Stuttgart’s Finn Jeltsch and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Alexander Staff capture Fritz Walter Gold Medals | OneFootball

The German FA’s “Fritz Walter Medals” for outstanding achievements by young German footballers were announced on Friday. Two youngsters currently plying their trades for Bundesliga clubs received the Gold Medals in the U19 and U17 categories. Stuttgart central defender Finn Jeltsch took gold in the U19 bracket while Eintracht Frankfurt striker Alexander Staff secured top billing in the U17 category.

Jeltsch moved to Stuttgart from 1. FC Nürnberg in the January 2025 transfer window and has made 15 top flight appearances since moving to the top division. The €20-valued young defensive prospect also captained the Germany U21s whilst earning two caps for Germany at the highest youth level during the September international break.

Jeltsch beat out strong competitors also nominated for the U19 highest prize, including fellow U21 riser Said El Mala of 1. FC Köln and blossoming TSG 1899 Hoffenheim striker Max Moerstedt. El Mala came in second in the DFB voting (Silver Medal) while Moerstedt’s third place finish earned him the Bronze Medal.

Staff – a German-American attacker from the Hessen town of Dieburg – has mostly featured for the Eintracht U19 squad, but did make five appearances for the Eintracht reserves in the German fourth tier last season. The now 17-year-old scored one goal for SGE II in November of 2024, at the time setting a record as the youngest player to ever score in the German fourth division.

Staff ended up beating out his much more famous competitor Lennart Karl of Bayern Munich for the Gold medal. Karl received the Silver Medal. Borussia Mönchengladbach central defender Elias Vali Fard was awarded the Bronze Medal. Both Staf and Vali Fard will be representing Germany in the upcoming FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar. Germany hope to defend the World Championship secured in November 2017 under Christian Wück.

Professionals associated with both Jeltsch and Staff contributed public comments after the Gold Medal Prizes were announced. In Jetsch’s case, former Nürnberg head coach Miroslav Klose praised his former player. Eintracht board-member-for-sport Markus Krösche congratulated Alexander Staff on his accomplishment.

“I’m extremely pleased for Finn,” Klose noted in an FCN statement. “He is a fantastic young man, he has come a long way with us in Nürnberg and I am following his progress in Stuttgart just as closely. He was thrown in at the deep end straight away and had a bit of a slump, but he definitely has the quality to have a really great career.”

“This award is not only for Alexander Staff, who has earned it through outstanding performances,” Krösche said in his statement. “It is also recognition for the entire youth academy and the course we’ve have taken in recent years.”

GGFN | Peter Weis