Germany U17 will host England U17 in Duisburg on Sunday in what promises to be a decisive encounter for the U17 Four Nations Cup. Both teams enter the final match of the friendly tournament with perfect records, having won their opening two games.
Road to the Decider
The hosts, Germany U17, began their home tournament with a 2-1 victory over Venezuela. Linus Güther, who holds the record as the youngest player to feature for Union Berlin in the Bundesliga at 16 years and three months, scored Germany’s second goal just two minutes after assisting Henry Schönhoff’s opener. Their second match saw them secure a 3-2 win against Israel. Eintracht Frankfurt’s Niko Ilicevic, who turns 16 later this month, won and converted a 90th-minute penalty. Shevin-Heinz Matondo and substitute Milo Barde also found the net, marking their first goals at this level.
England U17 also recorded two victories against Venezuela and Israel, setting up this winner-takes-all clash. With only a three-day gap between matches, Germany U17 coach Michael Prus is expected to rotate his squad once again to manage player fatigue. Prus, a former Schalke player, has been involved in various DFB coaching roles since 2007, taking charge of the U17 side in July.
Recent History and Key Players
Encounters between these two nations at U17 level often produce high-scoring affairs. Their last meeting in September 2025 resulted in a thrilling 7-5 victory for England U17. That game, played at the same stadium in Duisburg, saw Marwan-Omir Mirza net a hat-trick for Germany, while Ryan Kavuma-McQueen scored four goals for England.
Germany U17 last defeated England U17 in 2023, with goals from Charles Herrmann, Max Moerstedt, and Paris Brunner. Moerstedt and Brunner have since progressed to represent Germany’s U20 and U21 national teams respectively, highlighting the pathway for talent from this age group. Current Germany internationals Finn Jeltsch and Assan Ouedraogo also featured in that 2023 victory.
Confirmed Lineups
The full lineups for Sunday’s match have been confirmed:
Germany U17
- Esser
- Clair, Schönhoff, Nwachukwu ©, Debitsch
- Ciglar, Minutillo
- Güther, Ilicevic, Soldic
- Barde
England U17
- Smith
- O’Brien, Henry, Fejokwu, Carrington
- Watson
- Grimwade, Nduka, Parker, Johnson
- Nwosu