DFB juniors
German U17 celebrates reaching the World Cup semi-finals
Paris Brunner (M) brought Germany’s U17s to victory against Spain. photo
© Achmad Ibrahim/AP/dpa
After a lot of frustration with the selection of national coach Nagelsmann, another national team from the DFB is ecstatic: Germany’s U17 is in the World Cup semi-finals, as it was last in 2011. And that thanks to German virtues.
The German U17 national players fight for match winners Paris Brunner celebrated the World Cup semi-final euphorically. For the first time since 2011, the youth selection is in the last four at a World Cup and raises high hopes for its first title.
“It was an incredibly difficult game,” said relieved and overjoyed coach Christian Wück after the biggest World Cup success in this age group for more than a decade.
His players were exhausted and waited for their semi-final opponent for the next big game on Tuesday. This was determined in the South American duel between Brazil and Argentina. “I think Spain were definitely the strongest opponents,” said German captain Noah Darvich of FC Barcelona. His club teammates cried after they were eliminated.
Foul penalty decides
In the nerve-wracking 1-0 (0-0) against dominant Spaniards, the recently suspended Dortmund super talent Brunner took on the role of goal hero for the highly efficient European champions in Jakarta with a converted penalty kick (64th minute). In the humid weather, the team successfully fought off the Spanish offensive superiority not only for 90 minutes, but also in what felt like a never-ending 13 minutes of stoppage time – and they did so with German virtues.
In front of 8,379 spectators, the DFB talents passionately threw themselves into almost every ball against the Spaniards, who were attacking in Barça style. They straddled and worked, some of them had to be replaced later due to cramps. Wück’s message to his team at the break: Use a standard and defend with full commitment. “If we keep a clean sheet at the back and continue to fight so selflessly – what defines the Germans – then we will win the game and that’s exactly how it happened,” said Wück.
After turbulent weeks, Brunner particularly enjoyed the fifth victory in the fifth World Cup game. The European Championship top scorer gratefully accepted a clumsy effort from Hector Fort in the penalty area – he certainly converted one of the few German opportunities himself.
Brunner was one of the U17 quartet that was racially insulted after taking a selfie on social networks. Things haven’t been going well for Brunner at the club recently. According to BVB coach Edin Terzic, he was temporarily suspended there because of an unspecified incident. At the end of August, the mega-talent was delighted to receive the Fritz Walter Gold Medal for the young player born in 2006.
The last time a German U17 team around Rani Khedira and Mitchell Weiser reached the semi-finals was in Mexico in 2011. At that time the team came third. The DFB only makes it to the final once. In 1985, the team led by top scorer Marcel Witeczek was defeated by Nigeria 0-2. “We are still there and of course we aim to stay here until December 2nd,” said Wück. The final will take place in Surakarta on December 2nd.
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