenga in the Champions League on Wednesday, they are yet to secure a victory in the tournament this season. “The first legs have been challenging as we’ve faced formidable opponents like Atletico Madrid, Lyon, and Chelsea. Being a smaller club, we are not expected to win,” Schluter commented.

In their last European match, St Polten suffered a 6-0 defeat against Women’s Super League champions Chelsea, a scoreline that could have been more severe if not for Schluter’s impressive performance in goal.

While her teammates traveled to Oslo on Monday morning, Schluter made her journey a day later due to her university commitments. Balancing these responsibilities is a unique challenge that she has embraced.

Previously, Schluter played for Bayern Munich from 2019 to 2021, but she found it impossible to pursue a medical degree while competing in the German Bundesliga. “After graduating from high school in Germany, I initially attempted to study medicine, but managing both football and academics was overwhelming,” she explained.

“I moved to Austria to find a balance between my studies and football, as it is challenging for most top clubs in Germany or England to support such dual ambitions. Here, they encourage me, and that makes the experience rewarding.”

Schluter relies on her university friends to help her catch up on missed lectures due to football training, stating, “I have supportive peers at university and the club understands my academic commitments, so everything works out.”

At 28 years old, with one senior cap for Germany, Schluter is not alone in her endeavor; her teammates Sarah Mattner and Magdalena Rukavina are also aspiring doctors while playing for St Polten.

Her days are a whirlwind of training, travel, and studying, resulting in numerous “sleepless nights.” “I wouldn’t commit so much time to training and matches if I didn’t truly love it,” Schluter affirmed. “While my body may ache, I feel like a young girl relishing every moment on the big stage.”

Her passion extends to her medical studies as well. “It’s challenging to sit for extended periods and face sleepless nights in preparation for exams. I often feel pressed for time to study, so I compensate with late nights and plenty of coffee.”

“Ultimately, it’s manageable because I love what I do, and it brings me so much joy.”