England U21 vs Germany U21: a Euro U21 Final for glory
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
The UEFA European U21 Championship has reached its final chapter. This Saturday, we are about to be treated to a blockbuster match between two European giants. England U21 comes face to face with Germany U21 in the final, with both teams harboring different aspirations.
England U21, the defending champions in this tournament, are out to retain their crown and secure back-to-back titles, a feat that has not been achieved since Spain U21 (2011 and 2013). Standing in their way is an immovable force, Germany U21, whom have exceeded expectations in this tournament. They topped Group B and are about to finish as the tournament's high scorers with 15 goals scored so far. Let's not forget that this is also their fourth final appearance in the last five editions.
England U21 vs Germany U21: Recap of their tournament run
England U21's performance in the 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship group stages was very shaky. However, the Young Lions' resilience saw them rise above adversity to reach the knockout stages. En route to the final, they scored five goals and conceded three across two knockout matches. First, they dispatched the tournament's successful team, Spain U21, securing a 3-1 triumph. Second in the line was the Netherlands U21, winning 2-1 at the Tehelne Pole. Lee Carsley's men are now in their second consecutive final and know what it takes to emerge victorious.
Germany U21 are a force to be reckoned with in this tournament. Not only did they finish the group stages with a 100% record, but head into this important clash boasting a 20-match unbeaten run. During this period, they won 17 games and recorded three draws. They are also the instigators behind England U21's sole defeat in the group stages, where they won 2-1 on the final day. Their path to the final was not easy, to be honest. They had to battle against Denmark U21 in the quarter-final (snatched a narrow 3-2 victory), and faced off with France U21 in the semi-final, where they made light work of the one-time champion to secure a convincing 3-0 victory.
Both teams were placed in the same group (Group B), and this is how the table looked after three games:
| Position | Matches Played | GF/GA | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Germany U21 | 3 | 9:3 | 9 |
| 2. England U21 | 3 | 4:3 | 4 |
| 3. Czechia U21 | 3 | 5:7 | 3 |
| 4. Slovenia U21 | 3 | 0:5 | 1 |
Key Players to watch
Harvey Elliott, who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for England U21, has been a very important player in this competition. The 22-year-old is the reason behind his team making their second successive final appearance in the UEFA European U21 Championship. He scored a brace in the semi-final against the Netherlands U21. His goal tally in this competition now stands at four and is Euro U21's second top scorer.
Nick Woltemade, who is comfortable playing as an attacking midfielder or forward, has been the best-performing player in the 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship. The 23-year-old has been clinical in the final third, and six goals scored from four matches are enough confirmation of his ferocious finishing. To boast more about his performance in this tournament, he has been directly involved in nine-goal involvements.
Head-to-Head Statistics
This is not the first time these two sides have locked horns. Germany U21 triumphed 2-1 in the Euro U21 group stages, which was consolation for their 2-0 group stage clash defeat against this team in the previous edition.
Check out their past meetings below:
- Matches played: 14
- England U21 wins: 5
- Germany U21 wins: 6
- Draws: 3
It has to be pointed out that both teams are meeting for the third time in the Euro U21 final. Their last appearance was in 2009, when Germany U21 recorded their biggest win (4-0) to clinch their first-ever trophy in this competition.
