Antonio Di Salvo guided the Germany U21 national team to a second-place finish at the 2025 UEFA U21 European Championship. Learn more about the German-Italian coach here.
Key Stats
Age: 46 (born 5 June 1979)
Role: Head coach
Country: Germany
Under Di Salvo, Germany defeated teams like Italy and Spain before ultimately losing the U21 Euro final 3-2 in extra time to defending champions England. The former forward has been at the helm since September 2021, accumulating an impressive record of 25 wins, six draws, and six losses, resulting in a points-per-game average of 2.19.
Before taking the top job, Di Salvo served as an assistant coach for the Germany U21 and U19 squads, as well as for Bayern Munich`s U17 team. As a player, he won the Bundesliga title and the UEFA Champions League with Bayern in 2000/01, though he only made eight competitive appearances during his single season with the record champions.
Of German-Italian heritage, Di Salvo also played for his hometown club Paderborn, Hansa Rostock, and 1860 Munich, appearing in 183 matches across Germany`s top two football divisions. He later had a spell in Austria with Kapfenberg before retiring due to injury.
Coaching Style
As the Germany U21 boss, Di Salvo has primarily favored a 4-3-3 formation, emphasizing possession-based, attacking football.
Did You Know?
Notably, Di Salvo was part of the coaching staff for three European Championship victories: the U19 Euros in 2014 and two U21 Euros titles.
What They`re Saying
`Toni and his coaching staff have succeeded in building a superb squad from a team that sees frequent changes, while also contributing to the steady development of individual players.`
`Toni Di Salvo is held in high regard by the DFB [German Football Association] for both his work with the U21 team and his contributions as a coach across our other youth categories.`
