Netherlands surprises German U19s in the start of the European Championship – 0-3 debacle!

Netherlands surprises German U19s in the start of the European Championship – 0-3 debacle!

On June 14, 2025, the German U19 national team suffered a bitter setback in their first game of the UEFA U19 European Football Championship in Romania. The team lost 3-0 to the Netherlands, and things could have actually been different. The chances were well balanced at the beginning, the German juniors started the game promisingly.

The first opportunities belonged to the German players, who caused a stir through both El Mala and Kabar. But the big performance came from the Dutch. Ayoub Oufkir, who had a decisive influence on the game with two goals, gave the “Oranjes” the lead in the 43rd minute after a failed rebound.

Difficulties before halftime

Before halftime, the game could have gone differently: In the 28th minute, German player Paris Brunner hit the inside post twice. As a result, Decker had to leave the field shortly before the half-time whistle due to an injury. At this point, DFB coach Hanno Balitsch's team already had nine players on the field who were instrumental in the German Football Association's (DFB) last major success in 2023.

But the second half also initially indicated a turnaround. Germany took control and pushed for an equalizer, but could not overcome the well-positioned Dutch defense. The goalkeeper Heerkens proved to be an insurmountable hurdle and successfully kept the German attack attempts at bay. The necessary penetration power was lacking in crucial areas.

Dutch efficiency decided the game

The decision was made in the final phase. In stoppage time, Oufkir scored a brace in the first minute, followed by another goal from Kees Smit in the 93rd minute. This meant the final score was 0-3 – a clear success for the Dutch, who dominated the game in the second half.

Things continue for the German U19s on Tuesday when they meet the European Championship favorites England. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Sky Sport. England, on the other hand, are already under pressure after a 2-2 draw against Norway and could also urgently need a win.

An overview of the U19 European Championships

The UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, which has been held since 1981, serves as a two-year qualification for the Under-20 Football World Cup. This year a total of eight teams are taking part in the tournament, which are divided into two groups of four teams each. The game is played in a round-robin tournament, followed by a knockout system from the semi-finals onwards. The tournament record winner is Spain with ten titles, followed by France with seven.

The next challenges for the German U19s lie ahead - it remains to be seen whether they can fight back from the shock against the Netherlands and successfully play the next game against England. They still have a whole tournament ahead of them, and the hope remains that they can show a good hand.

For further information about the U19 European Championships and the results, please visit the website of Kicker, Sky and Wikipedia.