dpa
Berlin
Germany lifted the under-17 male World Cup for the first time after a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win over France following a 2-2 draw in Surakarta, Indonesia.
Goalkeeper Konstantin Heide was again the hero, saving two penalties including the crucial sudden death kick from Tidiam Gomis. Borussia Dortmund youth defender Almugera Kabar then fired home to spark wild celebrations among the Germans.
The under-17’s success in Indonesia contrasts markedly with Germany’s senior team, who have crashed out of the World Cup in the group stage in the last two editions. They are also European champions at this age level.
Germany had only made it to the final once before. In 1985, the team were beaten 2-0 by Nigeria in what was then an under-16 World Cup.
“We are European and world champions. I am so grateful for this age group of players,” coach Christian Wück told RTL after watching his side lose a two-goal lead and go behind in the shoot-out but still prevail, having also been reduced to 10 players in normal time.
“If you wanted to know the character of this team, they showed it today. It was unbelievable.” In normal time, Dortmund’s player of the tournament Paris Brunner slotted home a 29th-minute penalty after the video assistants and the referee had taken several minutes to award the spot-kick for Aymen Sadi’s challenge on Bilal Yalcinkaya.
Offside against Yalcinkaya was also discounted because the penalty incident was ruled a second phase of play.
Noah Darvich, on the books of Barcelona, then scored from a tight angle early in the second half for 2-0 before Saimon Bouabre grabbed a quick goal back for the French with a fine finish.
Winners Osawe’s red card for two bookings made for a nervous finish for the Germans and Mathis Amougou made them pay when he was left unmarked to equalize on 85 minutes.
There is no extra-time at this tournament so it went straight to penalties and Unterhaching’s Heide shone again.
Wück picked Heide in goal after his heroics in the penalty shoot-out win over Argentina in the semi-final.
Max Schmitt had been the starting keeper previously but was too ill to face the South Americans.
Heide justified the decision as France, who had come from behind to beat 10-player Mali in their last-four clash, failed to add to their one title at this age group.
Darvich said: “As a team we have done it perfectly. It was pure fight.”
Germany’s top appearance maker Lothar Matthäus said the struggling senior team could take heart from the under-17s ahead of hosting Euro 2024.
“They fought, they battled, they stuck together. Even when the situations were difficult, they overcame them together. The senior team could learn a thing or two from that,” the Sky pundit said.
“What the under-17 team have shown in recent weeks is what I want to see from the senior team. I believe it will be a successful European Championship if we play like that.”
