The changing rooms were a party zone, with corks popping and the players singing. "Only BVB are German champions!" was the chant ringing out from the catacombs. The BVB bosses were celebrating too: Dr. Reinhard Rauball, Hans-Joachim Watzke, Michael Zorc and Youth Coordinator Lars Ricken were all there to enjoy the exuberant atmosphere.

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Vier Mal Jugendmeister in Serie: Felix Passlack und Dzenis Burnic

"Congratulations to the team, the coaches and the backroom staff on a superb performance. And the fans too. Having 33,450 spectators in attendance at a junior final on a Monday evening is the kind of thing you only get in Dortmund," lauded Rauball. "Your accomplishments this season have been fantastic," said Watzke as he congratulated euphoric coach Benjamin Hoffmann, prompting the U19 boss to joke that he was following in the "Kaiser's footsteps". He has now matched the remarkable feat achieved by the great Franz Beckenbauer himself, albeit at youth level: Hoffmann has now become a German champion as a player and a coach.

"The willpower the lads have is unbelievable. Nothing can get the better of them," said the 37-year-old as he praised the mentality and character of his charges, who have really stuck together in the last few months – a period in which they have had to deal with one setback after another. "We're like a family," said captain Dzenis Burnic of the atmosphere in this outstanding young team. Each player helps the others. Both on and off the pitch. They stick together like glue. The huddle that they formed prior to kick-off not only consisted of the 11 players in the starting line-up, but the substitutes as well. Burnic, who celebrated his 19th birthday on the day of the final, admitted: "Our team spirit is the secret of our success."

The perfect way to round off their youth careers

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Trainer Benjamin Hoffmann

That team spirit was in evidence in the crowd too, where Christian Pulisic, for example, who at 18 is almost an established first-team player, was heading and kicking every ball. The young American feels like a part of this team, having been registered to play in the 2016/17 season, although he not did make a single appearance. And then there's Felix Passlack. When the U19s were going through an injury crisis and needed him the most, he did not hesitate and had no qualms about putting on his boots for the A-Juniors again. Long-term injury absentees Jakob Bruun Larsen, Dario Scuderi, Patrick Fritsch and Sahin Kösecik stormed onto the pitch following Amos Pieper's winning penalty in the shootout, as if they themselves were fit enough to play in the next match, the semi-final of the Westphalian Cup with FC Schalke 04 on Friday. The derby will certainly come too soon for them, however.

Dzenis Burnic had tears of joy in his eyes: "To become German champions four years in a row is like a dream come true, it's simply overwhelming. It's the perfect way to round off my youth career." The same goes for shot-stopper Eike Bansen and outfield players Amos Pieper, Felix Passlack, Alexander Laukart, Etiennne Amenyido, Jakob Bruun Larsen, Patrick Fritsch, Dario Scuderi, Orel Mangala, Sahin Kösecik and Janni Serra.

"A lucky but deserved victory"

There was still some time to analyse the evening's dramatic events. "We were a bit too uneasy and nervous in the first period, but after the break we were the more active and the better team. We were driven on by this wonderful crowd," commented Benjamin Hoffmann, whose charges created the better chances. So no-one could argue with his take on the outcome of the nerve-wracking penalty shootout. "It was a lucky but deserved victory," he said. The largest choir that has ever attended a junior match at club level serenaded the players from the stands: "Who are German champions? BVB Borussia...." Pure emotion. In the ram-packed stands, on the pitch and then in the changing rooms.
Wilfried Wittke

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Match report: 8-7 penalty shootout victory