French flair reaps rich rewards

By Andrew Haslam

One of the most exciting elements at tournaments such as the UEFA European Under-19 Championship is in trying to spot which players and sides will go on to make an impact at senior level, and usually there is no shortage of candidates.

Worthy winners
The competition is invariably of a consistently high standard and this year's event in Northern Ireland proved to be no exception. The four semi-finalists could all have conceivably won the competition, while the remaining four qualifiers all had reasons for optimism despite their early eliminations. In the end, however, France's flair, technical ability and strength made them worthy champions.

Contrasting fortunes
France and Serbia and Montenegro were the most impressive sides in the group stage but, come the last four, the situation changed. Group A winners Serbia and Montenegro had been many people's favourites to progress, but in the event an impressive England executed their game plan to perfection, running out 3-1 winners thanks to Matthew Fryatt's fine hat-trick. France, meanwhile, always looked in control of their tie with Germany, Abdoulaye Balde's double helping Gallice's team to a 3-2 success.

Second-half turnaround
France carried their stylish display into the final, but were initially unable to make their dominance count and fell behind just before the interval to Lee Holmes' deflected strike. However, Mohamed Chakouri nodded the equaliser eleven minutes after half-time, before goals in the final 15 minutes from Balde and Yohan Gouffran rewarded the French for another devastating display.

Player potential
"I knew that this team had potential," Gallice said after his players collected the trophy. "We had no luck against Spain when we got knocked out of the 2003 European U17 Championship [in the Elite round]. I knew that we had the chance to express our individual qualities. But there is more to the game than individuals and we wanted to ensure that they continued to work together as a group. It's their tournament, their victory."

Impressive performers
Of those players, Vassiriki Diaby was a dominant presence in midfield, showing his versatility by regularly switching flanks throughout the final. Up front, Balde shone with his pace and power, while Yohan Gourcuff's free-kicks were a constant danger and Yohan Cabaye was another goalscoring threat. At the back, captain Younes Kaboul held the side together with enviable poise and commitment.

English optimism
Runners-up England improved considerably as the tournament wore on only to fall at the last, but will be heartened by the displays of Grant Leadbitter in central midfield, while Fryatt finished with four goals and James Morrison showed flashes of inspiration down the right. Captain Martin Cranie was a solid and assured presence in central defence.

Veselinovic verve
Serbia and Montenegro's Borko Veselinovic was another captain to lead by example, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with five goals. Despite their semi-final elimination, Zvonko Zivkovic's team showed fighting spirit, technical excellence and a clinical cutting edge. Veselinovic's German counterpart Eugen Polanski was also his country's most impressive performer, never losing heart or hope and driving his side forward from central midfield. Norway, Armenia, Greece and Northern Ireland also all possessed individual players with the potential to go on to bigger and better things.

New generation
Ultimately, however, there can be only one victor and in winning all six qualifying games, the only side to do so, and four of their five finals matches, France showed themselves to be worthy champions. Their triumph, together with their U17 side's European Championship victory in 2004, serves notice that a new generation of French stars will soon be emerging on to the senior stage.