2025 U17 EURO Team of the Tournament

The UEFA Technical Observer Group have confirmed their Team of the Tournament for the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Albania. Champions Portugal provide five players, including Player of the Tournament Rafael Quintas; runners-up France have three, with Belgium and Italy also represented.

Goalkeeper: Romário Cunha (Portugal)

Romário Cunha impressed the UEFA Technical Observer panel with his consistent quality and reliability. Saving three penalties in the semi-final, he was instrumental in Portugal's progression to the final. And it was in the final where his composure and crucial saves secured a clean sheet for his team. Playing a pivotal role in possession, Cunha possessed the skill set to play both possession-based build-up and direct passes to create and exploit attacking opportunities.

Right-back: Daniel Banjaqui (Portugal)

Banjaqui demonstrated a strong ability to attack and defend, recognising when to support attacks from behind and combine with his team-mates in advanced areas, whilst remaining composed to defend in 1v1 situations.

Centre-back: Emmanuel Mbemba (France)

Throughout the tournament, Mbemba impressed with his ability to remain composed and deal with pressure, recognising opportunities to travel with the ball to break the opposition press. This composure was extended to his defensive responsibilities and he played a key role in France not conceding a goal throughout the group stage.

Centre-back: Mauro Furtado (Portugal)

An excellent leader within Portugal's back line, Furtado defended the box with power and strength throughout. In possession, he displayed exceptional technical ability and was a key component within Portugal's build-up play.

Left-back: Lucas Batbedat (France)

Batbedat performed consistently to defend crosses both from his side and at the back post, and was excellent in pressing from deep and jumping into midfield to press in the middle areas of the pitch. Within build-up, he contributed positively not only with his forward passes, but also delivering crosses from the wide left flank.

Defensive midfielder: Nathan De Cat (Belgium)

In a tournament containing such a high level of holding midfield players, De Cat provided balance to Belgium's attacking strategy by delivering support behind the ball with well-timed and varied passes. He provided solid support to his back line to prevent passes into opposing strikers, displaying excellent anticipation.

Defensive midfielder: Rafael Quintas (Portugal)

This year's Player of the Tournament was a leader within the Portugal team, and it was his well-placed header that provided the opening goal of the tournament. Playing in all but 27 minutes of the campaign, he was an immensely important presence both in and out of possession, shielding Portugal's defence and disrupting the opposition with line-breaking forward passes.

Right winger: Duarte Cunha (Portugal)

An attacker who was fast and direct in his attacking play, Cunha consistently posed problems for the opposition in 1v1 situations and transitional moments. Defensively, he contributed to a solid team structure by coming deeper to support his full-back and prevent the opposition finding success in wide areas.

Attacking midfielder: Samuele Inacio (Italy)

Spearheading the top of the Italian diamond midfield, Inacio was a constant threat to the opposition with his creativity, moving across and combining with his team-mates in wide areas, but also making threatening runs in behind the back line. He worked tirelessly with and without the ball to drive the high intensity his team displayed throughout the tournament.

Left winger: Jesse Bisiwu (Belgium)

With two assists to show for his efforts, Bisiwu provided a threat for Belgium with his directness in attack. He was willing to take on opponents with a high level of dribbling ability, creating numerous goalscoring opportunities.

Centre forward: Djylian Nguessan (France)

With four goals scored across the tournament, Nguessan was a constant threat to the opposition with his ability to link play and run behind the opposition defence, remaining calm to finish with excellent technique under pressure.

The analysis and insights of the Technical Observers will form the basis of a Technical Report from the tournament, which will be available later this year on uefatechnicalreports.com.