Just when you thought
the football season was over…
There may be no World Cup or
European Championship to showcase the finest talent over the
summer, but the stars of tomorrow take over as they contest UEFA’s
European Under 21 Championships in Denmark.
The competition has increased
in popularity over the years and has provided the springboard to
the careers for some of the game’s finest players including Rudi
Voller, Laurent Blanc, Luis Figo, Fabio Cannavaro and Petr
Cech.
If that’s not enough, England
are actually capable of winning it and will be amongst the leading
contenders to taste glory this time around.
Here's our definitive guide to
who are they up against when the tournament begins on June
11...
Best performance
In the same year the full Denmark team won Euro 92, the Under 21s
reached the semi-finals before losing 3-0 on aggregate to eventual
winners Italy.
June 11
Switzerland (Aalborg, 7.45pm)
June 14
Belarus (Aarhus, 7.45pm)
June 18
Iceland (Aalborg, 7.45pm)
Manager
Keld Bordinggaard
A Danish international during the 80s, the former midfielder’s
highest profile role came as assistant to Morten Olsen for the full
national side during Euro 2004. This summer will mark his fifth
year in the job.
Star man
Christian Eriksen (Ajax)
Arguably one of the finest players that will be on
show.
A regular for
Ajax already, the forward was the youngest player to feature at
last summer’s World Cup and left many of the full England
internationals on their backsides in a friendly earlier this year.
Set for big things.
Great Dane: England fans are already familiar with
Christian Eriksen after he shone against Fabio Capello's senior
side during a friendly in Copenhagen last year
Danger rating: 3/5
The inclusion of Eriksen is a big plus for the hosts they haven’t
had it all their own way with club sides. Star defender Simon Kjaer
was not released by Wolfsburg, but with home advantage to boost
them they could be dark horses for the tournament.
Squad
Jonas Lossl (Midtjylland), Nicklas Hojlund (Lyngby), Mikkel
Andersen (Reading), Anders Randrup (Brondby), Mads Fenger (Randers)
Lasse Nielsen (Aalborg), Mathias Zanka Jorgensen (Copenhagen),
Andreas Bjelland (Nordsjaelland), Jesper Juelsgaard (Midtjylland),
Nicolai Boilesen (Ajax), Daniel Wass (Brondby), Kasper Povlsen
(Aarhus), Mads Albaek (Midtjylland), Mike Jensen (Brondby), Thomas
Delaney (Copenhagen), Christian Eriksen (Ajax), Matti Lund Nielsen
(Nordsjaelland)' Nicki Bille Nielsen (Villarreal), Nicolai Agger
(Brondby), Nicolai Jorgensen (Bayer Leverkusen), Bashkim Kadrii
(Odense),Soren Frederiksen (Sonderjyske), Henrik Dalsgaard
(Aalborg).
Best performance
After qualifying for the 2002 competition, Switzerland were chosen
to host the tournament but despite progressing through a difficult
group containing Italy, Portugal and England, were knocked out by
France in the semi-finals.
June 11
Denmark (Aalborg, 7.45pm)
June 14
Iceland (Aalborg, 5pm)
June 18
Belarus (Aarhus, 7.45pm)
Manager
Pierluigi Tami
In charge since July 2009, Tami has been on the coaching staff of
the full Swiss team under the reign of experienced Ottmar Hitzfeld.
He doesn’t ask much of his young players only that they play
‘bravely in attack and compact in defence. I ask of my players that
they are capable of adapting to variable systems. I want to see 11
people working in attack as well as defence.’ Tough
customer.
Star man
Xherdan Shaqiri (Basel)
Has twice run England’s full team ragged in the Euro 2012
qualifiers and will be the creative spark in Switzerland’s
midfield. The boy looks good enough to hold down a spot in the full
national side so look out for some left-foot wonder whacks from the
Basel hot-shot.
Enter Shaqiri: Xherdan Shaqiri starred in Switzerland's
recent 2-2 draw with England at Wembley
Danger rating: 2/5
The future looks bright for Swiss football and Tami is aiming at
least for a semi-final spot to secure a place at next summer’s
Olympics. Six of the squad have appeared for the full national team
and that will provide some valuable experience.
Squad
Benjamin Siegrist (Aston Villa), Kevin Fickentscher (Sion), Yann
Sommer (Basel), François Affolter (Young Boys), Gaetano Berardi
(Brescia), Fabio Daprelà (Brescia), Timm Klose (Thun), Jonathan
Rossini (Sassuolo), Philippe Koch (Zurich), Daniel Pavlovic
(Grasshopper), Amir Abrashi (Grasshopper), Moreno Costanzo (Young
Boys), Frank Feltscher (Bellinzona), Fabian Frei (St Gallen),
Xavier Hochstrasser (Padova), Pajtim Kasami (Palermo), Fabian
Lustenberger (Hertha Berlin), Xherdan Shaqiri (Basel), Granit Xhaka
(Basel), Nassim Ben Khalifa (Nuremberg), Innocent Emeghara
(Grasshopper), Mario Gavranovic (Schalke), Admir Mehmedi
(Zurich).
Best performance
Just by making it to the last-eight this year is a best-ever
performance. Defeated Scotland 4-2 on aggregate in the play-offs
after two convincing displays saw them win 2-1 home and
away.
11 June
Belarus (Aarhus, 5pm)
14 June
Switzerland (Aalborg, 5pm)
18 June
Denmark (Aalborg, 7.45pm)
Manager
Eyjolfur Sverrisson
An experienced player, winning the Bundesliga with Stuttgart as
well as the Turkish league title with Besiktas. Capped 66 times for
his country, this is his second spell in charge of the Under 21s
after a failure to lead the full team to Euro 2008 saw him return
back to the role he last held in 2005.
Star man
Gylfi Sigurdsson
(Hoffenheim)
Reading fans will remember the name fondly, Liverpool fans not so
much. Sigurdsson was the star of the show as he helped the
Championship club famously knock the Reds out of the FA Cup at
Anfield in 2010. Has since joined Bundesliga side Hoffenheim where
he continues to shine. Five goals in five qualifying
games.
Royal seal of approval: Former Reading star Gylfi
Sigurdsson (R) is the pick of Iceland's promising young bunch
Danger rating:
2/5
Certainly no push-overs. Iceland have been smashing goals in for
fun in the qualifiers, hitting 14 past San Marino and eight past
Northern Ireland. Their biggest scalp though was defeating Germany
4-1 who seemed a little lost without the likes of Mesut Ozil and
Thomas Muller. Sverrisson’s team at least promise to be
entertaining.
Squad
Haraldur Bjornsson (Valur), Arnar Darri Petursson (Sonderjyske),
Óskar Petursson (Grindavik), Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (West Ham),
Eggert Jonsson (Hearts), Hjortur Valgardsson (Gothenburg), Skuli
Jon Fridgeirsson (KR Reykjavik), Jon Gudni Fjoluson (Fram
Reykjavik), Elfar Freyr Helgason (Breidablik), Thorarinn Ingi
Valdimarsson (Vestmannaeyjar), Bjarni Vidarsson (Mechelen), Birkir
Bjarnason (Viking), Andres Mar Johannesson (Fylkir), Johann
Gudmundsson (AZ Alkmaar), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Hoffenheim), Gudmundur
Kristjansson (Breidablik), Aron Gunnarsson (Coventry City), Almarr
Ormarsson (Fram Reykjavík), Rurik Gislason (Odense), Kolbeinn
Sigthorsson (AZ Alkmaar), Alfred Finnbogason (Lokeren), Arnor
Smarason (Esbjerg), Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson
(Lillestrom).
Best
performance
Have reached the finals twice in 2004 and 2009, but it was the
former in Germany where they nearly caused a shock. Despite
defeating Italy in their first game, a draw to Croatia and defeat
to Serbia and Montenegro meant they crashed out of the group in
third spot.
11 June
Iceland (Aarhus, 5pm)
14 June
Denmark (Aarhus, 7.45pm)
18 June
Switzerland (Aarhus, 7.45pm)
Manager
Georgi Kondratyev
A Russian international in the 80s, the 51-year-old has remained
largely anonymous in his coaching career and the tournament
represents a chance for him to showcase his coaching skills he has
developed at various clubs in Belarus over the last 13 years. Has
been in his current role since 2008.
Star man
Andrei Voronkov (Kryvbas, on loan
from Dynamo Kiev)
Belarus were rank outsiders as it was before play-off hero Vladimir
Yurchenko was ruled out for six months on the eve of the
tournament. Goal scoring duties will fall to Voronkov who has full
international caps and will need to make his 6ft frame count from
set-pieces.
Head boy: Andrei Voronkov is Belarus' bright hope
Danger rating:
1/5
The tournament’s ‘whipping boys’. Kondratyev has stated on his
selections: ‘I have chosen the players I trust, the players who
were with me in difficult situations and who would never let me
down’. No flamboyance here, it’s all-for-one and one-for-all as he
aims to build a team strong in spirit and belief…he does not have
much else but it can so often prove a potent weapon.
Squad
Aleksandr Gutor (BATE), Dmitri Guschenko (Vitebsk), Artyom Gomelko
(Lokomotiv Moscow), Oleg Veretilo (Dinamo Minsk), Denis Polyakov
(Shakhtyor), Yegor Filipenko (BATE), Sergei Politevich (Dinamo
Minsk), Sergei Matveychik (Gomel), Evgeni Savostyanov (Neman
Grodno), Yuri Ostroukh (Vedrich), Yuri Ryzhko (Torpedo Zhodino),
Vitali Gayduchik (Dinamo Brest), Stanislav Dragun (Dinamo Minsk),
Dmitri Baga (BATE), Mikhail Sivakov (Wisla Krakow), Nikita Bukatkin
(Naftan Novopolotsk), Pavel Nekhaychik (BATE), Dmitri Rekish
(Polonia Warsaw), Mikhail Gordeychuk (BATE), Maksim Skavysh (BATE),
Aleksandr Perepechko (Dinamo Minsk), Andrei Voronkov (Kryvbas
Kryvyi), Vladimir Khvoshchynski (Dinamo Brest).
Best performance
Winning the tournament in 1982 against West Germany and retaining
it two years later against Spain. Not that it helped the full squad
who would not reach the knock-out round of any subsequent European
championship on foreign soil until Portugal in
2004.
12 June
Spain (Herning, 7.45pm)
15 June
Ukraine (Herning, 7.45pm)
19 June
Czech Republic (Viborg, 7.45pm)
Manager
Stuart Pearce
A passionate, authoritative England international in his heyday,
Pearce has tried to hone his coaching skills since retiring. After
leaving his first post as Manchester City manager in 2007, he has
taken over the Under 21s full-time and is being groomed to take
over the full national side.
Star man
Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea)
Spent the first half-season picking up splinters on the Chelsea
bench and the second-half banging in goals like crazy at Bolton. If
he can keep that sort of form up, England have a great chance of
going one step further than their final defeat to Germany two years
ago.
Leading the charge: Stuart Pearce will rely on Chelsea
striker Daniel Sturridge for goals
Danger rating:
4/5
Pearce will be gutted to be without star players Andy Carroll and
Jack Wilshere but there is enough talent in the squad to still give
England a realistic chance of winning the tournament. With much of
the full national side being criticised, this is an opportunity for
players to put forward their case for a call-up to Fabio Capello’s
squad.
Squad
Frank Fielding (Derby), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough), Alex McCarthy
(Reading), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Phil Jones (Manchester United),
Michael Mancienne (Hamburg), Chris Smalling (Manchester United),
Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Marc Albrighton (Aston Villa), Jack Cork
(Chelsea), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Jordan Henderson
(Liverpool), Henri Lansbury (Arsenal), Fabrice Muamba (Bolton),
Jack Rodwell (Everton), Danny Rose (Tottenham), Scott Sinclair
(Swansea), Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Daniel Sturridge
(Chelsea), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United), Connor Wickham
(Ipswich).
Best
performance
In their one and only appearance back in 2006, Ukraine made it all
the way to the final where they were defeated 3-0 by a Dutch side
they had already defeated in the group stages. A certain Klaas-Jan
Huntelaar grabbed a brace for Holland.
12 June
Czech Republic (Viborg, 5pm)
15 June
England (Herning, 7.45pm)
19 June
Spain (Herning, 7.45pm)
Manager
Pavlo Yakovenko
After returning in 2008, this is the second time the 46-year-old
has been in charge of the Under 21s following a spell between 2002
and 2004. A dynamic player in the mid-80’s, he won the European
Cup-winners’ Cup in 1986 with Dynamo Kiev before starring for
Russia at the World Cup in Mexico that summer.
Star man
Andriy Yarmolenko (Dynamo
Kiev)
A star in Dynamo Kiev’s Europa League run, the 21-year-old can play
either as a forward or as a winger where at over 6ft he boats pace,
power and trickery. Will be keen to show some of his talent that
had Manchester City in a twist earlier this
season.
Tricky winger: Andriy Yarmolenko (R) will prove a
handful for his opponents in Denmark
Danger rating:
3/5
One of the stronger teams in the tournament but they are in a
ridiculously tough group where they will do well just to reach the
semi-finals. They have a killer instinct though, gaining revenge
for their 2006 final defeat by knocking out Holland on away goals
in the play-offs.
Squad
Denys Boyko (Dynamo Kiev), Dmytro Nepogodov (Metalurh Donetsk),
Anton Kanibolotskiy (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Oleksandr Matvyeyev
(Vorskla Poltava), Yaroslav Rakitskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk), Temur
Partsvaniya (Dynamo Kiev), Yevhen Selin (Vorskla Poltava), Bohdan
Butko (Volyn Lutsk), Serhiy Kryvtsov (Shakhtar Donetsk), Oleksiy
Kurilov (Vorskla Poltava), Artem Putivtsev (Metalist Kharkiv),
Mykola Morozyuk (Metalurh Donetsk), Vitaliy Vitsenets (Shakhtar
Donetsk), Denys Garmash (Dynamo Kiev), Taras Stepanenko (Shakhtar
Donetsk), Yevhen Konoplyanka (Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk), Volodymyr
Chesnakov (Vorskla Poltava), Valeriy Fedorchuk (Kryvbas Kryvyi),
Oleg Golodyuk (Karpaty Lviv), Maxym Biliy (Zorya Luhansk), Andriy
Yarmolenko (Dynamo Kiev), Artem Kravets (Dynamo Kiev), Roman
Zozulya (Dynamo Kiev).
Best
performance
Twice winners. The first in 1986 saw them overcome Italy on
penalties, while in 1998 they defeated Greece 1-0 in Romania to
lift their second title. It’s all gone flat since though with no
semi-final appearances going back to 2000.
12 June
England (Herning, 7.45pm)
15 June
Czech Republic (Viborg, 5pm)
19 June
Ukraine (Herning, 7.45pm)
Manager
Luis Milla
Impressive playing CV that includes spending much of his career at
Real Madrid sandwiched in between spells at Barcelona and Valencia.
After taking charge of the Under 17s and Under 19s, the 45-year-old
took the reins of the Under 21s last year and this tournament could
provide a big case for him to take control of the full squad in the
future.
Star man
Bojan Krkic
(Barcelona)
His talent is undeniable but he is at the right place at the wrong
time in a star-studded Barcelona squad. Can finally step out the
shadow of Lionel Messi, David Villa and Pedro to show Europe just
what he can do and all of the continent’s top clubs will be
monitoring him closely.
The boy from Barca: Spain boast the services of Bojan
Krkic - rated one of the most talented striker's in Europe
Danger rating:
5/5
The talented Spaniards keep coming through the system like they are
on a conveyor belt but they are not as untouchable as the full
squad. They remain favourites but they too will be without some
stars including Sergio Busquets and Sergio Canales. Milla is
already quoted as saying this will be ‘extremely difficult’…but he
would say that.
Squad
David De Gea (Atletico Madrid), Ruben Mino (Barcelona), Diego
Marino (Villarreal), Mikel San Jose (Athletic Bilbao), Álvaro
Domínguez (Atletico Madrid), Alberto Botía (Sporting Gijon), Martin
Montoya (Barcelona) Jose Ángel Valdes (Sporting Gijon), Cesar
Azpilicueta (Marseille), Didac Vila Rosello (AC Milan), Victor Ruiz
(Napoli), Ander Herrera (Real Zaragoza), Diego Capel (Sevilla),
Daniel Parejo (Getafe), Emilio Nsue (Real Mallorca), Thiago
Alcantara (Barcelona), Ruben Perez (Deportivo), Javi Martínez
(Athletic Bilbao), Bojan Krkic (Barcelona), Adrian (Deportivo),
Juan Mata (Valencia), Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao), Jeffren
(Barcelona).
Best
performance
A stunning performance from Petr Cech ensured Czech Republic held
France to a 0-0 draw in the 2002 final before prevailing 3-1 on
penalties to record their first championship win in Switzerland.
Victory was made even sweeter knowing that their opponents had
comfortably beaten them 2-0 in the opening game of the
tournament.
12 June
Ukraine (Viborg, 5pm)
15 June
Spain (Viborg, 5pm)
19 June
England (Viborg, 7.45pm)
Manager
Jakub Dovalil
Moved into coaching at the relatively young age of 24, Dovalil has
made his way up the Czech coaching system, taking control of the
Under 17s, Under 19s and now the Under 21s. He isn’t doing too
badly either with eight out of eight wins so far, albeit he missed
two of the qualifying games.
Star man
Tomas Pekhart
(Nuremburg)
The former Tottenham protege was destined for big things at White
Hart Lane until injury hampered his progress and he never played a
first-team match. The injury ridden striker finally looks like
getting back to his best after signing for Bundesliga side
Nuremburg. Top scorer in qualifying with nine goals from just six
games.
Hot spur: Former Tottenham star Tomas Pekhart (L) will
play a prominent part in the Czech Republic's hopes for glory
Danger rating:
4/5
The form team. The only undefeated side in qualifying with just one
draw at home to Germany in 10 games. Even the defence keeps
strikers under lock and key, conceding a measly four goals in that
period – the least of anyone. It seems likely one of England or
Spain will be going home in the group stages with their tails
between their legs.
Squad
Jan Hanus (Slavia Prague), Marek Stech (West Ham), Tomas Vaclik
(Viktoria Zizkov), Ondrej Celustka (Slavia Prague), Jan Hosek
(Teplice), Jan Lecjaks (Anderlecht), Ondrej Mazuch (Anderlecht),
Radim Reznik (Banik Ostrava), Marek Suchy (Spartak Moscow), Lukas
Vacha (Slovan Liberec), Milan Cerny (Slavia Prague), Borek Dockal
(Slovan Liberec), Marcel Gecov (Slovan Liberec), Adam Hlousek
(Kaiserslautern), Tomas Horava (Sigma Olomouc), Jan Kovarik
(Jablonec), Lukas Marecek (Anderlecht), Jan Moravek
(Kaiserslautern), Jan Chramosta (Mlada Boleslav), Vaclav Kadlec
(Sparta Prague), Libor Kozak (Lazio), Tomas Pekhart (Nuremberg),
Michael Rabusic (Zbrojovka Brno).