This week, the Ukraine U-17 youth national team (players born no later than 2007) began their performances at the European Championship. The tournament, featuring 16 teams, is taking place from May 20 to June 5 in Cyprus, across six stadiums in Achna, Larnaca, Paralimni, and Limassol. In the group stage of Euro-2024 (U-17), our team is playing in Group A against the teams of Serbia, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus. So far, two games have been played against Serbia and the Czech Republic, with the upcoming game against Cyprus on May 26.
For the Ukraine U-17 national team, this is already the 11th final tournament of the European Championship. Previously, the competitions were held in the U-16 category (up to and including 2001), but there were no significant changes. In the 1990s, Ukrainian youth showed the best results at the international U-16/U-17 level, winning bronze medals in Ireland in 1994. After that, they participated in the final tournaments three times in a row (1996-1998), where they finished third in the group.
In the last 20 years, our team has participated in the final stages of the Euro six times. The last time this happened was in 2017 in Croatia, when Serhiy Popov's team, born in 2000, won for the first time in two decades and climbed higher than fourth place in the group.
The Ukraine U-17 youth national team is actively preparing for the upcoming matches of the 2024 European Championship. Special attention is given to the training of goalkeepers, who play a key role in the team's defense.
All goalkeepers of the national team — Nazar Makarenko, Oleksandr Petrenko, and Illia Voloshyn — train using Brave GK gloves. As does the experienced goalkeeping coach of the youth national team — in the photo, you can see him in Brave GK Reaction Green gloves.
We are inspired that our equipment is used by young talented athletes who represent the future of Ukrainian football. We have invested a lot of time and effort to make Brave GK gloves known for their high quality and reliability. They are designed by experienced goalkeepers who understand all the nuances and demands of this position on the field. Brave GK gloves provide excellent grip on the ball, comfort, and protection, allowing goalkeepers to feel confident on the field and show their best skills.
Nazar Makarenko, Oleksandr Petrenko, and Illia Voloshyn are working hard in training to be ready for the next matches. The goalkeepers pay great attention to both physical preparation and tactical aspects of the game, striving to improve their reactions and coordination.
The team in its current form began to take shape in 2023 under the guidance of Volodymyr Yezerkyi. Despite limited preparation opportunities, he and his assistants managed to create a core group of players and lead the team to the elite qualifying round, after which they handed it over to the current coaching staff.
In March 2024, under the leadership of Yurii Moroz, the Ukraine U-17 team successfully competed in Greece, winning three matches without conceding any goals. In April, the Ukraine national team played two friendly matches with Cyprus: winning 2-0 (goals by Sheleketa and Denysov) and losing 1-2 (goal by Andreiko).
In the Euro-2024 qualifying matches, the Ukraine U-17 national team showed the following results:
Before the final stage began, Yurii Moroz announced a squad of 24 players for tournament preparation. The UEFA website published a roster of 20 players. The Ukraine U-17 national team has many legionnaires, including Andrii Vakuliuk, a product of the Benfica academy, who may debut at Euro-2024. Over the last two seasons, Vakuliuk has played 59 matches for Benfica U-17 and one match for the U-19 team.
Some newcomers managed to prove themselves in the April matches with Cyprus. However, there are players who, for various reasons, did not make it into the squad: midfielders Volodymyr Ozymai (Dynamo), Artur Ukhan (Belgian Gent), Ali Khalilov (Dnipro-1), and defender Yevhenii Riabokon (Czech Slovacko), who participated in the qualifying matches.
Nazar Makarenko
Nazar Makarenko is one of the main goalkeepers of the team. Nazar plays for the Ukrainian club Dnipro-1, where he also shows excellent results.
Oleksandr Petrenko
Oleksandr Petrenko plays for the German club Bayer, which in itself is a great achievement and attests to his high level of skill. Oleksandr demonstrates good reflexes and confidence in the goal, making him a valuable player.
Illia Voloshyn
Illia Voloshyn represents Real Madrid, which speaks to his high level of training and professional skills. His experience in one of the strongest clubs in the world helps him maintain confidence and stability in the game.
