Two newcomers should help Germany’s U21s qualify for the European Championship. Above all, Bayern Munich’s teenager Lennart Karl is in focus.
Shooting star Lennart Karl from Bayern Munich has been called up for the U21 national team for the first time. The 23-man squad for the two European Championship qualifiers against Malta and in Georgia also includes debutant Arijon Ibrahimovic from 1. FC Heidenheim and Nnamdi Collins from Eintracht Frankfurt, who was recently nominated for the senior national team. The DFB announced this on Friday.
“I’m pleased to be able to reward two players, Lennart Karl and Arijon Ibrahimovic, for their good performances in recent weeks and to nominate them for the squad. We want to win both games and get six points,” said U21 coach Antonio Di Salvo. “That’s why I’m happy that we can rely on some players in the defensive area who were unfortunately missing recently due to injuries. This is important in order to achieve defensive stability.”
Lennart Karl’s steep rise
The 17-year-old Karl recently played for the German U17 national team and contributed a total of seven goals and six assists in 13 games. In Munich he had already scored in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League under coach Vincent Kompany.
Said El Mala will be missing from the U21; the Cologne player was called up for the senior national team and the next two World Cup qualifiers for the first time by national coach Julian Nagelsmann on Thursday. “I’m happy for Said that he gets the chance to show himself with the senior national team,” said Di Salvo: “He should take this experience with him now and use it for his future development.”
Moukoko not in the squad
Goalkeeper Mio Backhaus (Werder Bremen), defenders Collins, Finn Jeltsch (VfB Stuttgart), Joshua Quarshie (FC Southampton) and Aaron Zehnter (VfL Wolfsburg) as well as midfielder Aljoscha Kemlein (Union Berlin), all of whom were recently injured, are back. In attack, the focus is on Nicolo Tresoldi, who earned a 3-3 draw with FC Brugge against FC Barcelona in the Champions League during the week and scored himself.
Youssoufa Moukoko (FC Copenhagen) is missing, as are the injured Brajan Gruda (Brighton & Hove Albion), Hendry Blank (Hannover 96) and Linus Gechter (Hertha BSC).
DFB team under pressure
The DFB selection is under pressure on the way to the 2027 European Championships in Serbia and Albania, where the Olympic tickets for Los Angeles 2028 will also be awarded, after the slip-up in October against Greece (2:3). On Friday (6 p.m.) Karl and Co. are the clear favorites in Fürth against Malta, four days later a real tough test awaits in Tbilisi against Georgia.