The trophy won on Wednesday evening in Limassol is the first Under-17 European Championship title won by Italy in the 20 editions over the last 22 years of the competition’s history, founded by UEFA in 2002 as an evolution of the Under-16 European Championships (1982-2001). The Azzurrini had lost three finals (2013, 2018 and 2019) before finally winning the title with the 3-0 over Portugal. 

The Azzurrini’s season began on 22 August at the Gino Colaussi in Gradisca d’Isonzo (friendly against Slovenia, 1-1) and ended on 5 June at the Limassol Stadium (Euros final win over Portugal, 3-0). Across the season, Massimiliano Favo’s side has played a total of 21 games: 9 friendlies, 3 of which in the ‘Four Nations’ Tournament where they emerged as winners, and 12 games valid for the Euros. In total: 12 wins (57.2%), 6 draws (28.6%) and 3 defeats. The goal difference across the season is 24 thanks to 44 goals scored (2.09 per game) and 20 conceded (0.9 per game).

 

FRIENDLIES

22/08/2023 - Italy 1-1 Slovenia (7' Šabotič, 67' O.G. Drobnič)
24/08/2023 - Slovenia 0-3 Italy (17' Mosconi, 47' Mosconi, 65' Atzeni)
07/09/2023 - Italy 3-1 Denmark (45'+2 Liberali, 50' Camarda, 75' Obi, 90'+3 Plicco)*
09/09/2023 - Israel 4-1 Italy (2' Segev, 28' Magor, 48' Maffessoli, 81' Savitz, 88' Zafrani)*
12/09/2023 - Germany 2-4 Italy (4' Culbreath, 22' Di Nunzio, 28' Izekor, 65' Camarda, 45'+2 Mosconi, 90'+9 Camarda)*
23/01/2024 - Spain 3-3 Italy (3' Daniel Yáñez, 17' Igor Oyono, 31' Igor Oyono, 38' Mosconi, 62' Atzeni, 63' Sala)
25/01/2024 - Spain 1-2 Italy (44' Reyes, 63' Sala, 67' Coletta)
13/02/2024 - Italy 0-1 France (64' Sahli)
15/02/2024 - Italy 2-2 France (31' Kanté, 58' Ciardi, 78' Mosconi, 85' Bakola)

* ‘Four Nations’ Tournament.

Games played: 9 - Wins: 4 (44.5%) - Draws: 3 (33.3%) - Defeats: 2 (22.2%) - Goals scored: 19 (2.1 per game) - Goals conceded: 14 (1.5 per game) - Goal difference: 5.

 

UEFA EUROPEAN UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP

Only considering the journey in Europe (qualifiers, elite round and final round), Massimiliano Favo’s side picked up 8 wins (66.7%), 3 draws (25%) and one defeat (8.3%) in 12 games and scored 25 goals (2.08 per game), conceding only 6 (0.5 per game) with a goal difference of 19. Italy also won 20 of the 27 points available in the three rounds (74.07%). On an individual level, the players who picked up the most appearances were Alessandro Di Nunzio and Mattia Liberali with 21 each - with 1397 and 1296 minutes played respectively -, followed by captain Mattia Mosconi with 19 (top number of assists on 8) and Francesco Camarda with 17. The latter was voted as the Player of the Tournament and featured in the Team of the Tournament (alongside Pessina, Emanuel, Cama and Liberali), and is Italy’s highest goalscorer on 11 ahead of Mosconi (7) and Coletta and Liberali (5 each).

SANT'ARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA, ITALY - OCTOBER 28: Mattia Mosconi of Italy in action during European Under-17 Championship 2024 qualifying round match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio Valentino Mazzola on October 28, 2023 in Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)
SANT'ARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA, ITALY - OCTOBER 28: Mattia Mosconi of Italy in action during European Under-17 Championship 2024 qualifying round match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio Valentino Mazzola on October 28, 2023 in Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)
SANT'ARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA, ITALY - OCTOBER 28: Mattia Mosconi of Italy in action during European Under-17 Championship 2024 qualifying round match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio Valentino Mazzola on October 28, 2023 in Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)

QUALIFICATION

25/10/2024 - Italy  4-0 San Marino (8' Mosconi, 49' Coletta, 50' Camarda, 90'+4 Verde)
28/10/2024 - Italy  0-0 Northern Ireland
31/10/2024 - Greece 2-1 Italy (13' pen. Darviras, 42' pen. Maiorana, 45' pen. Kostoulas C.)

Table (Group 11): Greece 9 points, ITALY (+3) e Northern Ireland (+2) 4, San Marino 0.

Games played: 3 - Wins: 1 (33.3%) - Draws: 1 (33.3%) - Defeats: 1 (33.3%) - Goals scored: 5 (1.6 per game) - Goals conceded: 2 (0.6 per game) - Goal difference: 3.

ÉLITE ROUND. 

20/03/2024 - Netherlands 0-2 Italy (28' pen. Ciardi, 90'+8 Liberali)
23/03/2024 - Belgium 3-5 Italy (1' Da Costa, 14' Furo, 20' pen. Liberali, 45' O.G. Nibombe Konde, 50' pen. Camarda, 57' Camarda, 60' Decresson, 76' pen. Ciardi)
26/03/2024 - Italy 2-2 Finland (18' O.G. Kangasniemi, 26' pen. Kirilov, 56' Multala, 90'+1 Camarda)

Table (Group 3): ITALY 7 points, Belgium and Finland 4, Netherlands 1.

Games played: 3 - Wins: 2 (66.7%) - Draws: 1 (33.3%) - Defeats: 0 (0%) - Goals scored: 9 (3 per game) - Goals conceded: 2 (1.6 per game) - Goal difference: 7.

FINAL PHASE. 

21/05/2024 - Italy 2-0 Poland (5' Mosconi, 72' Coletta)
24/05/2024 - Italy 2-0 Slovakia (30' Camarda, 38' Liberali)
27/05/2024 - Sweden 1-2 Italy (57' Bozicevic, 75' Cama, 80' Camarda)

Table (Group C): ITALY 9, Poland 4, Sweden 2, Slovakia 1.

30/05/2024 - Italy 1-1 England, 6-5 on penalties (16' Nwaneri, 29' Liberali)
02/06/2024 - Denmark 0-1 Italy (30' Coletta)
05/06/2024 - Italy 3-0 Portugal (7' Coletta, 16' Camarda, 50' Camarda)

Games played: 6 - Wins: 5 (83.4%) - Draws: 1 (16.6%) - Defeats: 0 (0%) - Goals scored: 11 (1.8 per game) - Goals conceded: 2 (0.3 per game) - Goal difference: 9.

U17 EURO 2024 TOTAL

Games played: 12 - Wins: 8 (66.7%) - Draws: 3 (25%) - Defeats: 1 (8.3%) - Goals scored: 25 (2.08 per game) - Goals conceded: 6 (0.5 per game) - Goal difference: 19.

SEASON TOTAL

Games played: 21 - Wins: 12 (57.2%) - Draws: 6 (28.6%) - Defeats: 3 (14.2%) - Goals scored: 44 (2.09 per game) - Goals conceded: 20 (0.9 per game) - Goal difference: 24.