Drama in the European Championship final: U21 defeats England after a thrilling comeback!

Drama in the European Championship final: U21 defeats England after a thrilling comeback!

Germany's U21 national team suffered a dramatic 3-2 defeat in the final of the U21 European Championship against England. The game, which took place today, June 29, 2025, at the National Football Stadium in Bratislava, saw a furious comeback by the Germans, which was ultimately rewarded. After the exciting duel, coach Antonio Di Salvo revealed that the “football god” was not on their side, while his players were dejected after the game.

The game started anything but well for the Germans. After England took an early 2-0 lead through Harvey Elliott (5th minute) and Omari Hutchinson (24th minute), the title seemed a long way off. But shortly before half-time, Nelson Weiper scored the next goal in the 45th + 1 minute, which gave the Germans new self-confidence. After Paul Nebel's equalizer in the 61st minute, the game was open again and hope for victory grew. However, Jonathan Rowe scored the decisive goal for England in extra time (92nd minute) and crowned the British with their fourth U21 European Championship title.

The exciting final phase

The German players showed fighting spirit and did not allow themselves to be discouraged despite the deficit. They hit the aluminum twice when Paul Nebel hit the crossbar in the 90th +3 minute and Felix Röhl in the 120th +1 minute. These close situations made it clear how close Germany was to equalizing. Nevertheless, there was no big sigh of relief and England ultimately secured the title.

This defeat marks a bitter setback for the German team, which had previously played 20 games without defeat and had beaten England 2-1 in the group stage. Nick Woltemade, who was top scorer in the tournament with six goals, had a decent start, but was unable to make a decisive contribution in the form of goals or assists.

A look back at the U21 European Championships

The U21 European Championship, which has been held by UEFA since 1978, not only serves to crown the champions among the talents, but also as a qualification for the Olympic Games. The record winners so far are Spain and Italy with five titles each, followed by England with four and Germany with three titles. The upcoming U21 European Championships will take place in Albania and Serbia in 2027.

The German U21 will now look quickly to the future, also to learn from the mistakes of this final defeat. Ultimately, they must once again prepare for the next challenges as England celebrate their fourth title.