The events of the past few years have been something of a horror story for Germany’s senior national team.

Their victory at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and passage to the semi-finals of UEFA EURO 2016 was followed by a lengthy dry spell that featured group-stage exits from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and a last-16 elimination from UEFA EURO 2020.The senior national side – who have historically been renowned for their “German virtues” and reputation for rising to the occasion at major tournaments – have slipped to 16th place in the FIFA/Coca-Coca World Ranking and lost more games than they won in the year before they host UEFA EURO 2024.

Yet, despite 2023’s challenges, Germany finished the footballing year on a high. The U-17 national team, coached by Christian Wuck, were crowned champions at the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ in Indonesia, an achievement that prompted joyous celebrations among not only the fans who travelled to the tournament but also those back home.Wuck had already highlighted how much this team reminded him of past Germany sides ahead of the tournament, telling FIFA: “The mentality and individual ability of this group of players born around 2006 is reminiscent of Germany teams in [the 1980s and 90s]. The lads are well trained and have an exceptional team spirit and will to win. It will be difficult for any opponent to beat this Germany side. We have tough-tackling defenders and attacking players who can decide games. Above all, we’re a team who can achieve great things together as a unit.” How right he was.

German football fans often wax lyrical about the “German virtues” of the senior national team. Although this is a broad concept with no precise definition, it includes attributes such as fighting spirit, tenacity, passion, robustness, hard work and discipline.

Here, we have picked out three of those qualities that were particularly apparent in Germany’s Indonesia 2023 performances.