Meet the Women's U19 EURO semi-finalists: Spain, Italy, France, Portugal

Holders Spain take on Italy while Group A winners France meet Portugal in Tuesday's UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship semi-finals in Poland.

France booked their spot in the semis following a superb 6-0 win against the hosts on Matchday 2, then sealed first place in Group A with a 2-1 comeback against Italy, who also progressed with a superior goal difference to Poland.

Heading into a wide open Group B on Matchday 3, Spain snatched top spot and eliminated England through a 96th-minute winner from captain Cris Librán, while Portugal saw off the Netherlands 2-0 to advance.

We profile the four contenders.

France

Round 1: Group A2 winners (played in Portugal)
W4-0 vs North Macedonia, W8-0 vs Slovakia, W4-0 vs Portugal
Round 2: Group A6 winners (played in Wales)
W1-0 vs Wales, W4-3 vs Serbia, W2-1 vs Republic of Ireland
Group stage: Group A winners
W3-0 vs Sweden (Rzeszów), W6-0 vs Poland (Mielec), W2-1 vs Italy (Rzeszów)
Finals top scorer: Liana Joseph (4)
2023/24: Semi-finals
Previous best: Winners x 5 (2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019)
Semi-final record (WU19 only): W9 L6

Past semi-finals
2024: L0-2 vs Netherlands
2023: L2-3aet vs Germany
2022: L0-1 vs Norway
2019: W3-1aet vs Spain
2017: W2-1 vs Germany
2016: W3-1 vs Switzerland
2015: L1-1aet, 4-5pens vs Spain
2013: W2-1 vs Germany
2010: W1-1aet, 5-3pens vs Germany
2009: L2-5aet vs Sweden
2007: L2-4aet vs Germany
2006: W1-0 vs Denmark
2005: W1-0 vs Finland
2003: W2-0 vs England
2002: W1-0 vs Denmark
2000: Fourth in four-team final group (L1-2 vs Sweden, L1-3 vs Germany, L2-4 vs Spain)
1998: W2-2agg, 5-3pens vs Sweden (W2-0h, L0-2a)

Round 1: Group A2 winners (played in Portugal)
W4-0 vs North Macedonia, W8-0 vs Slovakia, W4-0 vs Portugal
Round 2: Group A6 winners (played in Wales)
W1-0 vs Wales, W4-3 vs Serbia, W2-1 vs Republic of Ireland
Group stage: Group A winners
W3-0 vs Sweden (Rzeszów), W6-0 vs Poland (Mielec), W2-1 vs Italy (Rzeszów)
Finals top scorer: Liana Joseph (4)
2023/24: Semi-finals
Previous best: Winners x 5 (2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019)
Semi-final record (WU19 only): W9 L6

Past semi-finals
2024: L0-2 vs Netherlands
2023: L2-3aet vs Germany
2022: L0-1 vs Norway
2019: W3-1aet vs Spain
2017: W2-1 vs Germany
2016: W3-1 vs Switzerland
2015: L1-1aet, 4-5pens vs Spain
2013: W2-1 vs Germany
2010: W1-1aet, 5-3pens vs Germany
2009: L2-5aet vs Sweden
2007: L2-4aet vs Germany
2006: W1-0 vs Denmark
2005: W1-0 vs Finland
2003: W2-0 vs England
2002: W1-0 vs Denmark
2000: Fourth in four-team final group (L1-2 vs Sweden, L1-3 vs Germany, L2-4 vs Spain)
1998: W2-2agg, 5-3pens vs Sweden (W2-0h, L0-2a)

• Equalling Germany's record of 19 final tournament appearances and can call on the same generation that won the 2023 WU17 EURO title in Estonia, including among others Maeline Mendy, Mélinda Mendy, Liana Joseph, Julie Swierot and Chancelle Effa Effa.

Italy

Round 1: Group A4 winners (played in Poland)
W2-1 vs Poland, L0-1 vs England, W10-0 vs Türkiye
Round 2: Group A4 winners (played in Italy)
W7-1 vs Belarus, W6-1 vs Slovakia, D0-0 vs Sweden
Group stage: Group A runners-up
D1-1 vs Poland (Stalowa Wola), W1-0 vs Sweden (Stalowa Wola), L2-1 vs France (Rzeszów)
Finals top scorer: Giada Pellegrino Cimò (2)
2023/24: Did not qualify
Previous best: Winners x 1 (2008)
Semi-final record (WU19 only): W1 L1

Past semi-finals
2011: L2-3 vs Norway
2008: W4-0 vs Sweden
1999: Third in four-team final group (W3-1 vs Sweden, D0-0 vs Norway, L0-2 vs Germany)

• Got past the group stage for first time since 2011; in the semi-finals that year the Norway scorers including Ada Hegerberg and Caroline Graham Hansen.

Portugal

Round 1: Group A2 runners-up (played in Portugal)
W2-0 vs Slovakia, W3-0 vs North Macedonia, L0-4 vs France
Round 2: Group A2 winners (played in Portugal)
W2-0 vs Iceland, W5-1 vs Slovenia, D1-1 vs Norway
Group stage: Group B runners-up
L2-0 vs Spain (Mielec), W4-1 vs England (Tarnobrzeg), W2-0 vs Netherlands (Mielec)
Finals top scorer: Carolina Santiago (2)
2023/24: Did not qualify
Previous best: Semi-finals (2012)
Semi-final record: L0 W1

Past semi-finals
2012: L0-1 vs Spain

• Their 2012 last-four run (when they lost to an 87th-minute Spain goal) was Portugal's only previous final tournament appearance.

Spain (holders)

Round 1: Group A6 winners (played in Spain)
W6-0 vs Northern Ireland, W3-0 vs Iceland, W6-0 vs Belgium
Round 2: Group A5 winners (played in Scotland)
W3-0 vs Switzerland, W4-0 vs Scotland, W10-0 vs Czechia
Group stage: Group B winners
W2-0 vs Portugal (Mielec), L1-0 vs Netherlands (Stalowa Wola), W1-0 vs England (Stalowa Wola)
Finals top scorer: Cris Librán, Daniela Agote, Aiara Aguirrezabala (1)

2023/24: Winners
Previous best: Winners x 6 (2004, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Semi-final record (WU19 only): W10 L1

Past semi-finals
2024: W3-1 vs England
2023: W1-0 vs Netherlands
2022: W1-0 vs Sweden
2019: L1-3aet vs France
2018: W1-0 vs Denmark
2017: W3-2 vs Netherlands
2016: W4-3 vs Netherlands
2015: W1-1aet, 5-4pens vs France
2014: W2-0 vs Norway
2012: W1-0 vs Portugal
2004: W1-0 vs Italy
2001: L0-2 vs Germany
2000: Second in four-team final group (L0-2 vs Germany, W3-1 vs Sweden, W4-2 vs France)

• Last year equalled Germany's records (including the predecessor WU18 EURO) of six titles, three titles in a row, and 11 finals. Also were 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup winners.

Records include Women's U18 EURO (1997/98 to 2000/01)