Alex Staff awarded gold Fritz Walter Medal | OneFootball

The U19s striker receives the highest possible accolade in German youth football.

Alex Staff has been awarded the Fritz Walter Medal in gold, the highest accolade in German youth football. The 17-year-old Eintracht talent is the youngest goalscorer in the Regionalliga Südwest, and only fellow Eagle Nur Ebu Bekir Is has featured in Germany’s fourth tier at a younger age. Staff netted his 100th competitive goal for the club in the UEFA Youth League game against Atlético Madrid.

Staff has received the gold Fritz Walter Medal from the German Football Association (DFB) as the best U17 player in the country. The prestigious award recognises his talent, outstanding performances and exemplary conduct.

In the 2024/25 season, Staff made 27 appearances for Eintracht’s U21 and U19 sides, registering 16 goals and five assists. He reached the quarter-finals of the German championship with the U19s.

In the current campaign, the teenager has racked up nine goals in 12 games across four competitions, along with three assists. He is also the Germany U17s’ leading marksman with 13 goals and will travel to the U-17 World Cup in Qatar in November.

“We offer our sincere congratulations to Alex on the Fritz Walter Medal in gold,” said Alexander Richter, director of the Eintracht academy. “This is very important for our academy. Alex has been playing for Eintracht Frankfurt since the age of 10. He’s a talented player who dedicates himself to the team and is exemplary off the pitch. A lot of his success is down to his family. We’re proud of him and continue to support him.”

“The award doesn’t just recognise Alexander Staff, who has earned it, but also the entire academy and its development,” emphasised board member for sport Markus Krösche. “It shows that the philosophy is having an effect and is an incentive to keep raising the level.”

This is the first time that a product of the Eintracht Frankfurt academy has received the gold Fritz Walter medal. Elias Baum claimed bronze last year, while Aymen Barkok and Sonny Kittel won silver in 2017 and 2011 respectively.