East Germany leave their mark
Sunday 1 January 2006
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In 1984 the UEFA European Under-18 Championship underwent its first major change of format. In line with the FIFA World Youth Championship, it became a two-year tournament, with the number of finalists halved to eight who progressed to a straight knockout competition.
Holders eliminated
The qualification system changed to eight groups of four teams, with the winners to go through, and the hosts selected from among the eight finalists. As in the previous edition, the holders missed out in qualifying, Hungary a point behind Bulgaria. France, champions in 1983, were pipped by on goals scored by Yugoslavia, finishing agonisingly short after winning their last game 12-0 against Luxembourg. Yugoslavia's reward was to stage the finals.
Swift exit
However, Yugoslavia's trophy campaign ended on the first afternoon as they lost 2-0 to East Germany. Inaugural champions West Germany, the only team with a perfect record in their qualifiers, defeated Romania 3-0 while 1982 title-winners Scotland overcame Bulgaria 1-0 and Italy beat Belgium 2-1.
Eastern joy
The two Germanys met in the semi-finals, and the East claimed the only goal as in those nations' only senior meeting in 1974. Italy beat Scotland 1-0 to reach the final, while on the same day the beaten quarter-finalists played off for the right to join the top four in the 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship, with Bulgaria pipping Belgium by the only goal and hosts Yugoslavia scoring five without reply against Romania - a victory that was to pay dividends the following year.
German celebrations
There were mutual German celebrations on finals day in Subotica. The Federal Republic beat Scotland 1-0 for third place, while in the tournament decider the Democratic Republic's 3-1 victory against Italy gave them a trophy to add to their two International Youth Tournament successes. It was to be their only UEFA national team title as a separate nation.
Yugoslavia's world title
Chile was the destination for the six World Championship finalists in October of the following year, and for the first time they all made it past the group stage, sparking a great era for Europe in the U20 competition. Italy, Bulgaria and Scotland lost in the quarter-finals, the latter duo to East and West Germany respectively, while Yugoslavia defeated a Brazilian team aiming for a third straight crown. Fortunes from the European event were reversed in the semi-finals, as West Germany waltzed past the Chilean hosts 4-0 while Yugoslavia defeated the East Germans 2-1. Thanks to East Germany's penalty shoot-out victory against Chile after a 1-1 draw in the third-place match a European 1-2-3 was guaranteed, but a German winner was not as the Federal Republic fell 5-4 on spot kicks to Yugoslavia, the final having also ended one goal apiece.
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