The later world champions like Manuel Neuer (35), Mats Hummels (33), Sami Khedira (34) and Mesut Özil (33) are there. And also the Berlin boys Kevin-Prince Boateng (34), Patrick Ebert (34), Ashkan Dejagah (35) and Änis-Ben Hatira (33), who knew each other from the Hertha youth .
Together they win the U21 European title – all except Boateng. What happened?
Ebert recounts: “There was an argument in some village inn. Nothing else was going on there, we were looking for something where we could maybe have a drink. It wasn’t really a fight, more of an argument. Later we got to the hotel. Kevin was probably seen there.”
Boateng: “I can’t regret it. That was the first time in my career that I hadn’t done anything wrong.”
Nevertheless, Hrubesch Boateng was removed from the EM squad – a decision that, according to the documentary, was also supported by Khedira’s team council. Hummels remembers: “Kevin is a gifted footballer who also had his own idiosyncrasies back then. That was a decision that was controversial.”
The later final goal scorer Sandro Wagner (34) adds: “I thought that can’t be. He was a top player. After I saw him for the first time, I wanted to quit football.”
Matthias Sammer (54), then DFB sports manager: “The little ones say: What a fool. And the big ones say: if you want to achieve great things, there are decisions that have a negative impact on the team’s process and we won’t become European or world champions. Sami Khedira was both.”
After being kicked out, Boateng’s friends considered boycotting the tournament. In the end they won the title. Hrubesch: “Even before the course, I said that if he wasn’t 100% fit, I wouldn’t take him with me. Those are things where you have to say: that’s it.” The success proved the coach right.
Boateng later had a world career with Totteham, Milan, Barcelona and Florence, among others, and denied 15 caps for Ghana’s senior national team
