European U21 Championship in Georgia and Romania

Two years after the German U21 football team won the European Championship for the third time, the squad is getting ready once again to face the competition. This time, they will be heading to Georgia and Romania. In order to secure yet another victory, they will have to overcome some significant hurdles.

We all know how the championship works. As hosts, the Romanian and Georgian teams automatically qualified for the final 16. The remaining 14 spots were then secured during the qualification stages that took place between 2021 and 2022. To be eligible for the tournament, players must have been born no earlier than 1 January 2000. Teams are initially divided into four groups. Matches will be played across four stadiums in Romania and a further four in Georgia. The winners and runners-up of the group stages will go through to the quarter finals where the knock-out stages begin.

Georgia and Romania are by no means newcomers to the international football scene. Back in 1998, Romania hosted the U21 final in Bucharest, which was also one of the venues for UEFA EURO 2020 and the UEFA Europa League final in 2012. The country also hosted the 2011 U19 Euros and will do so again in 2025. In 2017, the U19 Euros took place in Georgia. In addition, the UEFA Super Cup 2015 was held in Tbilisi and the final of the 2013 UEFA Futsal Champions League was also played in the country.

Kick off in Georgia

The German team will be kicking off their group matches in Georgia. The first of these will be on 22 June against Israel in the Ramaz Schengelia Stadium in Kutaisi – the third largest city in Georgia. This stadium has a capacity of 14,700 and, since it was opened in 1962, has been home to Torpedo Kutaisi, who are currently playing in the country’s top league. The stadium was named after the former football player and manager of the Georgian national team, who was born in the city and who passed away in 2012. The German U21s will then move over to the far west of the country to Batumi where they will play their next two matches. The city, with a population of just over 170,000, is the second largest city in Georgia and is partnered with Rostock. This is where the German team will play Czechia on 25 June and England on 28 June. The stadium is one of the most modern stadiums in Georgia and was only opened in 2020. It will be here that fans will gather on 8 July 2023 to watch the U21 Euros final.

A winning mentality to overcome recent disappointment

Whether the German squad will be able to make the final depends significantly on whether they will be able to maintain a stable mentality throughout. Overall, the junior national team has made history in recent years with their success in the European tournament. The first victory in 2009 was followed by further titles in 2017 and 2021. In 2019, the German U21s made it all the way to the final. Recently, however, Head Coach Antonio Di Salvo’s team has produced less convincing performances. They have only won one out of their last five matches – a victory against Italy in November 2022. The friendly against Romania that took place in March prior to the championship was a fast-paced and intense match but ended with a 0-0 draw. Team and coach were equally disappointed, and rightly so.

The list of favourites is long

With his current squad, Di Salvo is relying on both experienced players as well as newcomers. Amongst the core players and key performers in the team are Angelo Stiller from SG 1899 Hoffenheim, who has made 14 appearances for the U21 national team and Yannick Keitel from SC Freiburg, with 12 appearances. Whether this mix of old and new pays off will become clear by 8 July at the latest – the date of the final. However, one thing is certain – it is not going to be an easy ride. This is because the rankings of the junior national teams are much the same as for the senior teams.

Success at the Euros means a spot in the Olympics

With the exception of Denmark, all of these highest ranked European teams have qualified for the European U21 Championship. With Belgium, France, England, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Croatia and Switzerland, the list of potential favourites is long. And as is the case for the German team, all these squads will be playing for more than just the championship title. The top three teams in the tournament will also qualify for the Olympic Games. As Olympic host, France qualifies automatically.

Text: Martin Sulkowsky