Under 17s start group matches against France in U17 Euros

Gibraltar’s under 17 selection was named this weekend as they headed to Cyprus for their U17EURO Qualifiers against France, Slovakia and tournament hosts Cyprus.
Gibraltar will not be expected to be competing for top spot in the group but should present a stiff challenge, albiet against sides with a better international record.
The Gibraltar U17 team has faced tough competition in recent matches, mainly in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifiers. Their recent fixtures included games against Belgium and Wales in November 2023, where they suffered 4-0 defeats in both matches. This adds to their challenging track record, where they’ve struggled to secure wins in the qualifying rounds against highly ranked European teams.
France has had some strong performances but faced a setback at the 2023 UEFA U17 Championship, where they were defeated by England with a decisive 4-0 score. Despite their high standing, they have occasionally struggled against top opponents, such as in this recent loss where England quickly took control with multiple goals in the first half. Overall, France’s U17 squad remains competitive with a history of success in European youth tournaments, consistently ranking among the stronger teams in UEFA categories
Slovakia’s U17 squad has been more mixed in recent results. In their most recent UEFA U17 qualifier, they held Sweden to a 0-0 draw, showing defensive resilience but facing challenges in scoring. This performance reflects a pattern of steady but modest results in recent tournaments as they focus on building a cohesive team for future competitions
Cyprus’s U17 team has faced significant difficulties in recent matches. In a recent UEFA U17 Championship qualifier, they lost 5-0 to the Czech Republic, struggling to mount any significant challenge offensively or defensively. As hosts of that game, Cyprus’s U17 squad has been working through these challenges to build a more competitive presence in their group, aiming to reduce goal differentials and improve overall team coordination.