England vs. Germany is always an eagerly anticipated fixture and while this latest meeting is another friendly, it does serve as chance to look at the future for both nations. Are England that far behind?
Image: picture alliance/dpa/GES/M. I. Güngör
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England vs. Germany is a fixture that stirs up strong football memories, but since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the fixture has become more of a regular in the international friendly calender than a tense tournament tie. Just eight months after the two teams met in Dortmund for Lukas Podolski's farewell game, they are set to play each other again. Friendlies are rarely a wise measure of development, especially at international level, but after a successful summer for youth football in England, Germany must be wary of an old foe returning to the fore.
England's U17s were runners up in the Euros and then won the World Cup at the end of October. Their U19s also won the Euros, and in June, England won the U21 World Cup.
For a country upheld as the leading light in terms of youth development since the turn of the millennium, Germany have had far less success. Their U17s lost in the Euro semifinals and then in the World Cup quarterfinals to Brazil (the team England beat in the semifinals). Their U19s didn't make it out of their group (one England topped) and the U20s lost in the Round of 16 to Zambia.
Left out in the cold by the EPL
However, England's success at youth level doesn't automatically mean it will transfer to the first team. The Premier League's ruthless recruitment of the world's best players often leaves England's best out in the cold. The same cannot be said for Germany's best.
Joachim Löw's current squad has a combination of 4,130 top-flight appearances — England's has just 2,746. While injuries have affected England's choices, the experience gap between the two squads (both with the same average age, 25.3) remains striking.
Success at U21 level has seen Germany continue to find new talentImage: picture-alliance/SvenSimon/E. Kremser
The future looks bright for England after a summer of silverware, but it is often at the U21 level that it becomes clear as to whether or not a player will become a first-team international. And it is here, that Germany retain an edge - if only for now.
Germany's U21s upset the Spanish favorites by winning the Euros this summer, beating England on penalties in the semifinals. In their 23-man squad, 18 were Bundesliga regulars with top-flight appearances that totaled 1,089 (60 appearances per player on average). Four have gone on to feature for the first team.
England's squad at the same tournament included three Premier League regulars, with Southampton's James Ward-Prowse and Nathan Redmond the exceptions to the rule having amassed 137 and 106 top-flight appearances (at the end of the tournament) respectively. Only three of that squad have featured for England's first team, but two have been selected in the squad to face Germany.
If England's talented players that delivered tournament-winning football earlier this year get the opportunity to play regular, high-level football, then England should have the chance to significantly reduce the disparity between themselves and Germany.
Germany vs. England: A football rivalry in pictures
It's sparked celebrations, caused controversy, forced tears and lost elections. Following England's visit to Munich in June 2022, we look back at some of the fixture's best moments.
Image: Marvin Guengoer/GES/picture alliance
1909: England's amateurs on cloud nine
Some claim this 1909 game to be England's biggest ever win over Germany, although it doesn't exist in the official record books because of its amateur status. Hat tricks from Thomas C. Porter and Cyril E Dunning helped England to an emphatic 9-0 win at the long-since-demolished Oxford City ground.
Probably the most famous of all the meetings between the sides. Played at Wembley, the 1966 World Cup final was a thriller settled in extra time by one of the most controversial goals ever. More than 50 years have passed since England's 4-2 win and still the debate rages about whether England's third goal – the second of Geoff Hurst's hat trick – actually crossed the line.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Empics Barratts
1968: A measure of revenge for West Germany
With several players remaining from the 1966 World Cup final lineups, this friendly –played in Hanover – was seen as a chance for the West Germans to get their own back. A scrappy and overly physical encounter was settled in the 80th minute when Franz Beckenbauer's effort was deflected past England keeper Gordon Banks. It was England's first loss in continental Europe since 1963.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
1970: West Germany stage Mexican comeback
The sides were drawn together in the quarterfinals of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. England took a 2-0 lead but soon capitulated without goalkeeper Gordon Banks. Goals from Franz Beckenbauer and Uwe Seeler drew the Germans level before Gerd Müller settled the game in extra time for a 3-2 win. Four days later, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson blamed Labour's election loss on the defeat.
Image: Sven Simon/picture alliance
1972: West Germany outclass England twice
Another year, another quarterfinal meeting, this time at the European Championship. At the time knockouts were played over two legs, home and away. West Germany won 3-1 at Wembley thanks to a 26th Minute strike from Uli Hoeness and late goals from Günter Netzer and Gerd Müller. The sides drew 0-0 in the second leg in West Berlin and West Germany would go on to win the tournament.
Image: Getty Images
1982: Knockout blow for England
In a tournament that employed a format with two separate group stages, a 0-0 draw was enough to knock England out and see West Germany through to the semis. They defeated France on penalties to make the final, but would fail to lift the trophy. West Germany would lose 3-1 to Italy at the Bernabeu in a final best remembered for Marco Tardelli's passionate celebration.
Image: picture-alliance/Baumann
1990: Penalties, tension and tears in Turin
England's first semifinal since their triumph in 1966 saw them produce their best performance of Italia '90. Andreas Brehme put Germany ahead before Gary Lineker leveled for England late on. Then came Paul Gascoigne's tears after a yellow card that meant he would have missed the final. It went to penalties, and misses from Chris Waddle and Stuart Pearce (pictured) fatefully sent England home.
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1996: It's coming home... to Germany
In their first home tournament since 1966, England met their rivals in the semifinal having seemingly exorcised their penalty demons against Spain in the previous round. An entertaining and even game, featuring the likes of Matthias Sammer and the imperious Germany captain Andreas Möller, somewhat inevitably came down to penalties. This time Gareth Southgate was the Englishman who missed.
Image: Imago/Werek
2000: Didi's farewell gift to Wembley
England had grand plans to mark the last game at their famous old stadium. The scene was a qualifying match for the 2002 World Cup, but it turned into a miserable farewell. A long-range strike from Dietmar Hamann was the only goal of a drab game. The defeat had far-reaching consequences for the hosts, with coach Kevin Keegan resigning immediately afterwards.
Image: picture-alliance/Sven Simon
2001: The miracle of Munich?
After the misery of their Wembley display earlier in the same qualifying group, England produced arguably their finest performance of the 21st century under Sven-Goran Eriksson in Munich. After Carsten Jancker opened the scoring, the visitors roared back into the game. Michael Owen (l.) bagged a hat trick while Steven Gerrard (r.) and Emile Heskey also notched goals in a 5-1 wolloping.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Copley
2010: Crossbar controversy reigns again
A young and skillful Germany side overran England in this World Cup last-16 game in Bloemfontein, South Africa, but only led 2-1 heading towards halftime. Frank Lampard then unleashed a strike from distance that struck the underside of the bar and seemed to bounce down at least a meter over the line. But Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda failed to award the goal. Germany went on to win 4-1.
Image: AP
2016: Comeback Lions hit three
It was only a friendly, but ahead of Euro 2016 a new-look England team came from two goals down to defeat Germany in Berlin. Deli Alli, aged just 19, stole the show as Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, and an injury-time winner from Erik Dier sealed a 3-2 win. England would crash out to Iceland in the round of 16 at the European Championship, Germany would lose to hosts France in the semifinal.
