Before their meeting with England on Tuesday, the Germany Under-21 team paid their respects to the 97 at the Hillsborough memorial in Sheffield.
Images posted on their official social media channels show the young team placing a commemorative Union Jack wreath and a bouquet of flowers next to the monument as a sign of respect.
With their England clash taking place at Bramall Lane, the home of Sheffield United, Antonio Di Salvo’s side took the opportunity to visit the Hillsborough memorial earlier in the day.
After laying down the wreath, players took a photo next to the memorial, in what was a valuable opportunity to learn about the horrific events of the tragedy, as well as the ongoing fight for justice for the 97 supporters who lost their lives. .
?? IN MEMORY OF 97??
Ahead of their international against England on Tuesday, our #U21 national team visited the Hillsborough Memorial in Sheffield today to commemorate the victims of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.
YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE. pic.twitter.com/94Ilssuldo
– DFB Juniors (@DFB_Junioren) September 25, 2022
The official Twitter account of the German youth teams shared the images along with the messages “IN MEMORY OF 97” and “YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE”.
Harvey Elliott appeared in the friendly later that night, with Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton as an unused substitute.
England secured a 3-1 victory thanks to goals from Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun, Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher and Man City’s Cole Palmer.
Last year, after Andrew Devine died 32 years after the disaster, the number of supporters known to have been unlawfully killed in Hillsborough rose to 97.
It’s a day that will never be forgotten, and it’s good to see the Germany coaching staff recognize the importance of detailing the horrific events to their young players, while taking a moment to pay their respects.
A touch of class.
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