Germany clinched the Under-17 World Cup football title in Indonesia by defeating France on penalties in a thrilling final on Saturday.
The match extended into extra time as both teams remained deadlocked at 2-2 in the humid conditions of Surakarta on Java island.
In a rematch of this year's European Championship final, which Germany also won on penalties, the young German squad secured their first Under-17 world title. Goalkeeper Konstantin Heide emerged as the hero, making two crucial penalty saves, while Borussia Dortmund's Almugera Kabar scored the decisive spot-kick, leading Germany to a 4-3 victory in the shootout.
Despite Germany missing two penalties and France also faltering twice, Tidiam Gomis's missed penultimate shot allowed Germany to claim the championship. Earlier in normal time, Germany took a two-goal lead with goals from Paris Brunner in the 28th minute and captain Noah Darvich in the 50th. However, a resilient French side fought back, equalizing through Saimon Bouabre three minutes after Darvich's goal and leveling the score at 2-2 with Mathis Amougou's tap-in in the 85th minute.
The task became tougher for Germany as midfielder Winners Osawe received a red card for a challenge on Ismail Bouneb, leaving them with a one-man disadvantage. Despite the pressure, Germany's steadfast defense held out, securing the penalty shootout and making them the first team to win both the world and European age titles in the same year since Brazil in 2019.
