Karim Coulibaly: I've worked hard for this for a long time, and I'm very fortunate to have this opportunity.

From Werder Bremen's perspective, Saturday's international matches were very fruitful. On March 28, 2026, seven players secured victories for their respective national teams. Two Bremen players were selected for Austria's starting lineup: German U21 international Mio Backhaus delivered a standout performance, while Kareem Koulibaly made his debut under Antonio Di Salvo.

Mio Backhaus and Karim Coulibaly helped Germany's U21 team secure a crucial 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland, adding to their chances of qualifying for the European U21 Championship. This win keeps Germany close behind group leaders Greece in the Group F qualifying rounds, maintaining their hopes of direct qualification.

Mio Backhaus delivered an outstanding performance in Braunschweig's match against Northern Ireland. The 21-year-old Werder Bremen goalkeeper made several crucial saves and kept a clean sheet for the entire 90 minutes, completing his fourth clean sheet in four U21 international appearances.

After the match, Mio Backhouse said in an interview: "Northern Ireland is not an easy team to beat. They put a lot of pressure on us for 90 minutes, so I'm happy to have contributed to the team."

Kareem Koulibaly came on as a substitute for Finn Jelch in the 62nd minute, playing as a center-back and helping Germany secure the victory. The 18-year-old told the German Football Association after the match, "This is an unforgettable day, a dream come true for me. I've worked very hard for this, and I'm very grateful for this opportunity."

Image source: Internet/Werder Bremen official website