Tresoldi's hat-trick drives Germany U21 toward Euro qualification

In the Euro qualification match against Malta, the 22‑year‑old striker Nicolò Tresoldi, who wore the Germany U21 jersey from the start, delivered an almost solo performance. In the 4‑1 victory he scored a hat‑trick, bringing him closer to the historic DFB record.

Early Conceded Goal and Quick Equaliser

Malta took the lead in the ninth minute due to a mistake in the German build‑up, with Basil Tuma scoring. Just two minutes later Tresoldi equalised to 1‑1 with a shot, after Leandro Morgalla had previously hit the post. Despite this early deficit, the German U21 retained control.

Dominance and the Decisive Goal

The DFB boys dominated the match with over 70 percent possession and a shot ratio of 13:1, yet the score remained 2‑1 at halftime. After the break Tresoldi raised the score to 3‑1 in the 47th minute with a header from a corner. His third goal came in the 69th minute, a direct free‑kick from about 17 metres, which he expertly placed into the corner.

The hat‑trick was Tresoldi’s first match as captain from the start. Before kickoff he declared confidently: “Let’s see how many goals I can score today, hopefully many.”

Tresoldi chases U21 scoring record as fans turn hostile

After the match he told ntv: “Not a bad debut, right?” and added: “I still need two more goals, hopefully I can score them already on Tuesday.”

With 16 goals in 26 U21 appearances, Tresoldi sits third on the all‑time DFB best‑list, behind Pierre Littbarski (18) and Heiko Herrlich (17). Coach Antonio Di Salvo, however, still has to decide whether a possible federation switch to Italy will affect the project.

The next opponent for the German U21 is Georgia in Bielefeld. Another win would qualify the team as group winners for Euro 2027.