England Under-21s will come up against a tough challenge in their European Championship defence when they face Germany - and the tournament's top scorer Nick Woltemade - on Wednesday (20:00 BST). The 23-year-old Stuttgart forward, who is 6ft 6in (1.98m) and recently became a senior international, has scored four goals in two games in Slovakia. And he is being linked to many Premier League clubs after his breakthrough season in the Bundesliga. England will reach the quarter-finals if they avoid defeat by Germany, or if Slovenia do not beat the Czech Republic. "It wouldn't be optimal scouting if a club didn't have that [his scoring run] on their radar right now,"Woltemade recently told Bild of Chelsea links.,external "I'm not thinking about my future right now. I'm now with the under-21 national team, I'm having a lot of fun and I just scored three goals." Woltemade was even called a "two metre Messi-Musiala" by club captain Atakan Karazorin an interview in February.,external He said: "He can control the ball, but at the same time he can also dribble like a 1.6 metre dribbler. He's a player who is two metres tall but he has technique like Messi." Woltemade has enjoyed a few landmark moments in the past month. On 24 May, hescored in the German Cup finalas Stuttgart beat Arminia Bielefeld to win his first trophy. Then he started both Nations League games for Germany - against Portugal and France - for his first two senior caps. And now, days later, he is playing at the European Under-21 Championship as one of the tournament's oldest players. He netted a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Slovenia before scoring again, and assisting two, in the 4-2 win over the the Czech Republic. He will hope to continue that scoring run against Lee Carsley's England in Nitra. The Germans are already through to the knockout stages but England need a point to join them. Nick Woltemade ranked highly last season in many different metrics for Opta Woltemade started his career with Werder Bremen, coming through their youth teams, but had only scored two goals in 51 games. He spent the 2022-23 season on loan in the third tier with Elversberg. But the striker rejected the offer of a new Bremen contract last summer before a free-transfer move to Stuttgart. His time there started slowly - and he was not named in their Champions League squad - but he has become a prolific goalscorer. He has bagged 17 goals in 33 games (22 starts) for the Bundesliga side - including in each of his past four matches. Woltemade was named newcomer of the season by the VDV, the German professional footballers' union, despite having already played 41 Bundesliga games for Bremen. That form has seen him most strongly linked to Chelsea - but also to Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, Brighton and West Ham - and some of the continent's top clubs too. Woltemade's current nearest rival for the tournament's golden boot is Newcastle's William Osula. The 21-year-old has netted three times in two games for Denmark, including a double in a 2-1 win over the Netherlands. Ukraine's Maksym Braharu - of Dynamo Kyiv - and Portugal's Geovany Quenda are the only two other players to net twice. Sporting winger Quenda, 18, will join Chelsea in a year's time in a £40m move.
The 'two-metre Messi-Musiala' starring at U21 Euros
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"England Under-21s Set to Face Germany with Tournament Top Scorer Nick Woltemade"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
England Under-21s face a significant challenge as they defend their European Championship title against Germany, highlighted by the presence of the tournament's top scorer, Nick Woltemade. Standing at an impressive 6 feet 6 inches, Woltemade has quickly made a name for himself, netting four goals in just two matches during the tournament in Slovakia. Recently elevated to senior international status, the Stuttgart forward has garnered interest from numerous Premier League clubs following a breakout season in the Bundesliga. England's path to the quarter-finals hinges on their performance against Germany; they must either avoid a loss or rely on Slovenia not defeating the Czech Republic. Woltemade, who has been dubbed the 'two-metre Messi-Musiala' by his club captain, possesses an intriguing blend of size and skill, allowing him to control the ball and dribble effectively, akin to much shorter players renowned for their technique.
Woltemade's recent footballing achievements include scoring in the German Cup final, where Stuttgart triumphed over Arminia Bielefeld, marking his first trophy. He has also made his debut for the senior German national team in Nations League matches against Portugal and France. Currently, he is one of the oldest players in the Under-21 Championship, having already scored a hat-trick against Slovenia and contributing to a 4-2 victory over the Czech Republic. His remarkable form has seen him score 17 goals in 33 appearances for Stuttgart this season, including a streak of goals in his last four matches. Although he began his career with Werder Bremen, where he struggled initially, his move to Stuttgart has revitalized his career. With several top clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal, reportedly interested in him, Woltemade's performance in this tournament could significantly influence his future prospects in football.
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