The UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2023 finals will get underway on Monday with the first two matches from Group A.

At the Tony Bezzina Stadium, kick-off at 18:00, Poland take on Portugal while at 21:00, Malta hosts Italy at the National Stadium.

Poland won Group 5 in the qualifying round thanks to two 2-0 wins over Bosnia Herzegovina and Estonia, losing 0-1 to Italy. In the Elite Round, they drew 1-1 with Israel, defeated Latvia 3-0 before another draw, 2-2, with Serbia. They reached the finals twice.

Poland squad
goalkeepers Oliwier Zych (Aston Villa), Aleksander Bobek (ŁKS), Sławomir Abramowicz (Jagiellonia Białystok),
defenders Jakub Antczak (Lech Poznań), Igor Drapiński (Wisła Płock), Miłosz Matysik (Jagiellonia Białystok), Dawid Bugaj (SPAL), Wiktor Matyjewicz (Hellas Verona FC), Levis Pitan (Sheffield United), Wiktor Smoliński (KKS Kalisz), Albert Zarówny (Chrobry Głogów), Kacper Przybyłko (Wisła Kraków)
midfielders Antoni Kozubal (GKS Katowice), Kacper Urbański (Bologna FC), Miłosz Brzozowski (Hansa Rostock), Maximillian Oyedele (Manchester United), Igor Strzałek (Legia Warszawa), Tomasz Pieńko (Zagłębie Lubin), Dawid Drachal (Miedź Legnica), David Hyjek (Górnik Zabrze)
forwards Mateusz Kowalski (Parma Calcio), Jordan Majchrzak (AS Roma), Dominik Biniek (Blackburn Rovers), Junior Nsangou (Blackburn Rovers).
Coach: Marcin Brosz

Portugal, on the other hand, are the top seed in the tournament. They received a bye in the qualifying round, claiming maximum points from the Elite Round Group 4 thanks to a 1-0 win over Sweden and identical 3-0 wins over Czechia and Croatia. They won the championship in 2018, reaching the finals eleven times.

Portugal squad
goalkeepers Diogo Pinto (Sporting CP), Gonçalo Ribeiro (FC Porto).
defenders Martim Marques (Sporting CP); Luís Gomes (FC Porto), António Ribeiro (FC Porto), Gabriel Brás (FC Porto), Gonçalo Esteves (Sporting CP), Martim Fernandes (FC Porto).
midfielders Yanis da Rocha (ES Tryoes), Nuno Félix (SL Benfica), Gustavo Sá (FC Famalicão), Samuel Justo (Sporting CP), Diogo Prioste (SL Benfica), João Vasconcelos (SC Braga).
forwards Carlos Borges (Manchester City), Hugo Félix (SL Benfica), Herculano Nabian (Empoli Fc), Jorge Meireles (FC Porto), Rodrigo Ribeiro (Sporting CP), Miguel Falé (SC Braga).
Coach: Joaquim Milheiro

Italy reached the finals eight times, winning the Under-19 EURO in 2003. They qualified to the Elite Round despite placing third in Group 5 after a 0-2 defeat to Estonia, a 3-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and a 1-0 win over Poland. In the Elite Round Group 2, they defeated Germany 3-2, obtaining a 0-0 draw with Slovenia and a 2-2 draw with Belgium.

Italy squad
goalkeepers Davide Mastrantonio (Triestina), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone);
defenders Andrea Bozzolan (Milan), Fabio Christian Chiarodia (Borussia M.), Alessandro Dellavalle (Torino), Lorenzo Dellavalle (Juventus), Michael Olabode Kayode (Fiorentina), Filippo Missori (Roma), Iacopo Regonesi (Atalanta);
midfielders Lorenzo Amatucci (Fiorentina), Giacomo Faticanti (Roma), Luca Lipani (Genoa), Cher Ndour (Benfica), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma);
forwards Luca D’Andrea (Sassuolo), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Luis Hasa (Juventus), Luca Warrick Daeovie Koleosho (Espanyol), Nicolò Turco (Juventus), Samuele Vignato (Monza).
Coach: Alberto Bollini

Malta, on the other hand, are taking part in such a tournament for the first time, as host nation.

Italy squad
goalkeepers Luca Camilleri (Mosta FC), Hugo Sacco (Olympique Marseille)
defenders Jake Micallef (Boavista FC), Jake Vassallo (Mosta FC), Ivin Farrugia (Pieta Hotspurs FC), Tristan Viviani (San Diego State Aztecs), Mattias Ellul (St Andrews FC), Sven Xerri (Ħamrun Spartans FC)
midfielders Bjorn Buhagiar (Ħamrun Spartans FC), Andy Borg (Gżira United FC), Benjamin Hili (Balzan FC), Lucas Scicluna (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Dylan Scicluna (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Lucas Caruana (Sampdoria FC), Daniel Letherby (Corpus Christi FC), Brooklyn Borg (Gżira United FC)
forwards Alfie Bridgman (Portsmouth FC), Basil Tuma (Reading FC), Nathan Cross (Birkirkara FC), Sean Gatt (Boavista FC)
Coach: Toze Mendes

Meanwhile the teams in Group B will be in action on Tuesday.

Norway take on Greece and Iceland face Spain in two matches at the Centenary Stadium, kick-off at 18:00 and 21:15 respectively.

Norway placed second in Group 10 in the qualifying round following a 2-0 win over San Marino and a 6-2 win over North Macedonia, followed by a 0-2 defeat to Serbia. However in the Elite Round Group 1, they claimed maximum points thanks to a 4-0 win over Romania, a 2-1 win over France and a 5-2 win over Northern Ireland. They made it to the finals five times.

Norway squad
goalkeepers Magnus Rugland Ree (Viking), Viktor Engh (Lyn), Peder Hoel Lervik (Molde FK)
defenders Vetle Walle Egeli (Sandefjord), Dylan Ryan Murugesapillai (Træff), Aleksander Andresen (Stabæk), Daniel Bassi (Tromsø), Nikolai Hopland (Aalesund), Vegard Solheim (FK Haugesund), Simen Haram (Aalesund), Rasmus Holten (Brann), Eirik Blikstad (Strømsgodset)
midfielders Alwande Roaldsøy (Atalanta), Niklas Ødegård (Molde), Syver Aas (Skeid), Oliver Braude (Heerenveen)
forwards Oskar Sivertsen (Kristiansund), Henrik Skogvold (Lillestrøm), Erik Flataker (Sogndal), Benjamin Faraas (HamKam), Heine Bruseth (Kristiansund).
Coach: Luis Pimenta

Greece reached the finals six times, finishing twice as runners-up in 2007 and 2012. They won Group 1 in the qualifying round thanks to a 2-0 win over Switzerland, a 3-0 win over Andorra and a 1-1 draw with Czechia. In the Elite Round, they won Group 5 after a 3-0 win over Estonia, a 1-1 draw with Slovakia and a 1-0 win over Ireland.

Greece squad
goalkeepers Dimitris Monastirlis (PAOK), Nikolaos-Nestor Botis (Inter),
defenders Dimitris Keramitsis (Roma), Charalambos Georgiadis (PAOK), Nikolaos Deligiannis (PAOK), Alexios Kalogeropoulos (Olympiakos), Athanasios Prodrotis (Panathinaikos), Alexios Golfinos (AEK),
midfielders Zisis Tsikos (PAOK), Evangelos Nikolaou (Panelotikos), Christos Stavropoulos (Olympiakos), Anastasios Symeonidis (Panathinaikos), Dimitris Kottas (PAOK), George Kyriopoulos, Konstantinos Goumas (PAOK), Nikolaos Spyrakos (PAOK), Giannis Apostolakis (OFI Crete),
forwards Stefanos Tzimas (PAOK), Lampros Smyrlis (PAOK), Giannis Gitersos (PAOK).
Coach: Anastasios Theos

Iceland, finished second in Group 8 of the qualifying round following a 1-0 win over Scotland, a 0-2 defeat to France and a 4-1 win over Kazakhstan. Then, in the Elite Round Group 7, they drew 2-2 with Turkiye, defeating holders England 1-0 and Hungary 2-0. This will be the first participation for Iceland in the finals.

Iceland squad
goalkeepers Halldór Snær Georgsson (Fjölnir), Lúkas J. Blöndal Petersson (Hoffenheim), Ásgeir Orri Magnússon (Keflavík),
defenders Arnar Númi Gíslason (Grótta), Hlynur Freyr Karlsson (Valur), Thorsteinn Aron Antonsson (Selfoss), Daniel Freyr Kristjánsson (FC Midtjylland), Arnar Daníel Adalsteinsson (Grótta),
midfielders Bjarni Gudjón Brynjólfsson (Thór Ak.), Eggert Aron Gudmundsson (Stjarnan), Gísli Gottskálk Thórdarson (Víkingur R.), Logi Hrafn Róbertsson (FH), Gudmundur Baldvin Näkkvason (Stjarnan), Sigurbergur Áki Jörundsson (Stjarnan), Haukur Andri Haraldsson (ÍA), Ágúst Orri Thorsteinsson (Breidablik), Jóhannes Kristinn Bjarnason (KR), Róbert Frosti Thorkelsson (Stjarnan),
forwards Adolf Dadi Birgisson (Stjarnan), Galdur Gudmundsson (FC Copenhagen), Benony Breki Andrésson (KR)
Coach: Olafur Ingi Skulason

Spain, on the other hand, won the competition eight times, the last time being in 2019, reaching the finals twelve times. In the qualifying round, they won Group 7 after defeating Albania 5-0 and a goalless draw with Belgium. In the Elite Round, they drew 0-0 with Denmark but then registered back-to-back 4-0 wins over Luxembourg and Ukraine.

Spain squad
goalkeepers Bruno Iribarne Alemán ‘Bruno’ (Almeria), Ander Astralaga Aranguren ‘Astralaga’ (Barcelona)
defenders Arnau Casas Arcas (Barcelona), Álex Valle Gómez (FC Andorra), Edgar Climent Pujol Portorreal ‘Edgar’ (Real Madrid), Félix Martí Garreta ‘Felix’ (Real Betis), David Jiménez Corredor (Real Madrid), Wassim Keddari Boullif ‘Simu’ (Espanyol), Yarek Gasiorowski Hernandis ‘Yarek’ (Valencia), Iván Fresneda Corraliza ‘Fresneda’ (Real Valladolid)
midfielders Manuel Ángel Morán Ibáñez ‘Manuel Angel’ (Real Madrid), Aleix Garrido Cañizares (Barcelona), Daniel Pérez Guerrero (Real Betis), César Palacios Pérez ‘Palacios’ (Real Madrid)
forwards Assane Diao Diaoune (Real Betis), Víctor Barberá Romero ‘Barberá’ (Barcelona), Gonzalo García Torres ‘Gonzalo’ (Real Madrid), Daniel Rodríguez Crespo (Barcelona), Ilias Akhomach Chakkour (Barcelona), Samuel Omorodion Aghehowa ‘Samu’ (Granada),
Coach: José Lana

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