This time no miracle. Plusted by two goals quickly conceded, the French Espoirs team lost 3-0 against Germany in the semi-final of Euro-2025 Wednesday in Kosice (Slovakia), thus buried its dreams of title.
The march was already high in front of the Mannschaft Hope, a favorite of competition, the players of Gérald Baticle made it impossible to cross because of two early defensive errors that they, this time, was able to catch up.
No scenario as faced with georgia in the group stage, where they had avoided early elimination in additional time, nor as in front of Denmark in the quarters where they had qualified for half by overthrowing the Scandinavians however in front of the score until the 84th minute.
On the contrary, taking advantage of its two goals in advance, it was Germany which, in the very last minutes, carried the estocade by scoring a third goal by Brajan Gruda after the help of 3-0, 90th+3). The fate of the game had already been sealed for a long time.
Defense takes water
From the 8th minute, following a bad recovery from Singoutou Magassa, tenured in place of the usual captain, Chrislain Matsima, Paul Nebel relied in one-two on the giant Nick Woltemade on a one-two and struck closely, but Guillaume Restres managed to divert on his bar. The French porter could not do anything when Nelson Weiper, on the lookout, resumed the ball he slipped from the empty goal (1-0).
The midfielder of the German team of Germany Paul Nebel in the defense of the French team in the semi-finals of the Euro espouirs on June 25, 2025 in Kosice in Slovakia
Branislav Racko / AFP
A few minutes later, Woltemade, top scorer in the competition, stole a ball in Magassa’s feet at the entrance to the surface and scored, in two stages, his sixth goal of the tournament (2-0, 14th).
The past storm, the French, led by the Rennais Djaoui Cissé, a true revelation of the Euro, and their captain of one evening, Quentin Merlin, rushed to the goal of Noah Atuboli, the German goalkeeper, getting two frank opportunities in the 19th minute on a not supported shot from Wilson Odobert and on a center of Kiliann Sildillia that Matthis Abline could only tweak (37th).
At halftime, the center-forward of Nantes gave way to Thierno Barry who immediately distinguished himself by taking up a center of Merlin at the six meters, however rushing on Atuboli Vigilant (46th).
The German goalkeeper released a real feat on his line when he pushed a head of the same Barry on his line after a center of Loum Tchaouna (68th), then he was saved by his post at the very end of the meeting on a head of the stirring Barry, again.
Faced with the score, sure of its strength, the young Mannschaft actually left the ball to the French, defending very low and proceeding against, without its effectiveness of the first quarter of an hour, without ever being truly in danger.
Germany-England, dream final
In the final, she will challenge England, title holder, which she had beaten 2-1 in the last match of the group phase, while the two teams were already qualified. A match at the top between the two favorites of the competition.
France, which still signs its best result in a euro hopes since 2019, will be able to regret its truncated preparation during which Gérald Batic and his staff, deprived of a dozen players, had to rebuild a hastily group and redefine a game plan according to the new players who joined the team late.
Thierno Barry of the French team takes over the ball in front of the goalkeeper of Germany Noah Atubolu in the semi-final of the Euro Espoirs on June 25, 2025 in Kosice in Slovakia
Branislav Racko / AFP
This will have allowed Cissé’s hatching, promised to a bright future, the confirmation of Castello Lukeba, already a selection with the « A » and boss of the defense of the Blueberries. It will have been too fair to climb to the final.
