DFB juniors
So the U17 world champions can become bearers of hope
The German U17 footballers won the World Cup final on penalties against France. photo
© Achmad Ibrahim/AP
This U17 World Cup title makes you want more. But there is still a long way to go to find hopefuls for the senior national team. Coach Wück appeals to the clubs, Völler to the players.
After the World Cup title for the U17 national team, coach Christian Wück great opportunities for a hopeful football generation.
“Now it’s up to the clubs, it’s really up to the German football landscape, to give these boys the opportunity to play in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd league,” said Wück after the World Cup triumph. “We have to find ways in Germany to give German talents playing time. This also requires trust.”
The U17 national team had previously won the World Cup title against France with a 4-3 penalty shootout. After regular time the score was 2-2. This is the first time that a team in this age group has become European and world champion. “This year has enough talent to get started,” said Wück.
Völler: “A really great career”
DFB sports director Rudi Völler can also imagine that. “Often it is exactly these vintages that go on to have a career many years later,” said Völler on RTL. “If they continue to work like this and continue to improve, they can become senior national players at some point. There’s still a long way to go.”
But he has often experienced this, said Völler. “If they stay fit and receive good advice – that’s always important in football – then many of them have a great career ahead of them.”
Wück emphasized that there are problems in the transition area because talents there don’t get enough playing time. “The club and the German football landscape have to question themselves,” said the 50-year-old. “The sufferers are the association, the senior national team and the U21s.”
The current year focused on German virtues. “You can see from Paris Brunner and Finn Jeltsch that we still have class and individual strength in the team,” said Wück, mentioning the Dortmund and Nuremberg players by name. “But I could list everyone in the different positions.”