Alkass Digital
The German under-17 male national team reached the final of FIFA U-17 World Cup Indonesia 2023 final on Tuesday, beating Argentina on penalties in the semis.
The game ended 3-3, with Germany’s Borussia Dortmund youngster Paris Brunner scoring twice. In the shoot-out, goalkeeper Konstantin Heide saved the first two Argentinian penalties on his World Cup debut in a 4-2 spot-kick success.
Germany have only made it to the final once before. In 1985, the team led by top scorer Marcel Witeczek was beaten 2-0 by Nigeria in what was then an under-16 World Cup.
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.
Dynamic attacker Paris Brunner scored a brilliant brace before netting the match-winning penalty in the shootout. That he was able clinch victory was down to inspired goalkeeper Konstantin Heide, who athletically saved the first two Argentina spot-kicks.
The match will be remembered as one of the greatest in the tournament’s history, with momentum swinging one way then the other. Germany looked to be heading through in 90 minutes before Argentina striker Agustin Ruberto completed a stunning hat-trick with a leveller in the seventh minute of added time.
Then it was Heide’s time. Drafted into the team because No1 Max Schmitt was unavailable through illness, the keeper savoured the opportunity to step up for his team when it mattered most.
Coach Christian Wuck saluted Heide’s performance as “extraordinary”, while also declaring his immense satisfaction with Brunner’s display.
His double against Argentina takes his tally to four at Indonesia 2023, and Wuck said: “Paris scored twice for us and helped our team be able to grow. We’re happy to see him back to his level and scoring regularly. He also was key in the penalty shootout.”
Ruberto’s last-gasp leveller meant they required a shootout to triumph – and Wuck explained how finding a way to win is the hallmark of a great Germany side. “I said from the very beginning we were longing for a return to the German football of the 1980s and 1990s,” he said. “To never give up – and to be a real team. And this is a top team.”