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West Germany on top

The number of entrants for UEFA's second Under-16 tournament rose to 27, and for West Germany there was the satisfaction two years on of victory on home soil.

Olaf Janssen, scorer of the second goal in the 1984 U16 final, went on to make more than 250 appearances for 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt
Olaf Janssen, scorer of the second goal in the 1984 U16 final, went on to make more than 250 appearances for 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt ©Bongarts

The number of entrants for UEFA's second Under-16 tournament rose to 27, and for West Germany, beaten by hosts Italy in the 1982 final, there was the satisfaction two years on of going one better on home soil.

As in the previous tournament, eight qualifying groups were played over the course of a year to decide the quarter-finalists. Fixtures began in October 1982, and just as in the previous tournament the first result was a 0-0 away draw for Sweden, this time in East Germany. But two years before the East Germans had fallen to their Western counterparts in the last eight, and this time the Federal Republic knocked them out again, topping Group 2 by five points ahead of Sweden. England, the Soviet Union and holders Italy matched the West Germans by qualifying with perfect records, while also through were the Netherlands, France, Yugoslavia and - on goal difference ahead of Hungary - Bulgaria.

In February 1984 the two-legged quarter-finals got under way with Italy drawing 1-1 at home to Yugoslavia. A 1-0 defeat in the return spelled the end of the Azzurrini's reign. England ousted France 5-1 on aggregate, the USSR recovered from losing 1-0 in Bulgaria with a 3-0 home win, and West Germany's 4-0 victory in the Netherlands allowed them to afford a subsequent 2-2 draw in Hagen.

It was the Germans who were picked to stage the final stages, and in their last four fixture in Heilbronn they defeated Yugoslavia 5-1, while in Ludwigsburg, the USSR overcame England 2-0. The English did clinch third place 1-0 against Yugoslavia in Boblingen. The final was staged in Ulm and goals in each half from Daniel Simmes and Olaf Janssen ensured the home nation again took the U16 title.