Friedrich Merz Advocates for Emphasis on Achievement in Youth Sports

The CDU leader proposes reinstating winner certificates and competitive scoring in children's football to prioritize performance and excellence.

Friedrich Merz, CDU chancellor candidate, calls for a return to winner certificates in school sports competitions like the Bundesjugendspiele.
Merz plans to request the German Football Association (DFB) to reintroduce scoring in E- and F-youth football matches, reversing recent changes aimed at reducing competitive pressure.
The DFB's current policy focuses on minimizing pressure and prioritizing children's skill development over competition in youth football formats.
Merz links the emphasis on achievement in youth sports to improving Germany's performance in international competitions, referencing the country's tenth-place finish in the Paris 2024 Olympics medal tally.
If elected, Merz intends to appoint a State Minister for Sport and Volunteerism to give these areas greater prominence in Germany's government.