Before the U17 World Cup final against France today (from 1 p.m. in the live ticker on the Sportschaue) against France, coach Christian Wück left the goalkeeping question in the German team open.
Bayern Munich’s Max Schmitt had impressed until the quarter-finals and then fell ill. Konstantin Heide from SpVgg Unterhaching represented him excellently in the semi-finals.
Heide saved two penalties against Argentina
“We haven’t decided anything yet,” said Wück the day before the final. “We’re completing the final training and will see how far Max Schmitt is.”
U17 goalkeeper Max Schmitt in action.
A decision should not be made until the morning before the game. Heide had a strong game in the semi-final against Argentina (4:2 iE) and saved twice in the penalty shootout.
Defenders who can defend
Two goalkeepers who are almost equally strong is a tradition in Germany. Whether currently with Marc-André ter Stegen and soon Manuel Neuer again, previously with Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann, Bodo Illgner and Andreas Köpke – it is a well-known luxury problem in the DFB. The A team has lost another traditional German quality, but the U17s are currently revitalizing it: uncompromising defense.
Christian Wück says: “I know what we are internationally respected for, and we wanted to get back there,” says the coach of the U17 national team. Wück took over this team three years ago, “and from the beginning it was very important to us to train not only good footballers, but also defenders who can defend. They may not play every pass perfectly, but they are unbeatable in a duel.”
Wins against individually stronger teams
The German defense around defense chief Finn Jeltsch from 1. FC Nürnberg did not prevent every goal being conceded in this tournament in Indonesia, there were seven in six games. The victories against individually stronger teams such as Spain in the quarter-finals (1-0) were, above all, the result of hard work. And in the distant homeland it somehow hits a nerve. A country that is very unfamiliar with its men’s national team is watching the next generation rediscover the “German virtues”.
“Willingness to run, commitment and resilience,” said former national player Dietmar Hamann, “everyone who watches this team is captivated by them.” So it’s not just about hard bones in defense, that would probably be a bit too easy.
Darvich and Brunner the creative minds
The offensive is also convincing, “we have good, individual players up front who are always good for a goal,” said Noah Darvich, who is one of those himself: The German captain plays for FC Barcelona. Most recently, the focus was on Paris Brunner; the Borussia Dortmund striker was the decisive player in the semi-final against Argentina (4:2 iE).
Rabid defenders, sophisticated attackers, that’s what Wück wants. Young men for special assignments are again wanted among the German youth ranks. A team “doesn’t need players who are good everywhere, but rather players who are perfect in one position.” His team now wants to “take this final step, we want to come home with the cup. We know that many Germans are behind us.”
Possible punch line with Schmitt and Heide
A penalty shootout win would somehow fit the whole story. Maybe even with the punchline that Max Schmitt leads the German team there and Wück then substitutes his hero from the semi-final, Konstantin Heide, before the shootout.
