Team analysis
Slovakia
| No. | Player | Born | Pos. | AUT | SUI | SWE | ITA | GS | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin Junas | 09/03/1996 | Goalkeeper | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | FK Senica (SVK) | |
| 2 | Andrej Kadlec | 02/02/1996 | Defender | 80 | 80 | 80 | MŠK Žilina (SVK) | ||
| 3 | Denis Vavro | 10/04/1996 | Defender | 80 | 80 | 80 | MŠK Žilina (SVK) | ||
| 4 | Martin Slaninka | 26/03/1996 | Defender | 18+ | 26+ | 29+ | 27+ | 2 | MŠK Žilina (SVK) |
| 5 | Michal Vodecký | 22/08/1996 | Defender | 1+ | 80 | 80 | FK Dukla Banská Bystrica (SVK) | ||
| 6 | Martin Vlček | 05/02/1996 | Forward | 6+ | AS Trenčín (SVK) | ||||
| 7 | Miroslav Káčer | 02/02/1996 | Midfield | 80 | 41* | 19+ | 69* | MŠK Žilina (SVK) | |
| 8 | Jakub Grič | 05/07/1996 | Midfield | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | MFK Zemplín Michalovce (SVK) | |
| 9 | Tomáš Vestenický | 06/04/1996 | Forward | 62* | 80* | 61* | 80 | FC Nitra (SVK) | |
| 10 | Nikolas Špalek | 12/02/1997 | Forward | 54* | 54* | 51* | 53* | FC Nitra (SVK) | |
| 11 | Filip Lesniak | 14/05/1996 | Midfield | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) | |
| 12 | Juraj Semanko | 02/01/1996 | Goalkeeper | 1. FC Slovácko (CZE) | |||||
| 13 | Lukáš Čmelík | 13/04/1996 | Forward | 26+ | 39+ | 74* | 39+ | MŠK Žilina (SVK) | |
| 14 | Erik Otrísal | 28/06/1996 | Defender | 41* | FK Senica (SVK) | ||||
| 15 | Šimon Kupec | 11/02/1996 | Defender | 80 | 80 | 80 | FK Dukla Banská Bystrica (SVK) | ||
| 16 | Tomáš Zázrivec | 16/06/1996 | Midfield | 11+ | Aston Villa FC (ENG) | ||||
| 17 | Lukáš Haraslín | 26/05/1996 | Midfield | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | ŠK Slovan Bratislava (SVK) | |
| 18 | Atila Varga | 11/04/1996 | Defender | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 1 | Juventus (ITA) |
©Sportsfile
Coach
Ladislav Pecko
27/06/68
It was a very difficult tournament for us because we hadn't played so many competitive matches at this level in such a short space of time and in conditions of such intensity with regard to the result. We are not used to playing at such a high tempo because youth football is not like that in Slovakia. But we almost reached the final and almost created a miracle for Slovakian football. We made some mistakes and we cried a bit when it ended. But the players and the fans who supported us deserve a lot of credit.
Slovakia team analysis
• 4-2-3-1 with clear 6-4 defence/attack split
• Preferred direct passing to striker; winning second ball
• Ready to try creative combinations in final third
• Use of width often based on diagonals from centre-backs to wingers
• Complementary screening midfielders; Jakub Grič (No8) working hard over wide area
• Strong, athletic defence backed by competent keeper (good in 1 v 1s)
• Great mental strength, resilience, never-say-die attitude