The U17 selection of the German national team is in the final of the European Championship 2023. The juniors have already achieved something historic. In the Sportschau interview, Captain Noah Darvich talks about the “unique” experience.
It’s been eight years since the German U17 footballers last played in the final. The tournament – unlike the men’s – takes place every year. You have to search even longer for the last German victory. It dates back to 2009. Back then in the squad: Mario Götze and Marc-André ter Stegen.
Now – almost 14 years later – Germany seems to be launching a new exciting generation of footballers. Young, talented and, as coach Christian Wück says, ready “to tear up the national jersey on the pitch”. A team that brings a quality that has seemed to be missing in German squads in recent years: mentality.
Residue? No problem!
The Wück-Elf at the current European Championship provides proof of this. To date, all five tournament games have been won. But it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Captain Noah Darvich’s team was behind three times after 45 minutes. They put their comeback qualities to the test again and again – also in the preliminary round match against France.
“We were 1-0 down at the break, so there wasn’t much going on in the first half,” the Freiburg native recalled in an interview with Sportschau. “We just tried to stay calm. Everyone gave their input, what they think wasn’t right. That’s how we found the best solution. Of course, we also know what we can do and trust in our qualities – and then we win! “
The key to success
On Friday, the young professionals will face France again – then in the final. After the experience of the first meeting, Darvich says: “The key could be to be fully awake from the start. That the level is kept high from start to finish.” The level at which the German U17 national team can play was shown in a very short time in the first duel with the French. She only needed seven minutes to go from 0:1 to 3:1.
In addition to Darvich, who booked his first of a total of four assists at the European Championship in this game, another offensive man was the focus. Paris Brunner, left winger, contributed two goals to catch up. With four tournament goals, the Dortmund player is currently Germany’s most dangerous attacker.
From the classroom to the EM final
Darvich and Brunner are just two exciting names in an overall deep U17 squad. But despite all the euphoria, you shouldn’t lose sight of one thing: many of the boys still go to school, and there’s still a long way to go to become a professional. All the more valuable are the experiences that you now gather together.
“It’s a completely different stage than at the club. We just try to enjoy it and somehow absorb everything,” says Darvich. He has the last opportunity to do so on Friday at 8 p.m. Then comes the final against France (broadcast on uefa.tv). And who knows? Maybe one day he won’t look back at the 2023 European Championship, but at the 2023 European Championship title.