Tom Ritzy Hülsmann’s towering debut leaves Germany U21 mates looking up

Stade Reims goalkeeper Tom Ritzy Hülsmann, the 22‑year‑old who stands 2.05 metres tall, has already impressed his Germany U21 teammates after his first call‑up, with midfielders Muhammed Damar and Maurice Krattenmacher describing him as a ‘television tower’ at Tuesday’s DFB press conference.

The briefing was attended remotely by Get German Football News.

The Trier native, a former Bayern Munich youth prospect, spent last season with Austrian Bundesliga side TSV Hartberg where he was voted the league’s best goalkeeper, a performance that secured his summer move to French second‑division club Stade Reims.

DFB U21 press spokesperson Markus Beer highlighted Hülsmann’s extraordinary height, noting that his arrival had already produced unusual introductions among the squad.

Press conference reactions

Wolfsburg midfielder Muhammed Damar joked, “He’s like a television tower; when I first saw him I asked what tablets he takes and he said it’s just genetics, his parents are very tall too,” before adding that he had to look up three storeys to shake the goalkeeper’s hand.

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Damar also compared Hülsmann to fellow defender Joshua Quarshie, saying the latter now looks like an ant beside the towering keeper.

Elversberg midfielder Maurice Krattenmacher, who earned a late call‑up after several injury withdrawals, agreed, stating, “You’ve got a huge tower coming towards you, but he’s a great guy and I look forward to training with him.”

Beer concluded that the light‑hearted banter marked an entertaining end to a conference otherwise focused on Germany’s preparations for next summer’s European U21 Championship.

Germany have already qualified for the 2027 tournament in Albania and Serbia, and head coach Antonio Di Salvo will use the November matches against Belgium and Croatia to integrate new players such as Hülsmann.

The Germans will host Belgium at the Stadion an der Hafenstraße in Essen on Friday, 13 November, before travelling to Rijeka for the Croatia game four days later, where Hülsmann hopes to make his senior international debut.

Whatever the outcome, the Stade Reims goalkeeper has certainly made his presence felt among his new Germany U21 teammates.