Greece

Greece have waited a long time to reach the UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals but on home territory in Patras did so in dramatic style. Dimitris Diamantakos scored twice in the last six minutes against Finland to pip the Republic of Ireland, the captain having equalised three days earlier against Austria with an added-time penalty. Greece have been a growing threat at youth level, finishing runners-up at U19 level in 2007, and in the previous U16 competition achieved top-four finishes in 1985, 1991, 1996 and 2000.

Qualifying round: Norway 1-0, Italy 0-0, Moldova 2-2 (Group 9 winners)

Elite round: Republic of Ireland 3-0, Austria 2-2, Finland 2-1 (Group 3 winners)

Key players
Dimitris Diamantakos (striker, Olympiacos FC), Spyros Fourlanos (midfielder, Panathinaikos FC), Kostas Rougalas (defender, Olympiacos FC)

Coach: Leonidas Vokolos

Date of Birth: 31 August 1970
Nationality: Greek
Playing career: Panionios NFC, Panathinaikos FC, PAOK FC, Kallithea FC, APOP/Kinyras Peyias FC
Coaching career: Panathinaikos FC youth, Greece U17

A defender, Vokolos was most associated with Panionios. He represented them for 12 years, taking part in more than 200 top-flight games, and helped his side beat Panathinaikos in the 1998 Greek Cup final, having lost that fixture to the same club nine years earlier. In the year of the cup triumph he joined Panathinaikos, with whom he remained for five years. During that time he won seven senior caps, having previously played at U19 and U21 level. In January 2005 he joined Kallithea and ended his career in summer 2007 after 18 months in Cyprus with APOP.

After retiring from football he obtained a coaching diploma and in the summer of 2008 joined the technical staff of the Panathinaikos academy. One year later, in August 2009, he was appointed Greece U17 coach alongside Thodoros Pahatouridis, earning their first European qualification at that level in his debut season.

Team records

Qualifying top scorer
Dimitris Diamantakos: 7

UEFA European Under-17 Championship best
First qualification

Honours in UEFA youth competitions
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Runners-up: 2007