Who are Germany's biggest talents? DFB announces Fritz Walter medal winners

Tom Weber

Updated: 17 Oct 2025 12:03 CDT
4 min read

The German FA, the DFB, has announced this year's winners of the prestigious Fritz Walter medal.

Named after legendary footballer Fritz Walter, who starred for Kaiserslautern in the pre-Bundesliga era and West Germany at the 1954 World Cup, the three iterations of the medal (gold, silver, bronze) are handed out annually to the biggest domestic talents in the U19 and U17 age groups.

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Previous winners of the U19 gold medal include the likes of Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz. This year, VfB Stuttgart defender Finn Jeltsch has entered this illustrious group after helping his club win the DFB-Pokal last season.

The 19-year-old, who can play at centre-back and right-back, joined the Swabians in January 2025 from second-tier Nürnberg and almost immediately established himself as a starter. Jeltsch was part of the Germany U17 team that won the Euros and World Cup in 2023.

His then-teammate Max Moerstedt, a striker who plays for Hoffenheim, has won this year's bronze medal. FC Köln breakout star Said El Mala, a tricky winger who was spectacular at this summer's U21 Euros, has received the silver medal.

Bayern starlet Karl wins silver medal

While the U19 players recognised for their exploits usually have senior experience already under their belt, the same can't be said for the youngsters who win a medal in the U17 group.

Indeed, this year's gold medallist, Alexander Staff, is not a name that will be familiar to many. A striker by trade, the 2008-born player has been impressing in Eintracht Frankfurt's youth system and has scored over 100 goals across various age groups.

Last season, Staff became the youngest-ever player to score in the Southwest division of Germany's fourth tier, the Regionalliga Südwest, after netting for Frankfurt's reserve team.

The recipient of the silver medal, Bayern starlet Lennar Karl, is significantly more well-known than Staff. Unlike most of the players in this age group, the 17-year-old has already made nine first-team appearances - for the biggest club in the country.

Karl is primarily a right-winger, although he can also be used centrally. He has benefited from Jamal Musiala's long-term injury and is now a regular fixture in Vincent Kompany's side.

The bronze medal has gone to Borussia Mönchengladbach centre-back Elias Vali Fard. Like Staff, the defender has yet to make his senior debut, but he was imperious for Gladbach as they won the U17 Bundesliga last season.

Bayern well-represented among women winners

Since 2021, the Fritz Walter medal has also been handed out to women's footballers, with past winners in the U19 age group including Jule Brand, now at Lyon, and Bayern talent Franziska Kett.

This year, the Bavarians are well-represented. Exciting Bayern attacker Alara, who has opted to drop her Turkish surname Sehitler because of the unfortunate likeness to Adolf Hitler's name, has claimed U19 gold after already winning the U17 edition in 2023.

Starting Bayer Leverkusen right-back Estrella Merino has won the silver medal, while SV Meppen goalkeeper Thea Farwick has claimed bronze. The latter recently earned her first call-up to Germany's U23.

The U17 age group features two Bayern players in gold medallist Luzie Zähringer and bronze recipient Marie Gmeineder. Both are starting players for Bayern's reserves in the 2. Frauen-Bundesliga, with Zähriger a defender and Gmeineder a defensive midfielder.

Similar to Karl in the U17 men's group, the silver women's medallist already boasts senior experience. Lotta Wrede, a regular fixture for promoted Frauen-Bundesliga outfit Hamburger SV, has come in second place. She recently netted her first top-flight goal against RB Leipzig.

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