When Nick Woltemade celebrated his three-pack after the perfect European Championship start of the German U21, the loudspeakers in the Slovak Nitra boomed as with the A-National team of classics “Major Tom”. And the match winner was also completely detached.
“The three goals taste very good,” said the Stuttgart after the 3-0 (2-0) against Slovenia and hid the game ball under his training jacket: “That was an important start for us.”
Woltemade scored three goals in an EM game as the first German U21 player since Luca Waldschmidt in 2019 against Serbia (6-1).
The 23-year-old had already marked all three goals during the European Championship general rehearsal against Spain in March. “His series with us is scary. It can go on like this,” said DFB coach Antonio di Salvo at “Sat.1”.
So will the next triple pack follow on Sunday against the Czech Republic (9:00 p.m.)? “You have to screw down a bit. But as long as we win, it is perfectly fine for me if I continue to score three goals. But I think the rhythm will be difficult to keep,” said Woltemade to his goals in the 19th, 42nd and 82nd minute – he set the final point at the penalty.
The basis for success is laid
Waldschmidt ended up at the European Championship in Italy six years ago with seven goals, Germany only lost to Spain in the final (1-2). Now at least the basis for a similar success is laid.
“We all didn’t really know what to expect. We didn’t know the opponent. That’s why we are very happy,” said Woltemade: “And that’s why such a start is doing very, very well. I only played a tournament in my life. I just talk as if you knew how it all feels. But: It feels good.”
The attacker was eliminated at the European Championship in the group phase with the German U17 in 2019, the start was lost 1: 3 against Italy at the time. Now it was much better at the start – especially thanks to Woltemade.