In 2007, "Berliner Morgenpost" reported that then Germany under-21 coach Dieter Eilts would no longer select him and other team players due to a curfew that had been broken in the team's camp during the June 2007 Toulon Tournament in France. In February 2009, Boateng was called up to the Germany U21 team by new coach Horst Hrubesch for the international match against the Republic of Ireland in Cork. Hrubesch selected Boateng in the preliminary U21 squad for the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Sweden in June 2009.