France

Spurred on by Paris Saint-Germain striker Odsonne Edouard's five goals, France lost just once in qualifying, 3-1 to holders England. In the elite round they drew 1-1 with eight-time Under-16 and U17 champions Spain despite playing 27 minutes with ten men. Their 7-1 victory over Sweden, meanwhile, featuring a 19-minute hat-trick by Nanitamo Ikone, was the biggest win of the elite round.

Zinédine Zidane's son Luca has impressed in goal for the 2004 champions, but as coach Jean-Claude Giuntini said, reaching Bulgaria has been a collective achievement. "This qualification is the fruit of all the players' efforts," Giuntini said. "It's been a great adventure."

Qualifying round: FYR Macedonia 3-0, Cyprus 4-0, England 1-3 (Group 4 runners-up)

Elite round: Israel 1-0, Sweden 7-1, Spain 1-1 (Group 1 winners)

Team records

Qualifying top scorer
Odsonne Edouard: 5

UEFA European Under-17 Championship best
Winners: 2004

Coach: Jean-Claude Giuntini

Date of birth: 14 December 1956
Nationality: French
Playing career: Olympique de Marseille, US Boulogne, Chaumont FC
Coaching career: Montmorillon, Moûtiers, Ïle-Rousse, ESA Brive, JS Lubersacoise, France U16s, France U17s

Giuntini enjoyed a brief professional career as a sweeper before moving into coaching, the highlight a double promotion with Brive into the third tier of French football. He was appointed by the French Football Federation (FFF) in summer 2010 and has presided over almost 80 matches at U16 and U17 level. Giuntini guided France to the 2012 U17 final tournament in Slovenia, where they failed to get beyond the group stage.