Champions (hosts)
2002: Switzerland (Denmark)
2003: Portugal (Portugal)
2004: France (France)
2005: Turkey (Italy)
2006: Russia (Luxembourg)
Biggest wins
Pre-2002 Qualifying round: Czech Republic 7-0 Luxembourg, Switzerland 7-0 Faroe Islands, 2001/02
Post-2002 Qualifying round: Croatia 11-0 Andorra, 2004/05
Elite round: France 7-0 Wales, 2002/03
Final tournament: Denmark 6-0 Finland, 2001/02; Luxembourg 1-7 Spain, 2005/06
Individual match goalscoring
Qualifying: Nikola Kalinić (Croatia) 5 v Andorra, 2004/05
Final tournament: Morten Rasmussen (Denmark) 5 v Finland, 2001/02
Season top scorers
2001/02: Collins John (Netherlands), Simon Vukčević (Yugoslavia) 8
2002/03: David Silva (Spain) 9
2003/04: Fausto Jorge Dias Lourenço (Portugal) 8
2004/05: Nikola Kalinić (Croatia) 11
2005/06: Manuel Fischer (Germany) 13
Finals top scorers
2001/02: Jonathan Soriano (Spain) 7
2002/03: David Silva (Spain) 6
2003/04: Hatem Ben Arfa (France), Bruno Gama (Portugal), Shane Paul (England), Pedraza (Spain) 3
2004/05: Tevfik Köse (Turkey) 6
2005/06: Manuel Fischer (Germany), Bojan Krkić (Spain), Tomáš Necid (Czech Republic) 5
2006/07 qualifying top scorers
Qualifying round: Christopher Drazan (Austria), Vitali Rushnitski (Belarus) 5
Elite round: Kolbein Sigthórsson (Iceland) 6
Overall qualifying: Vitali Rushnitski (Belarus) 7
Highest attendances
Qualifying round: Portugal v Belarus, Minsk 2004/05, 12,500
Elite round: England v Northern Ireland, Wolverhampton, 2004/05, 8,261
Final tournament: France v Spain, Chateauroux, 2003/04 final, 13,000
2006/07 Highest attendances
Qualifying round: Belarus v Kazakhstan/San Marino/Ukraine, Minsk, 5,000
Elite round: Germany v Republic of Ireland, Nordhorn, 7,250
Final tournament appearances (inc 2007, max 6)
5 England*, Spain*
3 France*, Germany*, Hungary, Netherlands*, Portugal, Ukraine*
2 Austria, Belgium*, Czech Republic, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, Switzerland, Turkey
1 Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Iceland*, Luxembourg, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Poland, Russia
Youth tournaments, naturally, are rarely the same from year to year but in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship there is one constant - that Juan Santisteban will lead a talented Spain side to the finals.
'Tough group'
Having finished third last year and indeed failed to qualify just once at U16 and then U17 level since taking the role in 1988/89, Real Madrid CF legend Santisteban is back again in Belgium and ready for tussles with France, Germany and Ukraine in Group A. "It's a very tough group," Santisteban told uefa.com.
Risks
In particular, he emphasises that Ukraine will not be outsiders. "We won't be fooled. If they've got this far it's because they have a significant team. We will have to be very careful. At this age kids give you something nice followed by something less pleasant - one Sunday they can dazzle you and when you're most confident they disappoint you."
Disappointment
One day of disappointment that remains is the 2004 final against France, when Spain lost in the last minute. "We're always left with that bittersweet taste after losing and more so when we lost like we did," Santisteban said. "But football is like that."
Bojan talent
Last season Spain were again tipped for success but suffered a surprise 2-0 semi-final defeat against the Czech Republic. However, a star was born in that tournament as FC Barcelona forward Bojan Krkić, then just 15, finished as joint top scorer, getting all his five goals as substitute, and he is back for more in Belgium having this week struck in his senior club debut in a 4-0 friendly win against Al-Ahly in Cairo. "I'm an old dog in this and I've met lots of players and I can guarantee that I've never seen a player like Bojan Krkić in my life that at the age of 16 or 17 - he is so talented," Santisteban said. "He has an incredible nose for goal, he's skilful and above all, he's a likable person with a permanent smile on his face. That's the most important thing for me. He deserves to be watched and if he avoids injury he will be a star of the future."
Moving up
Which raises an important point for Santisteban, who also marks out Arsenal FC's Fran Mérida and Villarreal CF's Jordi Pablo as other key talents in the squad: why can Spain, who are also European U19 champions, not repeat that success at senior level? "I've been asked lots of times and I can't find an explanation," the 70-year-old said. "There are several factors: the responsibility is greater, the opposition are vastly superior, the physical strength... When you become a professional everything changes from U19 or U20 level."
Yough coaching
Perhaps that is why Santisteban, who estimates that 90 per cent of the current senior squad came through his ranks, enjoys youth coaching. "We can work with children, not with men, and they haven't been contaminated by everything that goes on in professional football: agents, scouts, family...," he said.
UEFA European Under-17 Championship hosts Belgium are among the Group B contenders, but one of their opponents will also be on familiar territory. England came to Belgium in October for the UEFA friendly tournament, defeated the home nation and finished second.
Back in Belgium
That experience is one England coach John Peacock is pleased his side had, as he leads his nation in the finals for the third time in four years in charge. "When we came here in October Belgium hosted the event very well," Peacock told uefa.com. "I know it will be a well-run affair in May. Belgium v England will be a close encounter with a good crowd so I am looking forward to that."
Tough opposition
Having reached the semi-finals of this competition twice, Peacock knows the standard of this competition and is taking all their group opposition seriously. "Holland have a very good track record over the last few years and got to the [FIFA U-17] World Cup two years ago in Peru. We know they will be very strong again. Although we beat Belgium here in October they have worked hard to prepare for this tournament as host nation - they won't be easy. Iceland had a fantastic qualification against Russia and Portugal in particular, so not an easy game either. But we are looking forward to it and delighted to be here in the finals."
World Cup dream
Mention of the World Cup is apposite, as Peacock's charges missed out narrowly on qualification in 2003 and 2005. "It is an important aim," Peacock said. "And the first thing we have to do is qualify without going into the fifth-place play-off, to get to the semis then work from there. We will be positive - we qualified well in the end and the spirit in the squad is high. We've learnt from that and we can use that to our advantage."
Serbia pipped
Qualification was in fact a tight affair, as after wins against home team Bosnia-Herzegovina and Azerbaijan, England still needed to defeat Serbia - but only took a decisive 2-1 lead in the final minute of their encounter. "When it was 1-1 with 15 to 20 minutes to go you begin to wonder," Peacock said. "But the character in the side is very good and we came through it in the end."
Bosnian experience
Peacock added: "For our players it was a good experience, and I have to say the Bosnian FA ran a very good tournament. It gave our players the chance to experience playing on away soil and all that goes with that - travelling and acclimatising." And he is optimistic about their chances in Belgium. "We have played all the top nations this year, they have been very close encounters. We have talented players and it is nice to seer them on the stage in the European finals and playing against the best teams and players - it is good for their development."
Germany could barely have wished for a better UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifying campaign. In fact, in the Elite round their record of winning all three fixtures by three-goal margins was a competition best, and they attracted sell-out home crowds totalling more than 18,000. Unsurprisingly, coach Paul Schomann is upbeat going into the finals, with all three group stage games being played in Eupen, next to the German-Belgian border.
'Tremendous atmosphere'
"It was a tremendous atmosphere at the Elite round," Schomann told uefa.com. "There were a lot of spectators and it was a big event for our players - they have never had so many fans, they felt a wave that comes from the crowd. I know a lot of spectators will come across the border and see our matches because it is very near. We will expect a lot of German fans."
Confidence high
However, Schomann is well aware that their superb Elite round performances against Greece, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, not to mention winning February's Algarve Tournament against France, Portugal and England, will count for nothing when the European finals begin. "We have a lot of confidence from recent tournaments, have won a lot of important matches," he said. "And that has given us confidence. But that is yesterday - now we are looking forward and have to take each game as it comes. But we still have confidence and are looking forward to this strong tournament."
Kroos talent
Last season's German U17 squad reached the semi-finals in Luxembourg, and were unfortunate not to go even further. But one of the stars of that squad, playmaker Toni Kroos, is young enough to be back again this season, something that pleases Schomann. "Kroos is one of the most talented players," the coach said. "He is a big talent. But the whole team is a community and very strong throughout; they showed in qualifying just how good they all are. They are very athletic and we have a good goalkeeper, defence, midfield and attack; our advantage is we have a very good and close team. Toni Kroos has a lot experience from last year and he can bring that into the new team."
Tough schedule
Schomann's side begin their campaign against Ukraine on 2 May, before taking on France and Spain in Group A, among the toughest schedule in any recent U17 finals. "France we know from the Algarve," Schomann said. "They are at a similar level, we beat them 1-0 but it was a good match. I have been told that Spain have a very good team and are very confident, our aim should be not to allow them to play as they have good individuals and I want to disturb their team play. I have also heard that Ukraine are very athletic, a strong, powerful team and our aim is to outplay them with our confidence that we have a better technical team."
It used to be the case that the Netherlands' underage teams were never as threatening as their senior selection, but that has all changed.
Kaiser example
Not only did the Dutch claim the UEFA European Under-21 Championship title last summer, but the year before they had reached the U17 final for the first time and went on to finish third at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru. Those 2005 successes boosted the reputation of coach Ruud Kaiser enough for Chelsea FC to make him their academy chief last summer but the man that has stepped into his national team role, Albert Stuivenberg, has not done badly either. In his first season in charge since leaving his position at Feyenoord he has led the Netherlands back to the U17 finals, and is delighted to have gained such an honour so quickly.
'Fantastic role'
"It is a fantastic role," said Stuivenberg. "I was at Feyenoord for 13 years as head of youth development. This is a different aspect of developing players. You are not on the pitch every day with the players but I am also assistant coach of the U16 team so I am quite busy. Up to now I am very pleased and I haven't found it a very big problem. And we are pleased we now have at least three tough games in which players can develop."
Deserved qualification
To reach next week's event in Belgium, the Netherlands had to travel to Turkey in the Elite round and defeat Wales, Belarus and the hosts - who two years ago pipped the Dutch in the European U17 final - in Antalya. Stuivenberg said: "It was well deserved I must say. In Turkey it was very tough but we won all our games without conceding. We did a good job over there. We have a good squad, and we deserve to be here in Belgium, but now we have to do the final job. They are all great teams over here. [In our group] Belgium is a nice match to play. Iceland and England we have not met but this is a nice challenge."
World Cup aim
His team showed their strength on Wednesday with a 2-0 friendly win against fellow finalists Ukraine, goals coming from Luciano Narsingh and Kaj Ramsteijn, to further boost hopes of emulating the 2005 performance in Italy that earned them that subsequent World Cup campaign in Peru . The development of members of that squad including Tim Krul, Vurnon Anita and Dirk Marcellis into promising senior players is proof of the benefits of those competitions. Five teams from the European finals will go on to this year's U17 World Cup in Korea Republic, and Stuivenberg is keen to get there. "We hope that we can go to Korea," he said. "That means we will have more top games for the players to develop in. That is our goal but first let us see what happens in the first match [in Belgium]."
I think England easy win and odds is not so bad maybe also with HT/FT
England has a great youth team and I don't have any informations about Iceland. Also very important information is to all matches will be playing in Belgium so my tip is
England away win @1.55 7 points
England HT/FT @2.30 5 points
GL
I think England easy win and odds is not so bad maybe also with HT/FT
England has a great youth team and I don't have any informations about Iceland. Also very important information is to all matches will be playing in Belgium so my tip is
England away win @1.55 7 points
England HT/FT @2.30 5 points
GL
I watch Spain-France and Germany-Ukraine yesterday so my opinions about tomorrow`s matches, just for information one half is 40` = 80`game.......
Spain was superb against France yesterday ,and should win but at those odds no bet, Ukraine lost from Germany but they could make problems tomorrow they are playing physical football with plenty of running.
I like Germany at those odds they have couple of fast kids up front and they are playing great(one of them is Bigalke if I’m not wrong) France was terible against Spain, in first half they shot just one time they war completely outplay by Spain.
Why the hell Holland is so big favorite? They equalize with late goal against Belgium, Iceland is maybe worst team in this championship but those e odds are joke
Uefa - U17 Champ
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