When Germany took to the famous Wembley pitch in July for the Euro 2022 final against England, they did so with a team stacked full of young talent - one that, despite their eventual extra-time defeat, promises an incredibly bright future for one of football’s most successful nations.
After the Lionesses' triumph, a tearful Lena Oberdorf – the 2020 NXGN winner – collected the Young Player of the Tournament award at the tender age of 20. Right-back Giulia Gwinn, still only 23 years old, would earn a place in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament alongside Oberdorf and Klara Buhl, the 21-year-old who sadly missed the final due to Covid.
With 19-year-old Jule Brand starting the final and a trio of 22-year-olds – Nicole Anyomi, Sydney Lohmann and Lena Lattwein – all featuring from the bench, this was a tough day for Germany but also one that showed how much potential there is for the years to come.
That is not restricted to those involved in that tournament, either. As Germany’s triumph at the UEFA Under-17 Championship during the same summer showed, this country has exciting young players in abundance.
One who has really risen to the fore in this 2022-23 season is Bayern Munich’s Franziska Kett, the 18-year-old who is making a serious impact at one of Europe's biggest clubs.
But who is she and why is she set for a breakthrough campaign? NXGN has all you need to know…