Football award ceremony
The special gesture of the German world champions
Status: 02.12.2023 | Reading time: 3 minutes
Drama in the final – Germany’s U17s are crowned world champions
The German U17 national team makes history and wins the World Cup. In a dramatic final against France, Dortmund’s Almugera Kabar becomes a hero with his decisive goal in the penalty shootout.
Germany is U17 world champion and celebrates a historic success in a dramatic final. The Chancellor also congratulates the youngsters, who had a surprise in store when the trophy was handed over.
The football fairytale of the German U17 national team ended with an extraordinary scene. After Gianni Infantino, the president of the world association Fifa, placed the World Cup trophy in the hands of Noah Darvich, Germany’s captain quickly passed on the silver. Christian Wück was the first to lift the World Cup trophy into the sky above Surakarta after beating France 4-3 on penalties. The DFB coach seemed visibly touched by the special gesture, but then left the victory stage to his team.
“We are European and world champions. I told the boys: they’ll make themselves immortal! I am so grateful to be able to supervise the class. “It was our last game today,” Wück became emotional after the historic victory. For the first time in the history of the German Football Association (DFB), a U17 won the World Cup title. “I think if anyone got to know the character of the team, it was today. “Always believing in yourself is incredible,” said Wück.
Coach Wück should be the first to win the trophy, the players decided
Quelle: AP/Achmad Ibrahim
There were also congratulations from the Rio world champions. “Yes, there is the thing. Last step taken. Insane finale! Congratulations,” wrote Bastian Schweinsteiger on X, who was watching the game on TV, like his former teammate Thomas Müller. “Sensational performance, boys! Congratulations on your World Cup victory! Have fun celebrating!” wrote the Bayern professional on X. National team captain İlkay Gündogan also congratulated: “Huge compliment to the boys. Fought great and now U17 world champion!! Have fun celebrating and greetings from Indonesia.”
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf is hoping that the first World Cup title for a German U17 national team will provide a boost for the European Championships in 2024. “Coach Christian Wück has formed a fantastic team. We are proud of this great team, which shines athletically and lives diversity on and off the field. This success is a great end to the year,” said Neuendorf in an association statement. Even Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated: “World champion! You deserve it. Respect for this great team performance, the exciting tournament and the enthusiasm that you created. Congratulations, dear U17,” wrote the SPD politician on X.
Watzke ennobles German U17s
Germany received another award after the final. Paris Brunner was named the best player of the tournament. The young star from Borussia Dortmund was one of the German national team’s top performers throughout the final round. His goals in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final were groundbreaking and in some cases decisive.
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Brunner, who was recently suspended from his club after an unspecified incident, was already named the best player when the German team won the European Championship in the summer. After Toni Kroos in 2007, he is the second German to be honored in this way at a World Cup.
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Hans-Joachim Watzke was one of the first to congratulate the DFB selection. “It wasn’t an easy path this team took. She has successively defeated the top nations Spain, Argentina and finally France. “She was convincing in terms of football and athleticism, but above all she demonstrated an unconditional will to win and showed the heart of a great team,” Dortmund’s managing director praised the German U17. “This team shows that you can’t write off German football. Anyone who plays like these U17s has a great future ahead of them.”
“It was a thriller like the previous rounds,” said sports director Rudi Völler on RTL. “It is often precisely these vintages that go on to have careers many years later.”
