“Will and ambition”: Youssoufa Moukoko is convinced of the U21s. Image: dpa
Is there really a lack of talent in German football? The German youth teams have recently been more successful than many expected. Does that also apply to the U-21 European Championship?
The transfer of talent, experience and self-confidence from the junior level to the national team of the German Football Association (DFB) has been a frequently described secret of success for decades. The U-21 European Championship in 2009, in particular, when the final eleven included six future world champions, Manuel Neuer, Jérôme Boateng, Sami Khedira, Mesut Özil, Mats Hummels and Benedikt Höwedes, is a famous example of this process, and it is not just a repetition of some fans longs for in the dark national team presence.
Because the U21s have been defending themselves against all DFB crises for a long time with considerable success. On Thursday, coach Antonio Di Salvo’s team in Georgia (6 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the U-21 European Championship and on Sat1) will enter the European Championship tournament as the defending champions against Israel, have already won this competition in 2017 and were in 2019 Final.