Germany’s U-21 national team has its squad in place for the final three matches of the 2027 UEFA U-21 European Championship qualifying campaign, and there is plenty of intrigue in Antonio Di Salvo’s latest selection.
The squad includes 23 players, with seven receiving their first U-21 call-ups: Frank Feller, Noahkai Banks, Laurin Ulrich, Francis Onyeka, Wael Mohya, Paris Brunner and Louey Ben Farhat. Di Salvo specifically noted that Jürgen Klopp’s expanded 44-man senior squad influenced his selection,
creating opportunities for several players who might otherwise have been overlooked.
There is also a familiar Bayern Munich presence. Tom Bischof has been included despite also earning a senior-team call-up from Klopp. Bischof will initially captain the U-21s before joining Klopp’s senior squad for Germany’s later Nations League matches.
Bischof is joined by Bayern Munich loanee Arijon Ibrahimović, while the squad also features plenty of players who have been on the radar of German football fans for years, including Noah Darvich, Mert Kömür, Nicolò Tresoldi and Dženan Pejčinović. Paris Brunner is another name worth watching. The Monaco attacker receives his first U-21 nomination after making a strong start to the season.
Germany enters the final stretch top of Group F with 18 points from seven matches, ahead of Greece on head-to-head results. The goal is straightforward: finish first and secure qualification.
“I’m excited to finally get to work with the team again, as we last saw each other back in March,” head coach Antonio Di Salvo told the DFB. “It’s the first time, outside of a tournament setting, that we’ll be together for such a long time. We want to make full use of this opportunity with intense training sessions, successful games, a variety of team building exercises and by enjoying the time we have to play football. Our aim is clear: win all three games to finish top of our group and qualify for the EUROs.
“There were several factors that influenced our selection this time around. In addition to injuries, the expanded size of the senior men’s national team squad also played a role. I’m happy for all the current and former U-21 players that now have an opportunity to prove themselves under the new head coach.”
Di Salvo was unable to call up Dennis Seimen (VfB Stuttgart), Nnamdi Collins (Eintracht Frankfurt), Assan Ouédraogo (RB Leipzig), Anton Kade (FC Augsburg), Ilyas Ansah (Hull City) and Nelson Weiper (SK Sturm Graz) due to injury.
The schedule begins with Latvia on September 26, followed by Malta on September 30, before Germany closes qualifying against Georgia in Bielefeld on October 6. Di Salvo has made his objective clear: three wins and first place in the group.
For Bayern, Bischof’s unusual international break could provide another fascinating glimpse at where the midfielder fits into both the present and future of German football.
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