One more victory would see the Germany U17 side win the European Championship. They face France in Burgas, Bulgaria on Friday (19:00 CEST). The DFB lifted the trophy in 2009 and their current hopes hinge on skipper and Borussia Dortmund star Felix Passlack.
Ahead of the tournament, which takes place on Bulgarian soil, Germany head coach Christian Wück was full of praise for the youngster: "If Passlack plays well, we have a good chance of going a long way." The captain repaid Wück's faith. So far he's netted three times, grabbed an assist and converted from the spot during the shootout victory over Spain. The BVB prospect is one of the tournament's leading lights. His leadership has also been crucial. It's hard to quantify his influence, but you can feel it when you're around the team.
"I am a leader and know what is expected of me," he told DFB.de. "My actions and words are meant to guide the team." The 16-year-old is confident, which is shown by his willingness to communicate with his team mates during games. Ahead of the shootout against Spain he spoke to everyone - "Keep concentrating and slam it home."
Fast and direct – on and off the pitch
On the pitch, Passlack is a tricky player who can cover ground at remarkable speed. His direct style of play is attractive and this trait follows him in daily life. If he doesn't like something, he'll tell you. Having said that, long aren't his thing, he'd rather "concentrate on the basics".
He has been compared with a lot of Germany stars, with one UEFA employee likening him to World Cup winner Philipp Lahm, which Passlack describes as a "huge compliment. Lahm is an amazing player and a fantastic leader. I have watched a lot of him but my idol is Mario Götze. I love his dribbling, speed and technical ability."
World Champion Götze is my biggest idol
The press in Dortmund often make comparisons between Passlack and Götze. They have similar hair, appearance, talents as well as both starting their careers with BVB. What does the youngster think about this? "The hair is just a coincidence, but obviously everything else is great to hear."
Götze is just one small step ahead of him. The Bayern Munich player was a member of the last Germany U17 team to lift the championship. They won the tournament in 2009, having beaten the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. "If I can repeat the feat on Friday, it would be fantastic," said Passlack. He already knows what is needed to come out on top. "We still have to be defensively compact. IN an attacking sense we have to continue to take our chances and play as a team."
Wück: "Felix thinks about the team spirit first"
For the next couple of days, Passlack’s leadership qualities will be tested once more. "I am not worried about it," said head coach Christian Wück. "Felix thinks about the team spirit first. I hope that he gets a bit of space in the final as that will help his personal game as well as that of the team. Our last two opponents have tried to keep him out of the game."
Passlack was first named captain during the Algarve Cup in February. Wück told the youngster that he expected him to take charge on and off the pitch. "Felix has done very well so far. One more good result and all of their hard work will be rewarded. If they win again, they will be champions."
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One more victory would see the Germany U17 side win the European Championship. They face France in Burgas, Bulgaria on Friday (19:00 CEST). The DFB lifted the trophy in 2009 and their current hopes hinge on skipper and Borussia Dortmund star Felix Passlack.
Ahead of the tournament, which takes place on Bulgarian soil, Germany head coach Christian Wück was full of praise for the youngster: "If Passlack plays well, we have a good chance of going a long way." The captain repaid Wück's faith. So far he's netted three times, grabbed an assist and converted from the spot during the shootout victory over Spain. The BVB prospect is one of the tournament's leading lights. His leadership has also been crucial. It's hard to quantify his influence, but you can feel it when you're around the team.
"I am a leader and know what is expected of me," he told DFB.de. "My actions and words are meant to guide the team." The 16-year-old is confident, which is shown by his willingness to communicate with his team mates during games. Ahead of the shootout against Spain he spoke to everyone - "Keep concentrating and slam it home."
Fast and direct – on and off the pitch
On the pitch, Passlack is a tricky player who can cover ground at remarkable speed. His direct style of play is attractive and this trait follows him in daily life. If he doesn't like something, he'll tell you. Having said that, long aren't his thing, he'd rather "concentrate on the basics".
He has been compared with a lot of Germany stars, with one UEFA employee likening him to World Cup winner Philipp Lahm, which Passlack describes as a "huge compliment. Lahm is an amazing player and a fantastic leader. I have watched a lot of him but my idol is Mario Götze. I love his dribbling, speed and technical ability."
World Champion Götze is my biggest idol
The press in Dortmund often make comparisons between Passlack and Götze. They have similar hair, appearance, talents as well as both starting their careers with BVB. What does the youngster think about this? "The hair is just a coincidence, but obviously everything else is great to hear."
Götze is just one small step ahead of him. The Bayern Munich player was a member of the last Germany U17 team to lift the championship. They won the tournament in 2009, having beaten the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. "If I can repeat the feat on Friday, it would be fantastic," said Passlack. He already knows what is needed to come out on top. "We still have to be defensively compact. IN an attacking sense we have to continue to take our chances and play as a team."
Wück: "Felix thinks about the team spirit first"
For the next couple of days, Passlack’s leadership qualities will be tested once more. "I am not worried about it," said head coach Christian Wück. "Felix thinks about the team spirit first. I hope that he gets a bit of space in the final as that will help his personal game as well as that of the team. Our last two opponents have tried to keep him out of the game."
Passlack was first named captain during the Algarve Cup in February. Wück told the youngster that he expected him to take charge on and off the pitch. "Felix has done very well so far. One more good result and all of their hard work will be rewarded. If they win again, they will be champions."
