U17 Football Champions Homecoming Celebration
They've made it back!
The triumphant U17 team, fresh off their World Cup victory in Indonesia, touched down at the DFB campus around 9 a.m. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf (62) and Managing Director Sport Andreas Rettig (60) welcomed the young champions for a hearty breakfast, surrounded by their friends and family.
The morning festivities were followed by a grand reception on the German Football Association's headquarters stage. Steffen Simon (58), formerly of ARD-Sportschau and now the DFB's media director, was there to field questions from the players and their coaches. The event was broadcast on Instagram, attracting over 1000 viewers.
U17 Coach Christian Wück (50) beamed with pride, declaring that this team had earned his admiration and affection.
17-year-old David Odogu (Wolfsburg U19) hailed the team's collective mentality and conviction.
Visibly proud, Fayssal Harchaoui (17, Cologne U19) described the World Cup as an unforgettable experience that highlighted the team's harmony.
Paris Brunner (17, Dortmund U19) admitted that Spain's quarter-final match, won 1:0, had been the toughest encounter they faced.
Simon expressed his hope that these young talents would go on to represent Germany's senior team in a few years' time.
Unfortunately, Frankfurt's Römer square, a traditional venue for such celebrations, was unavailable due to the ongoing Christmas market. Nonetheless, some of the players still managed to sign the Golden Book at the city center.
The talented U17 footballers clinched the World Cup final in Indonesia with a thrilling 6:5 penalty shootout victory over France (having tied 2:2 in regular time). Celebrations ensued.
Further Reading
The victorious U17 team was welcomed at the DFB campus, where they shared a special breakfast with their loved ones along with their national coach, Christian Wück. Later, the event continued with a grand reception on the Association's headquarters stage, hosted by DFB media director Steffen Simon.
