Title holders Germany ensured their progress to the knockout phase of the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2025™ in emphatic fashion with a 7-0 win over El Salvador – and coach Marc Meister is convinced there is more to come.
Germany started the competition with consecutive 1-1 draws against Colombia and Korea DPR, and Meister provided an insight into his team’s challenging start.
“The first two matches were quite difficult,” he said. “We played against a Colombian team and a Korean team who had prepared a lot. Our preparation was more during the tournament, to be honest, which asks a lot from the boys.”
Against El Salvador, five different players found themselves on the scoresheet, and all 18 outfield players have now seen minutes at this World Cup.
“It was important to stabilise a little bit (after the first two games),” said Meister. “After half-time, the boys found their flow, which I liked. A win is the best glue for the team to connect. This is how you feel good on the pitch and get used to the partners by your side.
“We had some pressure, so we had to stay cool, be focused and concentrated. We scored a lot and we had a lot of different scorers involved, which I liked to see. It was a good evening, but we have a lot of work to do. We need to do better and better if we want to be a part of the tournament for a long time.”
Jeremiah Mensah, who scored a brace and won the Player of the Match prize, added: “It was a big performance, not only from me but also for the team. We showed our style of play. It was a lot fun. We have a lot of talent – we just need to show that. We can beat every opponent who comes next. have very high confidence we can go far in the competition. I know we can do it. We just have to show it.”
Expectations for the defending champions are of course high, even if it’s a new generation from those who triumphed two years ago in Indonesia.
“It’s not pressure,” Mensah added. “We just accept it, go forward, and show what Germany can do.”
Germany will find out who they face in the Round of 32 when the group stage is completed on Tuesday night.
