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Szekesfehervar (dpa) - Stefan Kuntz calmly accepted the letter of recommendation from his match winner Ridle Baku.
“I'd love to,” said the U21 national coach when asked whether he would hand over the 22-year-old Wolfsburg back to national coach Joachim Loew for the senior national team in the summer.
"If he doesn't play for us, but is with Jogi, then that's nice."
With two goals and an assist, Baku recommended himself for the national soccer team at the perfect European start of the German U21s with a 3-0 (0-0) against co-hosts Hungary - and could thus end the knockout phase of the U21 EM Miss the end of May.
With 74 Bundesliga games, Baku is the most experienced in the current U21 and also the only one who has already gained experience in the senior national team.
Against Hungary, the former Mainz player, who now also played on the right offensive side under Kuntz and in the club, went ahead after a tough start and helped to decide the game.
He prepared the 1-0 win through Lukas Nmecha (61st minute), and the professional footballer scored two goals himself (66th / 73rd). "This is one of the nicest games I've played," said Baku.
"It can carry on like this."
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The clear success against the weakest group opponent should have been only the first step towards the minimum goal of the quarter-finals for the EM runner-up in 2019.
"Now a real yardstick awaits us," said Baku with a view to the next game against the Netherlands on Saturday.
The group's favorite did not get beyond a 1-1 draw against Romania at the start.
"That didn't surprise us at all," said Kuntz.
"At least you could see that Romania also has an extremely strong team."
Youssoufa Moukoko could also help out in the U21 for the first time against the Netherlands.
The 16-year-old from Borussia Dortmund missed the start of the European Championship because of a bruise.
"It takes a day or two, then you can manage it," said Kuntz, who is optimistic that his exceptional talent can be there on Saturday.
Moukoko would be Germany's youngest U21 national player if he were to play.
Kuntz, who won his 30th victory in the 44th game as a U21 coach and thus could have gained further plus points in the debate about a possible national coaching successor in the summer, was especially happy about the clear increase in his team's performance after a difficult start.
"After the 1-0 win, invisible burdens suddenly fall away, and everyone can show what they can do," he praised.
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Baku also played a major role in this and, like the entire team, clearly improved after a weaker first half.
“I'm self-confident on the pitch,” said the 22-year-old, who is also playing a strong Bundesliga season with five goals in 26 games after moving from Mainz to VfL Wolfsburg.
"I'll take the momentum with me from the club," he said with a grin.
"It works in the club, it works here - I'm just glad that I was able to help the team."
At the U21 European Championship, Baku is officially listed by his real first name Bote and not by the nickname Ridle, which is now also in his passport.
«I was called" Ridle "from an early age.
My father gave me this nickname because of Karl-Heinz Riedle », reported Baku at the beginning of his U21 career.
Baku made his first steps in the U21 together with his twin brother Makana, who is no longer part of the selection at the tournament.
His nickname is Rudi - because the father was also a fan of Rudi Völler.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210325-99-966544 / 2
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