When Bayern Munich Frauen goalkeeper Mala Grohs was diagnosed with cancer in October 2024, it shocked everyone at the club because she’s first choice goalkeeper and that meant she’s out of commission for an indefinite period. Around 15 months later, she’s back and better than ever, but what did she endure during that period? She sat down with the club for a comprehensive interview on her tumultuous journey of recovery.
“I ended the [2024] year with very positive news. A few days before Christmas,
my doctor told me that I had finished my therapy,” Mala began (via Bayern’s official website). “So I was able to go into the holidays completely relaxed and was looking forward to being back on the pitch, returning to the team.
“Until New Year’s Eve, I was totally relaxed. I enjoyed having time off, mentally as well. And then, on January 1st, came the crash. Suddenly the adrenaline was gone, and I felt how exhausting everything had been, the tension of the last few months. I was completely wiped out, and I remember saying to my parents, ‘I have no idea how I’m going to get back to Munich now.’ Comparisons are always difficult, but I think it was similar to getting sick on vacation because your body can finally let go. I had been so focused on being positive the whole time, putting so much incredible energy into it – and when the tension was gone, I realized what it had all cost me. I needed a few days to catch my breath, then things started to improve again. But it wasn’t until summer that I was really able to process everything.”
When asked about her standout moments of the 2025 calendar year, she picked the moment where she was cleared to play and her comeback “First, the video call in which I was essentially given the all-clear. I’ll always remember that moment. And then my comeback, in the Champions League against Lyon, including saving a penalty. Then, as a team, we had a fantastic May with the double and an emotional tournament in Portugal [winning the World Sevens Football Cup 2-1 against Manchester United WFC]. But to be honest, at that moment, the titles weren’t the most important thing for me. When we celebrated, I realized how [mentally] tired I was.”
She then went on R&R during summer break, perhaps a little reward for her comeback and the challenges that came with recovery. “So much had happened to me, I had to process it all. During my summer vacation, I took the time to do that, consciously spending a lot of time at home with my family – that did me a world of good. I learned a lot about myself. Why I felt the way I did at certain times. What my mind and body can endure. The mind and soul also need time to heal. Today I can say that the whole experience – from the diagnosis to processing it – has made me stronger.”
The 24-year-old said she isn’t anxious about the possibility of her cancer relapsing, and if God forbid it did she assured that she could handle it. Mala’s confidence increases anytime her appointments reflect her cancer’s remission.
I don’t feel at all like I have to hide my scar or my story. No one who experiences something like this needs to be ashamed. The scar doesn’t bother me at all; sometimes I even forget about it. I also show it because it carries a message: Take care of yourselves! And: You don’t have to hide anything just because something isn’t perfect. – Mala
Mala took the positives from her time out of playing, such as the support of everyone around her like the doctors in hospital, her friends and family, and everyone from Bayern, who as a club showed their support by means of a contract extension while she focuses on getting back to fitness. She even singled out Giulia Gwinn for a particular gesture. “Giulia Gwinn had read in ‘51’ magazine that I enjoy solving Rubik’s Cubes. Shortly after my diagnosis, she gave me a set of ten different cubes. There were some really tricky ones in there that took up a lot of time. Since you often have to wait around in the hospital, I always had a cube with me. In the end, I solved them all.”
After briefly contemplating retirement from the sport, Mala continued pushing and now she’s back, competing with Ena Mahmutovic for the starting position.
“I always knew I was mentally strong, that I could function under pressure and cope with setbacks. But the past year has given me a different kind of self-confidence. That phrase ‘Stay true to yourself,’ which sometimes makes you smile a little – it really hits the nail on the head now. I’ve realized: I’m good the way I am. I can rely on myself. I’ve seen what I’m capable of.”
Here’s a message from her if you, the reader, happen to be enduring a difficult period:
