We may well have reached the climax of UEFA Euro 2024 but that is not the end of European international football this summer and this action is a lot closer to home. For the second time in history, Northern Ireland
will play host to the UEFA Euro Under-19 Championship, having also done so in 2005.
The tournament will be smaller than its senior counterpart with just eight teams competing for the trophy that will be presented on 28 th July after the final at Windsor Park with the first set of games kicking off on 15 July. The tournament comes four years after the 2020 edition that was due to be hosted by the IFA was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Those eight teams are split into two groups of four with group stage matches being held at Seaview and Inver Park before Windsor Park steps in to host the semi-finals and final. Joining the hosts in Group A will be holders Italy, Norway and Ukraine while Group B contains heavyweights France and Spain, who are joined by 2004 runners-up Turkey and debutants Denmark.
The tournament is also serving as UEFA’s qualification tournament for next year’s FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile with the four semi-finalists progressing while a fifth side will be determined when the two third-placed sides face off in a playoff.
The tournament gets underway on Monday 15 July at Seaview with holders Italy taking on Norway at Seaview in the afternoon while Northern Ireland begin their campaign later that evening at Inver Park against Ukraine. That is the tournament overview so let’s meet the teams!
Group A
Northern Ireland
The young Green and White Army may never have a better opportunity to qualify for their first ever Under-20 World Cup but will still be right up against it as hosts. The squad is managed by Euro 2016 hero Gareth McAuley and he will relish leading his side out for the first two group matches in his home town of Larne where they will host Ukraine and Italy before facing Norway at Seaview.
Their form coming into the tournament will be a concern as they have not won a game since a 2-0 win over Moldova in September 2022 but did break a seven game losing streak with back-to-back draws against Slovakia last month.
Manager: Gareth McAuley
One to Watch: Braiden Graham (Everton)
Tournament best: Group stage (2005)
Italy
The holders arrive as favourites to repeat the trick this time around. Having defeated Portugal in the final last year in Malta, the Azzuri stuttered through their first qualifying round getting just four points including a defeat to Switzerland and a draw with Sweden but breezed through their second stage with Scotland, Czechia and Georgia.
The squad is much-changed from last year’s tournament and is managed by former international and ex-Manchester City striker Bernardo Corradi. They will be looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time.
Manger: Bernardo Corradi
One to Watch: Luca Lipani (Sassuolo)
Tournament best: Winners (2003, 2023)
Norway
Last year’s semi-finalists are back having cruised through qualification pretty much unscathed. A 10- 0 drubbing of lowly Gibraltar set them on their way and they won five and drew one game in total to comfortably make it to Northern Ireland. However, heavy friendly defeats in double-headers against Spain and Germany were perhaps a leveler for a side largely based around home-based talent.
Their opener against the holders will be a litmus test as to where they really are.
Manger: Pal Arne Johansen
One to Watch: Sindre Walle Egeli (Nordsjaelland)
Tournament best: Semi-finals (2023)
Ukraine
Another side who sauntered through qualification as Ukraine return to this tournament for the first time since 2018. A shock 4-0 reversal to Kosovo in the first stage was the only blip as they still made it to round two where they disposed of North Macedonia, Latvia and Switzerland, scoring eight and conceding none in the process.
Ukraine have a rich recent history in this tournament having stunned everyone by winning the 2009 edition, defeating an England side in the final that included the likes of Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Danny Welbeck. However, very few members of that squad have progressed as many would have hoped.
Manager: Dmytro Mykhaylenko
One to Watch: Matviy Ponomarenko (Dynamo Kyiv)
Tournament best: Winners (2009)
France
The three-time champions won this tournament the last time it was on these shores in 2005 with a squad that included the likes of Hugo Lloris, Abou Diaby and Yoann Gourcuff and they will be aiming to take home silverware again this time.
However, they did not have things all their own way in qualifying, including a 2-1 loss to Group B opponents Denmark and an embarrassing 2-0 reversal to Lithuania. Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel top scored in qualification and did not make the cut for Thierry Henry’s Olympic squad, meaning he could well line up here while Zinedine Zidane’s youngest son Elyaz is also likely to feature
Manager: Jean-Luc Vannuchi
One to Watch: Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
Tournament best: Winners: (2005, 2010, 2016)
Spain
The only team to win more UEFA Euro Under 19 titles than France is Spain but there is less of a gap between the two and more of a chasm as La Roja have won the tournament an incredible eight times. This is also their record 14 th time qualifying since the Under-19 classification was introduced in 2001 so to say they have pedigree at this age group is somewhat of an understatement.
They were beaten semi-finalists last year but don’t bet against them winning yet another title. Jose Lana’s men cruised through qualifying, winning five and drawing one while scoring 16 and conceding just three along the way.
Manager: Jose Lana
One to Watch: Yarek Gasiorowski (Valencia)
Tournament best: Winners (2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019)
Turkey
With their senior side capturing the hearts of many neutrals at Euro 2024 with their run to the quarter-finals, Turkey’s Under-19 squad will be looking to keep that feel-good factor going in what is their first tournament at this stage since 2018.
Their only defeat in qualifying came at the hands of Germany as victories over Romania and Croatia saw them through and they will be looking to repeat the feat of their 2004 squad who made the semi-final.
Manager: Senol Ustaomer
One to watch: Semih Kilicsoy (Besiktas)
Tournamanet best: Semi-finals (2004)
Denmark
The only debutants at this year’s tournament arrive in style having had a stunning qualifying campaign, winning five and drawing one. This included dumping out last year’s runners-up Portugal so the Danes will not fear this tough group.
Their presence along with Norway means that a quarter of the tournament is Scandinavian. This exciting generation are certainly ones to watch.
Manager: Morten Eskesen
One to watch: Valdemar Andreasen (Midtjylland)
Tournament best: n/a