July 10 – While the world’s senior men have been spent the last month in the Brazilian spotlight fighting for World Cup supremacy, in Europe the U19s have been battling for a place in the UEFA U19 finals to be held in Hungary starting July 19.
The draw for the eight team finals was conducted yesterday with Germany’s youth looking to emulate the brilliance of their seniors, opening the tournament against Bulgaria.
Two pools of four teams will play off over three weeks, with the final taking place in Budapest July 31.
A TV deal has been signed with Eurosport who will split 12 of the 15 games across its Eurosport International and Eurosport 1 channels.
Jim Boyce (pictured), chairman of UEFA’s Youth and Amateur Football Committee, said at the draw in Felcsut: “We have some of the smaller and some of the larger countries and it is this which will make for a wonderful, exciting competition.”
The team composition for the tournament, the first major UEFA men’s tournament in Hungary since the 1990 European U18 Championship. Sees only Germany and Portugal qualified from the traditional ‘power’ markets of Europe. There are no qualifiers from the giants of France, England, Spain, Holland or Italy. No-one either from the Scandinavian countries.
Israel make their debut in the finals, joining holders Serbia (winners in Lithuania last year), Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Austria who held Russia to a 0-0 draw in the final group game to qualify on goal difference.
Sándor Berzi, vice-president of the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ) and vice chairman of UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body, said: “It is a cause of celebration for the whole of the Hungarian football community that the best youth players of Europe’s football family will be here; players who, in the near future, will be the next stars of the game. We will be happy to hear from them later on in their careers.”
Four stadiums will be used for the final tournament: Szusza Ferenc Stadium, Budapest; Puskás Akadémia Pancho Aréna, Felcsut; ETO Park Stadion, Gyor; and Perutz Stadium, Papa.
UEFA U19 Championship Finals schedule
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