Under-21 semi-finals: Germany vs France facts

Former winners Germany and France meet in their first UEFA European Under-21 Championship fixture for more than 16 years as they contest the second semi-final at the Košice Football Arena.

Both came through epic quarter-finals, Germany – who had won all three Group B games, the only side with a perfect group record – finally seeing off nine-man Italy 3-2 in extra time with Merlin Röhl scoring a 117th-minute winner.

France were second to Portugal in Group C after both teams had finished on seven points and twice had to come from behind against Denmark in the last eight, late goals from Quentin Merlin (84) and Mathys Tel (85) ultimately securing a 3-2 victory.

Germany are looking to reach the final for the fourth time in the last five tournaments and the sixth overall; France's last final came in 2002, their second appearance in the showpiece.

Previous European U21 Championship meetings

Matches 5
Germany wins 1
France wins 2
Draws 2
Germany goals 3
France goals 8

The teams shared a 2-2 friendly draw in Valenciennes on 19 November last year, a strike early in each half from Maximilian Beier (4, 50) giving visitors Germany a two-goal lead. Mathys Tel halved the France deficit two minutes past the hour before a 90th-minute equaliser from Loum Tchaouna, who had come on only four minutes earlier.

An Amine Gouiri goal gave France a 1-0 away win in the teams' previous fixture, a friendly in Magdeburg on 23 September 2022.

Their previous two games had finished all square, visitors France coming from two down to draw 2-2 in Essen in March 2019, Levin Öztunali and Maximilian Mittelstädt scoring for Germany and Jonathan Ikoné and Moussa Dembélé on target in the second half for France.

Germany qualified for the 2009 finals at the expense of France with a 2-1 aggregate victory in what are the teams' most recent competitive fixtures. The first leg in Magdeburg finished 1-1, Ashkan Dejagah's 14th-minute opener cancelled out nine minutes later by France's Younes Kaboul. Dieter Eilts' Germany progressed in dramatic circumstances, however, Benedikt Höwedes scoring the only goal in Metz in the 90th minute – Germany's only win in their last seven fixtures against France.

The sides' only previous finals fixture came on Matchday 2 in 2006 at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães, France running out 3-0 winners thanks to goals from Florent Sinama Pongolle, Yoan Gouffran and Rio Mavuba.

It was an equally emphatic France victory in the countries' two-legged quarter-final in 1996. After a goalless first leg in Osnabrück, Robert Pirès and Florian Maurice both scored twice in Metz, a late Christian Nerlinger penalty all Germany could muster in response.

Paul Wanner opened the scoring as Germany won 3-1 against France in an Under-20 friendly on 22 March 2024.

Paul Nebel scored Germany's first goal in a 3-2 U20 friendly win in France in November 2021.

Lukas Ullrich scored in Germany's 1-1 Under-18 friendly draw against France in March 2022.

Nelson Weiper registered for Germany in a 1-1 draw in the 2022 UEFA European Under-17 Championship quarter-finals, France winning 4-3 on penalties with Mathys Tel converting in the shoot-out.

Form guide

Germany

Germany have now reached the semi-finals or better in five of the last six tournaments. Overall this is their seventh semi-final, with the record W5 L1:
1982 Soviet Union W 9-3 aggregate (4-3 a, 5-0 h)
2009 Italy W 1-0
2015 Portugal L 0-5
2017 England W 2-2 (aet, 4-3 pens)
2019 Romania W 4-2
2021 Netherlands W 2-1

The 5-0 semi-final loss to Portugal ten years ago is Germany's record European U21 Championship defeat.

This is Germany's 11th appearance in the final tournament and a seventh in succession. They reached the semi-finals or better in four successive tournaments between 2015 and 2021.

Germany claimed their third U21 title in 2021, when they equalled Italy's record of reaching a third successive final, having also lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2017.

Two years ago a team coached by Antonio Di Salvo – in charge since 2021 – failed to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 2013, finishing bottom of Group C behind England, Israel and Czechia having not won a game (D1 L2).

Germany were unbeaten in qualifying for these finals (W8 D2), finishing four points above runners-up Poland in Group D.

Having hit only the seventh hat-trick in U21 EURO history against Slovenia on Matchday 1 and also found the net against Czechia and in the last eight against Italy, Nick Woltemade is the finals' top scorer on five goals.

France

This is France's seventh U21 semi-final; their record is W2 L4:
1988 England W 6-4 aggregate (4-2 h, 2-2 a)
1994 Italy L 0-0 (aet, 3-5 pens)
1996 Italy L 0-1
2002 Switzerland W 2-0
2006 Netherlands L 2-3 (aet)
2019 France L 1-4

France are in the knockout rounds for the sixth time since the final tournament was introduced in 1998. The quarter-final defeat of Denmark ended a run of five successive knockout defeats and was their first win since beating hosts Switzerland 2-0 in the 2002 semi-final.

Champions in 1988 with a squad including Laurent Blanc, Eric Cantona, Franck Sauzée and Jocelyn Angloma, this is France's eighth appearance in the final tournament and fourth in a row.

Having missed out for six successive tournaments from 2007 onwards, France got to the semi-finals on their return in 2019 and the quarter-finals two years later. France have now qualified six times since a group stage was introduced in 2000 and have reached the knockout rounds on each occasion.

In 2023, a team coached by Sylvain Ripoll finished first in Group D, winning all three games, scoring seven goals and conceding two, before losing 3-1 to Ukraine in the last eight.

France kicked off qualifying for the 2025 finals under Thierry Henry, Gérald Baticle taking over in August 2024.

Les Bleuets were second to Slovenia in qualifying Group H (W5 D1 L2), progressing as one of the three best runners-up.

Links and trivia

Have played in Germany:
Mathys Tel (Bayern München 2022–25)
Castello Lukeba (Leipzig 2023–)
Chrislain Matsima (Augsburg 2024–)
Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg 2021–)
Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (Eintracht Frankfurt 2024–)

Have played together:
Paul Wanner & Mathys Tel (Bayern München 2022/23)
Nathaniel Brown, Nnamdi Collins, Ansgar Knauff & Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (Eintracht Frankfurt 2024–)
Elias Baum & Jean-Mattéo Bahoya (Eintracht Frankfurt 2024)
Noah Atubolu, Max Rosenfelder & Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg 2020–)
Merlin Röhl & Kiliann Sildillia (Freiburg 2022–)