Germany's New Golden Generation Ready to Claim U21 European Championships

Last summer, in the heat of Rio de Janeiro, wasn’t the first time Mats Hummels, Manuel Neuer and Mesut Ozil all lifted a trophy together in the black, white and red of Germany. Six years ago, all three stars made history long before they would do the very same thing for the first team by winning the European U21 Championships in Malmo, Sweden.

Not only were they the first German side to manage such a feat, but no team donning the colours of the proud European nation has managed to emulate it since. Well, maybe until now.

The manager who led Neuer and Co. to a 4-0 win over England in the final all those years ago was Horst Hrubesch— a former player who made his name as a striker for Hamburg and West Germany in the early '80s—and after a brief stint with the U19s the 64-year-old is back and in desperate need of more silverware.

Yet unlike the previous tournament in Israel two years ago, in which the former champions failed to make it out of their group, Germany now have the manager who guided them to the title once before and, perhaps even more importantly, the talent to go all the way.

NIKLAS LARSSON/Associated Press

In Neuer’s place Hrubesch will have Marc-Andre ter Stegen between the posts. He's a goalkeeper truly drenched in experience, having played first-team football for Borussia Moenchengladbach from the age of 19 and having only recently won the Champions League with Barcelona. Now, the 23-year-old is perfectly capable of handling the tournament ahead.

Yet he’s not alone. In defence, Germany will rely upon the defensive partnership of Wolfsburg’s young starlet Robin Knoche and Borussia Dortmund’s Matthias Ginter. Sure, the latter may not have had the best year with the Black and Yellows but is undoubtedly talented and capable at the highest level when played in a proper system and formation.

Hrubesch’s prospects in the Czech Republic this summer only grow stronger once we get to the German midfield. Johannes Geis and Liverpool’s Emre Can should offer a formidable holding pair in the middle of the park and a solid foundation for the attacking talent of Max Meyer, Leon Bittencourt and Maximilian Arnold.

It's a midfield that would challenge any Bundesliga side, let alone another youth team in these coming U21 championships. And that’s before we even get to the fantastic alternatives Germany have in Moritz Leitner, Amin Younes and Felix Klaus.

The former champions may find less impetus up front in 2. Bundesliga forward Philipp Hofmann—the only really notable striker in the squad this summer—yet both Serge Gnabry of Arsenal and Hoffenheim’s Kevin Volland are both full of goals and can play the central role if called upon.

"The anticipation ahead of this tournament is huge. We have been waiting two years for it.” Can told the press ahead of Germany’s opening clash with Siberia on Wednesday before facing Denmark and then their Czech hosts.

If Hrubesch’s side can overcome such opponents and make it out of their group, then the likes of England, Italy, Portugal or Sweden would await them in the next round; four teams just as dangerous as the previous three, offering an excellent opportunity to this new generation to emulate the last.

Six years ago, the stars of today lifted a trophy that confirmed their place as the promising stars of tomorrow. Such a fate stands waiting in Prague this summer for the likes of Ter Stegen, Can and Meyer. And it starts with a win over Serbia on Wednesday.