England have won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship for a second consecutive time after substitute Jonathan Rowe scored a dramatic extra-time winner to seal a 3-2 victory over Germany in a thrilling final on Saturday.
Rowe’s stooping header, just two minutes after his introduction, clinched the 2025 crown for Lee Carsley’s side, who retained the trophy they won two years ago to end a 39-year drought. The victory marks the first time an England U21 team has won back-to-back titles since the triumphs of 1982 and 1984.
The Young Lions made a blistering start to the final. Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott opened the scoring after just five minutes with a sweeping finish for his fifth goal of the tournament. Chelsea’s Omari Hutchinson then doubled their lead midway through the half with a well-placed drilled shot.
England appeared to be in complete control, with Hutchinson, Elliott, and James McAtee all forcing saves from Germany goalkeeper Noah Atubolu, but the Germans found a lifeline in first-half stoppage time when Nelson Weiper scored with a towering header to make it 2-1.
Germany completed their comeback on the hour mark when Paul Nebel’s curling effort found the top corner to level the scores. Nebel nearly won it for Germany in the final seconds of normal time, but his shot struck the crossbar, sending the tense final into an extra 30 minutes.
The decisive moment came in extra time when Marseille forward Rowe glanced in a perfectly delivered cross from Tyler Morton. Germany still had a late chance to force a penalty shootout, but Merlin Röhl’s effort cannoned off the bar in the dying moments.
The triumph is a significant achievement for manager Lee Carsley, who recently signed a new two-year contract. He has now guided two different groups of players to European glory, this time without several key eligible players who were unavailable for the tournament.
Manchester City’s James McAtee was named the official man of the match for his all-action display, while Harvey Elliott’s goalscoring prowess was once again crucial for England.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.