Preview: England Under-21s vs Germany Under-21s - prediction, team news, lineups

Both England Under-21s and Germany Under-21s will endeavour to win a fourth European Championship trophy when they lock horns in the 2025 final at Tehelne Pole in Bratislava on Saturday.

The Young Lions are bidding to retain their crown, but they come up against a familiar German foe who beat them 2-1 in the group stage earlier this month.

Match preview

England ended their 39-year wait for European Championship glory when they triumphed in the 2023 tournament and they are now seeking to become the first nation to retain the Euros title since Spain between 2011 and 2013.

Top scorers in qualifying with a whopping 41 goals, Lee Carsley’s side edged through Group B in second place, finishing behind Germany, after accumulating four points from three games (W1 D1 L1), before downing five-time Euros champions Spain 3-1 in a closely-fought quarter-final.

Harvey Elliott was on the scoresheet in Trnava and the Liverpool starlet scored two more goals, including an 85th-minute winner, to help England secure an impressive 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Across England’s last 12 matches at the Under-21 Euros, their only defeat was their aforementioned loss to Germany in the group stage (W10 D1); the last time a nation won a final against a team they had lost to earlier in the tournament was the Netherlands against Ukraine back in 2006.

England are now gearing up for their third encounter with Germany in the Euros final; they won 5-4 on aggregate to triumph back in 1982, but the Germans got their revenge in convincing fashion in 2009 when they prevailed by a 4-0 scoreline courtesy of goals from Sandro Wagner (2), Gonzalo Castro and Mesut Ozil.

The Young Lions top this summer’s tournament rankings for possession (58.6%) and passing accuracy (89.6%), and Carsley is confident that his talented crop have the quality, experience and self-belief to take the “biggest step” and beat Germany this time around in Saturday’s Bratislava showpiece.

It is fair to say that Germany have been the standout performers at the 2025 Euros, as they are the only nation who boast a 100% record having won all five matches en route to the final, scoring a tournament-high 15 goals in the process.

After topping Group B with wins over Czech Republic, Slovenia and England, the Germans required extra time to edge past nine-man Italy by a 3-2 scoreline in a thrilling quarter-final, before returning to their imperious best with a comprehensive 3-0 semi-final success over France on Wednesday.

Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, who is reportedly closing in on a move to Bayern Munich, is the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals - two clear of England’s Elliott (four) - and has netted in each of his four appearances; the only game he has not featured in was in fact the group-stage win over England.

Head coach Antonio di Salvo has turned his German outfit into a formidable force on the European stage, as they have won seven games out of seven since the turn of the year and are unbeaten in 20 matches across all competitions since losing 2-0 to England in the group stage of the 2023 Euros.

Germany are no strangers to the latter stages of the Under-21 Euros, as they have reached the final in four of the last five editions of the tournament - winning in 2017 and 2021 - and they are now preparing for their sixth showpiece in total, with only Spain (nine) and Italy (seven) having featured in more.

Di Salvo is determined to see his side ‘gather their strength’ and end their impressive campaign on a high with silverware, with the Germans heading into this weekend’s final having won three of their last four competitive meetings with England (including one via a penalty shootout).

England Under-21s European Under-21s Championship form:

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Germany Under-21s European Under-21s Championship form:

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Team News

England are sweating over the fitness of their top scorer Elliott, who is hopeful of featuring in the final despite jarring his knee during a “silly” sliding goal celebration against the Netherlands.

Should Elliott be fit to start, he would be expected to link up with captain James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson and Jay Stansfield in attack, although Ethan Nwaneri and Jon Rowe will be hoping to force their way back into the first XI for the first time since the group-stage loss to Germany.

Tyler Morton is available to return after serving a one-match suspension and the Liverpool midfielder is likely to battle it out with Elliot Anderson for a start alongside Alex Scott, while a back four of Tino Livramento, Charlie Cresswell, Jarell Quansah and Jack Hinshelwood is set to remain intact, protecting James Beadle between the sticks.

As for Germany, Freiburg defender Max Rosenfelder was forced off in the 11th minute of their semi-final win with a muscle injury and will now miss the final.

Tim Oermann is the most likely candidate to deputise alongside Bright Arrey-Mbi at centre-back as Eintracht Frankfurt duo Nnamdi Collins and Nathaniel Brown continue as full-backs.

Di Salvo is expected to stick with a 4-4-2 formation, with Eric Martel and Rocco Reitz linking arms in centre-midfield as Ansgar Knauff and Paul Nebel provide width on the flanks, while Nelson Weiper - who has scored in each of his last three games, including one against England - joins fellow in-form striker Woltemade up front.

England Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Beadle; Livramento, Quansah, Cresswell, Hinshelwood; Scott, Anderson; Hutchinson, McAtee, Elliott; Stansfield

Germany Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Atubolu; Collins, Oermann, Arrey-Mbi, Brown; Knauff, Martel, Reitz, Nebel; Weiper, Woltemade

We say: England Under-21s 3-2 Germany Under-21s (after extra time)

Each of the last four Euros finals have been decided by just one goal and another closely-contested battle could be on the cards this weekend, though six of England’s last seven games have featured over 2.5 goals, while Germany have scored two or more goals in each of their five matches en route to the final.

It is difficult to not consider high-flying Germany as favourites, but Carsley and co have adapted well as the tournament has gone on, and as reigning champions, the Young Lions know what it takes to win on the biggest stage.

You could almost flip a coin to pick which of these two exceptional teams comes out on top, but we are backing England to gain revenge over Germany and retain their European crown in extra time.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Oliver Thomas

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