# Germany national under-21 football team

The Germany national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Germany in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship and is controlled by the German Football Association (DFB), the governing body of football in Germany.
Before the reunification of Germany, East Germany and West Germany played as separate entities — the two teams played separately until summer 1990. Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, international under-21 football in Europe began. A West German team, however, did not compete in the U-21 European Championship until the qualifying round (beginning in 1980) of the 1982 competition.
West Germany competed in the first two under-23 competitions, which finished in 1972 and 1974. The first under-21 competition finals were in 1978, and since the under-21 competition rules state that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two-year competition, technically it is an under-23 competition.
The current Germany team can be legitimately considered as the current incarnation of the West German team, since the West Germany flag, uniform, and football association all became those of the unified Germany. In effect, the West German team absorbed the East German team to become 'the Germany national under-21 football team'.
For these reasons, the record of West Germany for the U-23 and U-21 competitions is shown below.

## Competitive record

For the East Germany team record, look here.
* 1972–1990 as West Germany
* 1994–present as Germany
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place

### UEFA U-23 Championship record

| UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-23 Championship finals record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record |
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1972 | Quarterfinals | 8th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1972 |
| 1974 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1974 |
| 1976 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | 1976 |
| Total | Quarterfinals | 1/3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 4 | Total |

### UEFA U-21 Championship record

| UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record | Qualifications record |
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1978 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | 1978 |
| 1980 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | 1980 |
| 1982 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 1982 |
| 1984 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 1984 |
| 1986 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 1986 |
| 1988 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 1988 |
| 1990 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 1990 |
| 1992 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1992 |
| 1994 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 8 | 1994 |
| 1996 | Quarterfinals | 7th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 1996 |
| 1998 | Quarterfinals | 5th | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 1998 |
| 2000 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 2000 |
| 2002 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 2002 |
| 2004 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 2004 |
| 2006 | Group stage | 7th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 5 | 2006 |
| 2007 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2007 |
| 2009 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 4 | 2009 |
| 2011 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 10 | 2011 |
| 2013 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 11 | 2013 |
| 2015 | Semifinals | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 5 | 2015 |
| 2017 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 8 | 2017 |
| 2019 | Runners-up | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 7 | 2019 |
| 2021 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 2021 |
| 2023 | Group stage | 15th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 32 | 9 | 2023 |
| 2025 | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2025 |
| Total | 3 titles | 15/25 | 52 | 22 | 13* | 17 | 81 | 64 | 176 | 124 | 27 | 25 | 465 | 138 | Total |

## Individual awards

* Golden Player: Rudi Völler (1982)
* Golden Boot: Luca Waldschmidt (2019), Lukas Nmecha (2021)
* Silver Boot: Kevin Volland (2015)
* Bronze Boot: Marco Richter (2019)

### EURO Under-21 dream team

On 17 June 2015, UEFA revealed an all-time best XI from the previous Under-21 final tournaments.
Included players from Germany:
* Goal: Manuel Neuer
* Defence: Mats Hummels
* Midfield: Mesut Özil

## UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
### 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | | | |
| 1 | Germany | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 10 | +25 | 26 | Final tournament | — | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 |
| 2 | Poland | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 10 | +14 | 22 | Final tournament | 3–3 | — | 0–1 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2–1 |
| 3 | Bulgaria | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 12 | +5 | 15 | | 2–3 | 1–3 | — | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–0 |
| 4 | Kosovo | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 17 | −7 | 12 | | 0–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| 5 | Estonia | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 31 | −24 | 7 | | 1–10 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | — | 1–0 |
| 6 | Israel | 10 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 18 | −13 | 3 | | 1–5 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | — |

## Results and fixtures

Win  Draw  Loss

## Players
### Current squad

Players born in or after 2002 are eligible for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The following players were called up for the friendly matches against Slovakia and Spain on 21 and 25 March 2025.
Note: Names in italics denote players that have been called up to the senior team.
    Caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2024.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Noah Atubolu | (2002-05-25) 25 May 2002 (age 22) | 15 | 0 | SC Freiburg |
| 12 | 1GK | Jonas Urbig | (2003-08-08) 8 August 2003 (age 21) | 8 | 0 | Bayern Munich |
| 23 | 1GK | Tjark Ernst | (2003-03-15) 15 March 2003 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | Hertha BSC |
| 2 | 2DF | Nnamdi Collins | (2004-01-10) 10 January 2004 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 3 | 2DF | Nathaniel Brown | (2003-06-16) 16 June 2003 (age 21) | 7 | 1 | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 4 | 2DF | Bright Arrey-Mbi | (2003-03-26) 26 March 2003 (age 21) | 9 | 1 | Braga |
| 5 | 2DF | Max Rosenfelder | (2003-02-10) 10 February 2003 (age 22) | 5 | 1 | SC Freiburg |
| 13 | 2DF | Lukas Ullrich | (2004-03-16) 16 March 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 14 | 2DF | Tim Oermann | (2003-10-06) 6 October 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | VfL Bochum |
| 15 | 2DF | Jamil Siebert | (2002-04-02) 2 April 2002 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Fortuna Düsseldorf |
| 22 | 2DF | Joshua Quarshie | (2004-07-26) 26 July 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Fortuna Düsseldorf |
| 6 | 3MF | Eric Martel (captain) | (2002-04-29) 29 April 2002 (age 22) | 22 | 2 | 1. FC Köln |
| 7 | 3MF | Ansgar Knauff | (2002-01-10) 10 January 2002 (age 23) | 22 | 3 | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 8 | 3MF | Jens Castrop | (2003-07-29) 29 July 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | 1. FC Nürnberg |
| 11 | 2DF | Jan Thielmann | (2002-05-26) 26 May 2002 (age 22) | 17 | 1 | 1. FC Köln |
| 16 | 3MF | Caspar Jander | (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | 1. FC Nürnberg |
| 17 | 3MF | Brajan Gruda | (2004-05-31) 31 May 2004 (age 20) | 10 | 1 | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 18 | 3MF | Rocco Reitz | (2002-05-29) 29 May 2002 (age 22) | 10 | 2 | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 20 | 3MF | Paul Wanner | (2005-12-23) 23 December 2005 (age 19) | 3 | 1 | 1. FC Heidenheim |
| 21 | 3MF | Paul Nebel | (2002-10-10) 10 October 2002 (age 22) | 6 | 0 | Mainz 05 |
| 9 | 4FW | Nicolò Tresoldi | (2004-08-20) 20 August 2004 (age 20) | 9 | 5 | Hannover 96 |
| 10 | 4FW | Nick Woltemade | (2002-02-14) 14 February 2002 (age 23) | 10 | 4 | VfB Stuttgart |
| 19 | 4FW | Nelson Weiper | (2005-03-17) 17 March 2005 (age 19) | 3 | 0 | Mainz 05 |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have previously been called up to the Germany under-21 squad in the last 12 months and remain eligible for selection.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Felix Gebhardt | (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Jahn Regensburg | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| DF | Hendry Blank | (2004-08-21) 21 August 2004 (age 20) | 3 | 0 | Red Bull Salzburg | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| DF | Leandro Morgalla | (2004-09-13) 13 September 2004 (age 20) | 4 | 0 | Red Bull Salzburg | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| MF | Marcel Beifus | (2002-10-27) 27 October 2002 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | Karlsruher SC | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| DF | Tom Rothe | (2004-10-29) 29 October 2004 (age 20) | 2 | 0 | Union Berlin | v. Poland, 15 October 2024 |
| DF | Tim Oermann | (2003-10-06) 6 October 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | VfL Bochum | v. Poland, 15 October 2024 |
| DF | Luca Netz | (2003-05-15) 15 May 2003 (age 21) | 17 | 0 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | v. Poland, 15 October 2024 |
| DF | Kenneth Schmidt | (2002-06-03) 3 June 2002 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | SC Freiburg | v. Israel, 4 September 2024 |
| DF | Linus Gechter | (2004-02-27) 27 February 2004 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Hertha BSC | v. Israel, 4 September 2024 |
| DF | Julian Eitschberger | (2004-03-05) 5 March 2004 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Hallescher FC | v. Israel, 26 March 2024 |
| DF | Colin Kleine-Bekel | (2003-01-24) 24 January 2003 (age 22) | 5 | 1 | Holstein Kiel | v. Israel, 26 March 2024 |
| MF | Aljoscha Kemlein | (2004-08-02) 2 August 2004 (age 20) | 2 | 0 | Union Berlin | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| MF | Frans Krätzig | (2003-01-14) 14 January 2003 (age 22) | 3 | 0 | VfB Stuttgart | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| MF | Jens Castrop | (2003-07-29) 29 July 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | 1. FC Nürnberg | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| MF | Tom Bischof | (2005-06-28) 28 June 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | TSG Hoffenheim | v. Denmark, 15 November 2024 |
| MF | Umut Tohumcu | (2004-08-11) 11 August 2004 (age 20) | 2 | 0 | TSG Hoffenheim | v. Poland, 15 October 2024 |
| MF | Tim Lemperle | (2002-02-05) 5 February 2002 (age 23) | 10 | 2 | 1. FC Köln | v. Poland, 15 October 2024 |
| MF | Armindo Sieb | (2003-02-17) 17 February 2003 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | Mainz 05 | v. Estonia, 10 September 2024 |
| MF | Merlin Röhl | (2002-07-05) 5 July 2002 (age 22) | 9 | 2 | SC Freiburg | v. Estonia, 10 September 2024 |
| FW | Youssoufa Moukoko | (2004-11-20) 20 November 2004 (age 20) | 15 | 13 | OGC Nice | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| FW | Maximilian Beier | (2002-10-17) 17 October 2002 (age 22) | 8 | 5 | Borussia Dortmund | v. France, 19 November 2024 |
| FW | Karim Adeyemi | (2002-01-18) 18 January 2002 (age 23) | 6 | 5 | Borussia Dortmund | v. Estonia, 10 September 2024 |
| FW | Keke Topp | (2004-03-25) 25 March 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Werder Bremen | v. Estonia, 10 September 2024 |

### Past squads

* 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
* 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

### Player records

| No. of caps | Player | U-21 career |
| 31 | Fabian Ernst | 1998–2001 |
| 30 | Levin Öztunalı | 2015–2019 |
| 27 | Andreas Beck | 2007–2009 |
| 26 | Mike Hanke | 2003–2005 |
| 25 | Dennis Aogo | 2007–2009 |
| 24 | Christian Tiffert | 2002–2004 |
| 24 | Daniel Schwaab | 2007–2010 |
| 24 | Lewis Holtby | 2009–2013 |
| 24 | Moritz Leitner | 2011–2015 |
| 24 | Nadiem Amiri | 2016–2019 |
| No. of goals | No. of caps | Player | U-21 career |
| 18 | 21 | Pierre Littbarski | 1979–1982 |
| 17 | 20 | Heiko Herrlich | 1990–1993 |
| 15 | 23 | Benjamin Auer | 2002–2004 |
| 14 | 26 | Mike Hanke | 2003–2005 |
| 14 | 24 | Lewis Holtby | 2009–2013 |
| 13 | 21 | Rouwen Hennings | 2007–2009 |
| 13 | 15 | Youssoufa Moukoko | 2021– |
| 11 | 22 | Kevin Volland | 2012–2015 |
| 10 | 19 | Rudi Völler | 1979–1982 |
| 10 | 22 | Christian Nerlinger | 1992–1996 |
| 10 | 15 | Luca Waldschmidt | 2017–2019 |
| 10 | 17 | Lukas Nmecha | 2019–2021 |

### Former coaches

* Hannes Löhr (1990–2002)
* Jürgen Kohler (2002–2003)
* Uli Stielike (2003–2004)
* Dieter Eilts (2004–2008)
* Horst Hrubesch (2008–2009)
* Rainer Adrion (2009–2013)
* Horst Hrubesch (2013–2016)
* Stefan Kuntz (2016–2021)
* Antonio Di Salvo (2021–)