The youngest squad under the DFB's management is pursuing a qualification ticket for the European Championship.
The recent UEFA European Under-21 Championship concluded unfavorably for Germany, as they were eliminated during the group stage. However, there's a chance for atonement in the coming year: Germany has secured a place in the tournament next year thanks to conquering Bulgaria.
Coach Antonio Di Salvo led the German side to victory in their second-to-last qualifying match, defeating Bulgaria 2-1 (1-1) in front of 8,586 spectators at Regensburg. Maximilian Beier from Dortmund (9th minute) and Nick Woltemade from VfB Stuttgart, who scored from a penalty in the 66th minute, contributed to Germany's qualification for their seventh consecutive tournament appearance in Slovakia's group stage in June 2025. Brazilian-born Bulgarian striker Nikola Ilijew (37th minute) caught the Germans off guard, briefly leveling the score.
Many were watching closely as up-and-coming star Paul Wanner made his debut at 18 years old for 1. FC Heidenheim and attracted interest from Austria's federation. Coach Di Salvo opted for his starting lineup from the successful qualifying matches against Hungary (5-1) and Estonia (10-1), but made three adjustments.
Dominant but Goalless
Freiburg's Noah Atubolu had a rather calm debut in net, while Frankfurt's Ansgar Knauff and Beier proved more aggressive on the wings. Germany maintained pressure on Bulgaria for most of the match, but trouble arose as Beier provided a costly turnover, which allowed Bulgarians to equalize just before halftime. Germany continued to dominate but faced difficulty breaking through Bulgaria's deep defense. Atubolu came to the rescue, as he made an important save just before halftime to keep Germany from falling behind.
Germany reclaimed their momentum in the second half, but both captain Eric Martel (63rd minute) and Nicolo Tresoldi (64th minute) missed their opportunities. Woltemade remained cool in the 66th minutes to convert the penalty after Tresoldi was fouled. A few minutes later, Wanner entered the fray, debuting for the German side.
The National football team's victory over Bulgaria in the second-to-last qualifying match ensured their participation in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship next year. Despite dominating the match, Germany's National football team faced challenges in breaking through Bulgaria's defense and converting their opportunities.
