Spain

Under-17 champions in 2007 and 2008 – and U16 champions a record six times – Spain return to this stage for the first time since losing to England in the 2010 final. Santi Denia's side were made to sweat in the elite round in Benidorm, but a second-half equaliser from José Luis 'Kuki' Zalazar earned a 1-1 draw in their climactic game with France to qualify.

"This elite round has been a real learning curve for the team and it will make them better players and people," said Denia. Midfielders Carles Aleñá and Carles Pérez – both FC Barcelona – and Valencia CF pair Fran Villalba, a midfielder, and Fran Navarro, a striker, all caught the eye.

Qualifying round: Lithuania 2-1, Luxembourg 3-0, Slovakia 3-1 (Group 11 winners)

Elite round: Sweden 2-0, Israel 0-0, France 1-1 (Group 1 runners-up)

Team records

Qualifying top scorer
José Luis Zalazar: 5

UEFA European Under-17 Championship best
Winner: 2007, 2008

Coach: Santiago Denia Sánchez

Date of birth: 9 March 1974
Nationality: Spanish
Playing career: Albacete Balompié, Club Atlético de Madrid, Spain
Coaching career: Club Atlético de Madrid (assistant), Spain U16s, Spain U17s

The former centre-back took charge of Spain's U17 squad in 2011. He spent the majority of his playing days with Atlético, winning a Liga and Copa del Rey double in his first season at the club, 1995/96. Capped twice, he started his coaching career as assistant to Abel Resino at Atlético in 2009 and presided over one first-team game as caretaker in October that year before joining the Royal Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) youth set-up.