Meet the Under-17 EURO semi-finalists: France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal

The UEFA European Under-17 Championship semi-finals are in Albania on Thursday with France facing Belgium in Elbasan and Italy taking on Portugal in Tirana.

We introduce the contenders aiming for Sunday's Tirana final.

France vs Belgium

France

Round 1: Group 11 winners (played in Cyprus)
W6-0 vs Gibraltar, W2-0 vs Cyprus, W1-0 vs Slovakia
Round 2: Group A3 winners (played in France)
W4-0 vs Finland, W4-1 vs Denmark, W5-1 vs Greece
Group stage: Group A winners
W3-0 vs Germany (Elbasan), D0-0 vs Portugal (Tirana), W4-0 vs Albania (Tirana)
Final tournament top scorer: Djylian Nguessan 3
Top scorer including qualifying: Djylian Nguessan 8
2023/24: Group stage
Previous U17 best: Winners x 3 (2004, 2015, 2022)
Semi-final record: W5 L3

Past semi-finals
2023: W3-1 vs Spain
2022: W2-2, 6-5pens vs Portugal
2019: L1-2 vs Italy
2015: W1-1, 2-1pens vs Belgium
2010: L1-2 vs England
2008: W1-1aet, 4-3pens vs Türkiye
2007: L0-1 vs England
2004: W3-1 vs Portugal
2002: W1-1aet, 4-3pens vs Spain

• Into the semi-finals for the fourth time in five editions.

Belgium

Qualifying round: Group 4 winners (played in Belgium)
W3-1 vs Kazakhstan, W2-1 vs Kosovo, W2-1 vs Ukraine
Round 2: Group A6 winners (played in Poland)
W1-0 vs Republic of Ireland, W2-1 vs Iceland, D2-2 vs Poland
Group stage: Group B runners-up
D1-1 vs England (Rrogozhinë), W3-1 vs Czechia (Durrës), L1-2 vs Italy (Durrës)
Final tournament top scorer: Ali Camara 2
Top scorer including qualifying: René Mitongo Muteba 4
2023/24: Elite round
Previous U17 best: Semi-finals (2007, 2015, 2018)
Semi-final record: W0 L3

Past semi-finals
2018: L1-2 vs Italy
2015: L1-1, 1-2pens vs France
2007: L1-1aet, 6-7pens vs Spain

• Belgium have now got out of the group stage in six of their nine U17 EURO finals appearances.

Italy vs Portugal

Italy (holders)

Round 1: Group 9 winners (played in San Marino)
W5-0 vs San Marino, W4-0 vs Wales, W7-0 vs Norway
Round 2: Group A1 winners (played in Croatia)
W1-0 vs Slovakia, W2-1 vs Ukraine, W2-1 vs Croatia
Group stage: Group B winners
W2-1 vs Czechia (Durrës), W4-2 vs England (Rrogozhinë), W2-1 vs Belgium (Durrës)
Final tournament top scorer: Samuele Inacio 4
Top scorer including qualifying: Thomas Campaniello 7
2023/24: Winners
Previous U17 best: Winners x 1 (2024)
Semi-final record: W4 L2

Past semi-finals
2024: W1-0 vs Denmark
2019: W2-1 vs France
2018: W2-1 vs Belgium
2013: W2-0 vs Slovakia
2009: L0-2 vs Germany
2005: L0-1aet vs Netherlands

• Italy had lost in three U17 EURO finals before beating Portugal to clinch the title in Cyprus last season. Thomas Campaniello returns from last year's finals squad.

Portugal

Round 1: Group 5 winners (played in Portugal)
W10-0 vs Liechtenstein, W5-1 vs Finland, W4-2 vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Round 2: Group A4 winners (played in Portugal)
W2-0 vs Hungary, W3-1 vs Netherlands, W3-1 vs Serbia
Group stage: Group A runners-up
W4-0 vs Albania (Tirana), D0-0vs France (Tirana), W2-1 vs Germany (Tirana)
Final tournament top scorer: Tomás Soares 2
Top scorer including qualifying: Anísio Cabral 6
2023/24: Runners-up
Previous U17 best: Winners x 2 (2003, 2016)
Semi-final record: W3 L3

Past semi-finals
2024: W3-2 vs Serbia
2022: L2-2, 5-6pens vs France
2016: W2-0 vs Netherlands
2014: L0-2 vs England
2004: L1-3 vs France
2003: W2-2aet, 3-2pens vs England

• Portugal were runners-up in 2024, losing 3-0 to Italy, who they now face in this year's semi-finals.