Russia team guide

Russia were the first team to qualify for this year's finals, returning to the latter stages of the competition for the first time in five seasons. They reached the semi-finals in 2006, matching their achievement of two years earlier but it was in Switzerland in 2005 that they set their high-water mark in this competition.

Inspired by Elena Danilova, Russia won their first continental national team football title since the end of the Soviet Union, prevailing in a penalty shoot-out over a France team that had defeated them 4-0 in the group stage. Seemingly established among the elite they were cast into the wilderness for four seasons, Germany (twice), Spain and Poland barring their path to the finals.

Route to finals
First qualifying round: 1-0 Croatia, 7-0 Cyprus, 3-0 Republic of Ireland (Group 11 winners)
Second qualifying round: 1-0 Finland, 2-1 Serbia, 0-1 Belgium (Group 2 winners)
Top scorer: Anna Cholovyaga (5)

Key players
Margarita Shirokova (goalkeeper, WFC Mordovochka), Daria Makarenko (defender, WFC Irtysh), Nadezhda Koltakova (midfielder, WFC Mordovochka), Ksenia Veselukha (midfielder, WFC Kubanochka), Anna Cholovyaga (forward, FC Rossiyanka).

Coach: Aleksandr Shagov
Date of birth: 10/07/1962
Playing career: FC Spartak Moskva, FC Lokomotiv Kaluga
Coaching career: WFC Dynamo Kyiv, WFC Kaluzhanka Kaluga, FC KamAZ-Chally Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia women (assistant), Russia women's U17s, Russia women's U19s

Aleksandr Shagov is one of the few survivors to remain at the Russian national team institute ever since it opened its doors in 1997. He has worked as an assistant in the women's setup and since replacing Valentin Grishin in 2007, coach of the women's U17 and U19 sides. Once on Spartak and Lokomotiv's books, Shagov's playing career was cut short by injury.

UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship best
Winners: 2005