Fond farewell for victorious Germany

Sebastian Boenisch said he was "sad the tournament is already over" after a 4-0 trouncing of England handed Germany the Under-21 title, with the left-back adding cheekily: "1-0 would have been enough for us."

Band of brothers
The 22-year-old, a losing UEFA Cup finalist with Werder Bremen this season, was delighted to be on the winning side in Malmo to cap a great experience in Sweden. "It is amazing that in such a short time – just four weeks – we have become such a close team with such a good atmosphere," he said. "It is a bit sad the tournament is already over. They are all super lads and it is a pity."

Victory deserved
The manner of Horst Hrubesch's side's final success came as a big surprise to Boenisch. "We really thought it would be a very hard game, because England are very dangerous at set-pieces," he said, adding: "The fact that we won in such an emphatic style makes us really happy, but 1-0 would have been enough for us. The most important thing is that we have the trophy and it is thoroughly deserved."

Excited scenes
The player admitted that he had been on the phone to his club manager and his family in the minutes after the final whistle as the team celebrated their success in the dressing room, while fellow defender Benedikt Höwedes was struggling to maintain his composure, saying: "We are so happy that we beat England 4-0. Now we have to calm down a bit and enjoy the title in peace."

'A big deal'
There was little chance of that on Monday night, though, with Gonzalo Castro – scorer of Germany's opening goal – having the final word. "Winning such a title is indescribable. This championship was a big deal in Sweden. There were adverts everywhere and big crowds at the games. After the 4-0 win people were enthusiastic because they saw spectacular football. Everybody was happy, us too, and we're very proud."