The final tournament of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship was the 24th

UEFA European Under-19 Championship The UEFA European Under-19 Championship, or simply UEFA Under-19 Championship or the UEFA Euro U-19, is an annual football competition contested by the European men's under-19 national teams of the member associations of UEFA. Spain and England ...

UEFA Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...

's premier competition for players under the age of 19. The tournament was held in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

with matches played from 14 July to 26 July 2008. Players born after 1 January 1989 were eligible to participate in this competition. The top three teams in each group qualified for the 2009 U-20 World Cup.

Qualification

Qualification for the final tournament was played over two stages. The first qualifying stage divided the remaining 52 UEFA nations (minus the hosts, the Czech Republic) into 13 groups of four teams. Matches in the first stage were played from 24 September 2007 to 15 November 2007. The top two teams in each group and the two best third-placed teams then qualified for the elite qualifying stage, where the 28 teams were divided into seven groups of four. Matches in the elite qualifying stage were played from 1 March 2008 to 31 May 2008, when the top team from each group advanced to the final tournament. The following teams qualified for the tournament: * (as host) * * *

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

* * * *

Squads

Final group stage

The groups were drawn on 1 June 2008 in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

by the first vice-chairman of the UEFA Youth and Amateur Football Committee, Jim Boyce, and senior Czech internationals

Petr Čech Petr Čech (; born 20 May 1982) is a Czech former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He also plays semi-professional ice hockey as a goaltender for Chelmsford Chieftains. Described by numerous players, pundits and managers as o ...

and

Martin Fenin Martin Fenin (; 16 April 1987) is a Czech football striker who plays for FK Řeporyje. He has represented the Czech Republic and formerly played for the youth teams of the Czech Republic from the under-16 level. Club career Fenin started playin ...

. In the following tables: Key: Pld Matches played, W Won, D Drawn, L Lost, GF Goals for, GA Goals against, GD Goal Difference, Pts Points

Group A

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Group B

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Knock-out stage

Bracket

Semi-finals

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Final

Goalscorers

;4 goals *

Tomáš Necid Tomáš Necid (; born 13 August 1989) is a Czech professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bohemians 1905. He is the older brother of Simona Necidová, who is also an international footballer. Club career Early years Necid played h ...

;3 goals *

Richard Sukuta-Pasu Richard Sukuta-Pasu (born 24 June 1990) is a German professional footballer who plays as a forward for Vejle Boldklub. Club career Sukuta-Pasu began his career in summer 1998 in his hometown Wuppertal with Grün-Weiß Wuppertal and was scouted ...

;2 goals *

Jan Morávek Jan Morávek (born 1 November 1989) is a Czech footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bohemians 1905 and the Czech Republic national team. Career Club career Morávek began his career 1995 with Bohemians 1905 and was promoted to ...

Lars Bender Lars Bender (; born 27 April 1989) is a German former professional footballer who played as a right back and defensive midfielder. He is the twin brother of Sven Bender. Club career Early career Lars Bender played from 1993 to 1999 in the yout ...

Marcel Risse Marcel Risse (born 17 December 1989) is a German former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He has played for Bayer Leverkusen, 1. FC Nürnberg, Mainz 05, 1. FC Köln and Viktoria Köln. Club career Bayer Leverkusen ...

Alberto Paloschi Alberto Paloschi (; born 4 January 1990) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker for club Siena. Club career Milan Paloschi won the National Under-17s Championship with Milan in the 2006–07 season. He scored 3 goals in a ...

Andrea Poli Andrea Poli (; born 29 September 1989) is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Modena. Club career Treviso He started his career in Serie B with his native club Treviso. He made his professional debut aged just 17 year ...

Emilio Nsue Emilio Nsue López (born 30 September 1989) is a professional footballer who plays for Primera División RFEF club CF Intercity. Born in Spain, he captains the Equatorial Guinea national team. A versatile player, he plays mainly as a right-back ...

;1 goal * Benjamin Mee *

Freddie Sears Frederick David Sears (born 27 November 1989) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Dagenham & Redbridge He started his career with his local club West Ham United at the age of eleven, progressing through the West ...

Daniel Sturridge Daniel Andre Sturridge (; born 1 September 1989) is an English professional footballer who last played as a striker. As well as representing England, he has played in the Premier League for Manchester City, Chelsea, Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool ...

;1 goal, cont. *

Dennis Diekmeier Dennis Diekmeier (born 20 October 1989) is a German professional footballer who plays as a right-back for SV Sandhausen in the 2. Bundesliga. Coming through the ranks of Werder Bremen, Diekmeier moved to 1. FC Nürnberg in 2009. His form there ...

Timo Gebhart Timo Martin Gebhart (born 12 April 1989) is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Club career In January 2009, Gebhart transferred from 2. Bundesliga side 1860 Munich to join Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart. He signe ...

* Savio Nsereko *

Stefan Reinartz Stefan Reinartz (born 1 January 1989) is a German former professional footballer who played a defensive midfielder or defender. Career Reinartz was born in Engelskirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. He came through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen, ...

Ömer Toprak Ömer Toprak (born 21 July 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Süper Lig club Antalyaspor. Born in Germany, he formerly played for the Turkey national team. Club career Toprak began his career with TSB Ravensbu ...

Michalis Pavlis Michalis Pavlis ( el, Μιχάλης Παυλής; born 29 September 1989) is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a striker, and current AEK Athens B assistant manager. Club career Early career Pavlis started football on his ...

Olivér Nagy Olivér Nagy (born 30 January 1989) is a Hungarian football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of footbal ...

Krisztián Németh Krisztián Németh (; born 5 January 1989) is a Hungarian professional footballer who currently plays for Hungarian club MTK Budapest. Club career Born in Győr, Németh started his career at hometown club ETO Győr where he played from 2003 ...

András Simon András Simon (; born 30 March 1990) is a Hungarian footballer who currently plays for Gyirmót in the Nemzeti Bajnokság II of Hungary. He is the twin brother of Ádám Simon, also a footballer. Career Born in Salgótarján, Nógrád Count ...

Giacomo Bonaventura Giacomo "Jack" Bonaventura (; (born 22 August 1989) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Fiorentina and the Italy national football team. Bonaventura started his senior career at Atalanta in the Serie ...

Fernando Forestieri Fernando Martin Forestieri (born 15 January 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a second striker for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim. Born in Argentina, he is a former Italy youth international. Club career Born in Ros ...

Silvano Raggio Garibaldi Silvano Raggio Garibaldi (born 27 April 1989) is an Italian footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Sestri Levante. Born in Chiavari, he has represented Italy at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-20 levels. Club career Raggio Garibaldi made hi ...

Jordi Alba Jordi Alba Ramos (born 21 March 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. He is often regarded as one of the best left-backs of his generation. Alba started his ...

* Fran Mérida *

Aarón Aarón is the Spanish form of the Biblical name Aharon. Notable people who are often referred to solely by this name include: * Puerto Rican Pentecostal sect leader Teófilo Vargas Seín, who uses Aarón as his religious title * Aarón Ñíguez ...

Countries to participate in
2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 17th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, which was hosted by Egypt from 24 September to 16 October 2009. The tournament was initially going to take place between 10 and 31 July. However, the 2009 FIFA Confedera ...

* * * * *

Team of the tournament

After the final, the UEFA technical team selected 22 players to integrate the "team of the tournament". ;Goalkeepers * David Button *

Péter Gulácsi Péter Gulácsi (born 6 May 1990) is a Hungarian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig and the Hungary national team. Club career Liverpool Liverpool signed Gulácsi from MTK Budapest on a one-year loan in 2007 ...

Vincenzo Fiorillo Vincenzo Fiorillo (born 13 January 1990) is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Salernitana. Club career Sampdoria Born in Genoa, Fiorillo started playing football in Nuova Oregina Calcio from the Oreg ...

;Defenders *

Jan Polák Jan Polák (; born 14 March 1981) is a retired Czech international footballer who played as a midfielder. Career In his younger days he played for FC Zbrojovka Brno and Tatran Bohunice. Formerly a member of the Czech national under-21 side, Pol ...

* Ben Mee *

* Alexander Eberlein *

* Vassilis Lambropoulos *

András Debreceni András Debreceni (born 21 April 1989) is a Hungarian footballer defender. He currently plays for Mosonmagyaróvári TE . Debreceni made his debut for the senior side of his country on 1 June 2012 in the 2–1 win over the Czech Republic in ...

;Midfielders *

* Deniz Naki * Savio Nsereko *

Kyriakos Papadopoulos Kyriakos Papadopoulos ( el, Κυριάκος Παπαδόπουλος; born 23 February 1992) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Super League club Lamia. Having made his first league appearances for Olympiacos a ...

Vladimir Koman Vladimir Koman Jr. (born 16 March 1989) is a Ukrainian-born Hungarian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Hungarian second-tier NB II team Diósgyőr. Club career Koman was born in Uzhhorod, Zakarpattia Oblast, Uk ...

Aarón Ñíguez Aarón Ñíguez Esclápez (born 26 April 1989) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger. A Valencia youth graduate, he was capped by Spain at various youth levels, and competed mainly in Segunda División during his career, ...

;Forwards *

References

External links

Official Site2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship technical report
{{UEFA European Under-19 Championship

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

Uefa European Under-19 Championship, 2008 Youth football in the Czech Republic July 2008 sports events in Europe 2008 in youth association football