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European Under-21s Championship | Final

Jun 30, 2017 at 7.45pm UK

Germany U21s Germany Under-21s
1-0
Spain U21s Spain Under-21s

Weiser (40')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Stefan Kuntz: 'Germany Under-21s players' reputations enhanced'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 01 July 2017

Stefan Kuntz challenges Germany Under-21s' current crop to emulate the class of 2009 by following up Euro glory with success on the world stage.

Germany Under-21s boss Stefan Kuntz has hailed his side's European Championship success and challenged his squad to emulate the class of 2009.

Mitchell Weiser netted the only goal of the game on Friday evening as Germany beat Spain 1-0 in the Krakow final, helping them to just their second triumph in the competition.

Germany previously lifted the trophy eight years ago when Manuel Neuer, Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira were in the ranks, all of whom went on to play a part in the senior side's World Cup glory in 2014.

Kuntz wants to see similar success for the current crop, telling reporters: "We talked about the fact that every second year a European Championship starts, and when it does, you look at the last success, which was 2009.

"People look at what the players are doing today - eight or nine are big players now, but I told them that, 'if you win, people will remember you'.

"I think the semi-final penalty shootout [win over England] was seen by nearly 10 million people in Germany, so my players' reputation at home is very high. But today is just today. If we had been sent home by England, I wouldn't have been a better or worse coach."

Germany are now the joint-third most successful side in the tournament's history, winning it the same number of times as England, Netherlands and the Soviet Union.