Israel team guide

Israel warmed up for their finals bow in innovative fashion, assembling a squad of 21 to live at an academy for five days a week and entering a team in the national women's premier league.

They acquitted themselves well, finishing fourth out of nine in the regular season to earn a place in the championship play-offs. In March, Guy Azouri's side also finished third in a tournament that also included Estonia, Bulgaria, Poland and Russia.

"We're on a long journey and we've seen some major progress over the last two years," said Azouri. "I hope we can demonstrate that at the main event." It will be a big step for a side, the 26th to grace these finals, whose best performance to date is three elite round appearances.

Friendly results
07/03: Israel 2-0 Estonia
09/03: Bulgaria 1-6 Israel
11/03: Russia 0-3 Israel
13/03: Israel 1-0 Poland
15/03: Russia 4-0 Israel
17/03: Israel 2-0 Romania
20/03: Azerbaijan 0-1 Israel
22/03: Israel 1-0 Romania
24/03: Russia 0-0 Israel
28/03: Israel 0-2 Romania
29/03: Israel 3-4 Slovakia

Key players
Eden Avital (midfielder, ASA Tel-Aviv University SC), Shai Perel (defender, Hapoel Petach-Tikva FC), Alina Matkalov (midfielder, Maccabi Beer Sheva FC), Marian Awad (forward, Israel U19), Dalia Decour (forward, Bnot Sachnin FC)

©IFA

Coach: Guy Azouri
Date of birth: 15/05/1963
Coaching career:
Beitar Jerusalem FC, Maccabi Petach-Tikva FC, Hapoel Beer Sheva FC, Hapoel Ashkelon FC, Hapoel Kfar-Saba FC, Girls Soccer Academy, Israel women's U19

A former fitness trainer at Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Azouri switched to coaching in 2006 and spent much of the next seven years in the Israeli Premier League before his appointment by the IFA.

UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship record
Have never qualified

Honours in other UEFA women's competitions
None