Netherlands

Following the exploits of the seniors in reaching the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009 semi-finals, Hesterine de Reus' Under-19s are aiming to continue the recent strides in female Dutch football. Competing at this level for the third time, the Netherlands possess a striker to be feared in FC Twente's Ellen Jansen, the joint eight-goal leading scorer in qualification.

First qualifying round: Israel 9-1, Lithuania 7-0, Poland 1-1 (Group 5 winners)

Second qualifying round: Finland 4-0, Scotland 0-0, Denmark 2-1 (Group 5 winners)

Top scorer: Ellen Jansen (8)

Key players
Desiree van Lunteren (midfielder, AZ Alkmaar), Ellen Jansen (forward, FC Twente), Lisanne Grimberg (forward, ADO Den Haag).

Coach: Hesterine de Reus

Date of Birth: 6 December 1961
Nationality: Dutch
Playing career: PSV Poortugaal (youth), DCL, KFC '71, VV Rijsoord
Coaching career: ODC (youth), VV Rijsoord, SV Saestum, Netherlands Women's U17, Netherlands Women's U19

After a player career which featured 44 appearances for the Netherlands, Hesterine de Reus began coaching with the Royal Netherlands Football Association in 1994 as part of the Youth Development Program. In 1997 she became head coach of Rijsoord but left a year later to join Saestum, winning the Dutch title in 1999, 2000 and 2002.

She quit, however, in January 2003 to become the national Women's U15 boss and in June 2004 she took the reins of the Women's U17 squad. Coach of the Women's U19s since June 2007, De Reus is the second women in the country after Vera Pauw, the former coach of the senior women's national team, to acquire the Dutch Professional Coach Licence, the highest level possible in the Netherlands.

Team records

UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship best
Group stage: 2003, 2006