Germany vs Israel facts

Having been paired together in qualifying, Germany and Israel are reunited at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament as they kick off their Group C campaigns at the Shengelia Stadium in Kutaisi.

Germany claimed narrow victories in both qualifying contests and have never lost to Israel at this level, winning five of the teams' ten U21 fixtures.

Holders Germany have qualified for the last six tournaments and have reached the final in each of the last three editions, lifting the trophy in 2017 and 2021; Israel, in contrast, have not featured since hosting the tournament in 2013 when, as in their 2007 debut, they were eliminated in the group stage.

Czechia and England are also in Group C, which is played in Georgia with all games at either the Batumi Arena in Batumi or Kutaisi's Shengelia Stadium.

Previous meetings

The sides were also paired together in qualifying, Germany twice coming from behind to win 3-2 in Paderborn on 7 October 2021. Doron Leidner (28) and Omri Gandelman (51) twice gave Israel the lead, Malik Tillman (34) making it 1-1 before a late turnaround thanks to strikes from Kevin Schade (88) and Jonathan Burkardt (90+1).

Noah Katterbach's 60th-minute goal gave Germany a 1-0 win in Petah Tikva on 29 March 2022, helping them finish first in Group B on 27 points, eight more than runners-up Israel.

The teams also met in qualifying for the 2019 finals, Germany winning 5-2 in Ramat Gan and 3-0 in Braunschweig on their way to finishing ten points clear at the top of Group 5; Israel were fourth on 14 points.

The countries shared two draws in the 2009 qualifying competition, 2-2 in Ramat Gan and 0-0 in Duisburg. They also finished level on 17 points at the top of Group 9, Israel losing to Italy in the play-offs while Germany went on to reach the tournament and beat England 4-0 in the final.

Germany are also unbeaten in their four U21 friendlies against Israel, recording three draws and, in the most recent fixture, a 2-1 victory in Tel Aviv on 24 March 2013, Kevin Volland scoring a 90th-minute winner.

Noah Atubolu, Marton Dardai and substitute Luca Netz all featured as Germany beat Israel 2-0 in an Under-17 friendly on 9 September 2018.

Form guide

Germany

Germany claimed their third U21 title in 2021, when they equalled Italy's record of reaching a third successive final, having also lifted the trophy in 2009 and 2017.

This is Germany's ninth appearance in the final tournament and a sixth in succession. They have reached the semi-finals or better in each of the last four.

Two years ago, Stefan Kuntz's side finished second in Group A on goals scored in a three-way head-to-head also involving section winners the Netherlands and eliminated Romania.

Germany went on to beat Denmark 6-5 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the quarter-finals before Florian Wirtz's double saw off the Netherlands in the last four (2-1), Lukas Nmecha subsequently scoring the only goal of the final against Portugal.

The holders won nine of their ten qualifiers for the 2023 finals – Antonio Di Salvo succeeding Kuntz two games in – to finish eight points clear of runners-up Israel at the top of Group B.

Germany's sole defeat was a 4-0 reverse at home to Poland on 12 November 2021 in which they were reduced to ten men after 19 minutes. It was their heaviest ever qualifying defeat and their biggest U21 loss since they went down 5-0 to Portugal in the 2015 semi-finals.

Burkardt, who is not in the final tournament squad, contributed seven of Germany's 32 qualifying goals to finish as the team's leading scorer – one more than Youssoufa Moukoko, who scored on all four of his appearances.

Israel

Israel are making their third finals appearance and a first since hosting the event in 2013 when, as on their 2007 debut, they were unable to progress from the initial group stage.

Having lost all three of their games in 2007, that 2013 tournament represented Israel's most successful finals campaign. As hosts, they finished third in Group A on four points, recording their only win on Matchday 3 with a 1-0 defeat of England.

Israel finished second behind Germany in qualifying Group B for the 2023 finals, winning six of their ten matches. Alon Hazan oversaw the initial eight games but took over the senior national side in May 2022, Guy Luzon returning to the post he had left in 2013 to take charge for the final two qualifiers and the play-off against the Republic of Ireland, which Israel won 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw (1-1 a, 0-0 h).

Fourteen different players found the net for Israel in qualifying, Gandelman finishing as top scorer with three goals.

Links and trivia

Germany's Nico Mantl and Israel's Oscar Gloukh both play for Austrian champions Salzburg.

Israel's Daniel Peretz and Yoav Hofmeister hold German passports.