The 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Championship was the 12th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Slovakia from 27 May to 4 June 2000. The tournament had 47 entrants. Northern Ireland competed for the first time. For the first time a finals tournament with two groups of four teams was held, with one of those teams, Slovakia, having been chosen as the hosts. The top four teams in this competition qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Italy won the competition for the fourth time, thus qualified for the Olympic Games finals, alongside Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain.

Qualification

The 47 national teams were divided into nine groups (seven groups of 5 + two groups of 6). The records of the nine group runners-up were then compared. The top seven joined the nine winners in a play-off for the eight finals spots. One of the eight qualifiers was then chosen to host the remaining fixtures.

Qualified teams

CountryQualified asDate qualification was securedPrevious appearances in tournament1, 2
Italy00 Group 1 and play-off winner17 November 199910 (1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996)
Turkey01 Group 3 and play-off winner16 November 19990 (debut)
England302 Group 5 and play-off winner29 March 20006 (1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988)
Spain03 Group 6 and play-off winner16 November 199910 (1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998)
Netherlands04 Group 6 runners-up and play-off winner17 November 19993 (1988, 1992, 1998)
Slovakia (hosts)05 Group 7 and play-off winner17 November 19990 (debut) (7 including Czechoslovakia)
Croatia06 Group 8 and play-off winner17 November 19990 (debut)
Czech Republic07 Group 9 runners-up and play-off winner17 November 19991 (1996)

1 Bold indicates champion for that year

2 Italic indicates host for that year

3 England were originally scheduled to play two legs against Yugoslavia. However, the first leg which was supposed to have taken place in Belgrade was cancelled due to political tensions. An alternative leg in Luxembourg was also cancelled due to security reasons. A second leg at Mini Estadi in Barcelona was held on 29 March 2000, which England won 3–0.

Squads

Venues

Four venues were selected for the competition.

BratislavaTrenčínTrnavaBratislava
Tehelné poleŠtadión na SihotiŠtadión Antona MalatinskéhoŠtadión Pasienky
48°09′48.81″N 17°08′12.68″E/48.1635583°N 17.1368556°E/ 48.1635583; 17.1368556(Tehelné pole)48°53′55.25″N 18°02′41.06″E/48.8986806°N 18.0447389°E/ 48.8986806; 18.0447389(Štadión na Sihoti)48°22′24″N 17°35′30″E/48.37333°N 17.59167°E/ 48.37333; 17.59167(Štadión Antona Malatinského)48°09′58.24″N 17°08′33.01″E/48.1661778°N 17.1425028°E/ 48.1661778; 17.1425028(Štadión Pasienky)
Capacity: 30,087Capacity: 22,079Capacity: 18,500Capacity: 8,632
BratislavaTrenčínTrnava2000 UEFA European Under-21 Championship (Slovakia)

Match officials

Seven match officials and nine assistants were selected for the competition, including two officials representing the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Selearajen Subramaniam from Malaysia and Hamdi Al Kadri from Syria.

CountryRefereeAssistantsFourth officialsMatches refereed
France FranceStéphane BréEgon Bereuter (Austria)Vincent Texier (France)Vladimír Hriňák (Slovakia) Leslie Irvine (Northern Ireland)Croatia 1–2 Netherlands England 6–0 Turkey
Germany GermanyHerbert FandelHarald Sather (Germany)Kostantin Piskov (Bulgaria) Egon Bereuter (Austria)Selearajen Subramaniam (Malaysia) Stéphane Bré (France)Czech Republic 3–1 Netherlands England 0–2 Slovakia
Malaysia MalaysiaSelearajen SubramaniamKostantin Piskov (Bulgaria)Hamdi Al Kadri (Syria)Vladimír Hriňák (Slovakia)Czech Republic 3–1 Netherlands
Northern Ireland Northern IrelandLeslie IrvineJohn McElhinney (Scotland) Egon Bereuter (Austria)Mikhail Semionov (Russia) Hamdi Al Kadri (Syria)Valentin Ivanov (Russia) Selearajen Subramaniam (Malaysia)Spain 1–1 Czech Republic Spain 1–0 Slovakia
Russia RussiaValentin IvanovMikhail Semionov (Russia) Kostantin Piskov (Bulgaria)Maciej Wierzbowski (Poland) Mikhail Semionov (Russia)Karl-Erik Nilsson (Sweden) Selearajen Subramaniam (Malaysia)Spain 0–0 Croatia Turkey 1–3 Italy
Sweden SwedenKarl-Erik NilssonMaciej Wierzbowski (Poland)Hamdi Al Kadri (Syria) Ferenc Székely (Hungary) Kostantin Piskov (Bulgaria)Leslie Irvine (Northern Ireland) Dieter Schoch (Switzerland)Czech Republic 4–3 Croatia Slovakia 2–1 Turkey Czech Republic 1–2 Italy
Switzerland SwitzerlandDieter SchochFerenc Székely (Hungary)John McElhinney (Scotland)Vladimír Hriňák (Slovakia) Herbert Fandel (Germany)Netherlands 0–1 Spain Italy 1–1 Slovakia

Matches

Group stage

Group A

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Czech Republic321085+37
Spain312021+15
Netherlands310235−23
Croatia301246−21
Spain1–1Czech Republic
Luque 90'L. Došek 55'
Croatia1–2Netherlands
Miladin 20'Van Bommel 42' Vennegoor of Hesselink 84'
Spain0–0Croatia
Czech Republic3–1Netherlands
Jankulovski 28' Jarolím 54', 82'Lurling 18'
Netherlands0–1Spain
Angulo 6'
Czech Republic4–3Croatia
L. Došek 44' (pen.) Baroš 54' Petrouš 61' (pen.) Sionko 80'Šerić 4' Tudor 57', 85'

Group B

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Italy321062+47
Slovakia321052+37
England310264+23
Turkey3003211−90
Italy2–0England
Comandini 24' Pirlo 45' (pen.)
Slovakia2–1Turkey
Greško 6' Čišovský 67'Dursun 63'
Italy1–1Slovakia
Baronio 17'Babnič 73'
England6–0Turkey
Lampard 28' Jeffers 45' Cort 66' King 73' Mills 77' Campbell 90'
Turkey1–3Italy
S. Akın 54'Spinesi 14' Baronio 36' (pen.) Ventola 83'
England0–2Slovakia
Babnič 67' Németh 74'

Third place play-off

Spain1–0Slovakia
Ferrón 58'

Final

Czech Republic1–2Italy
T. Došek 51'Pirlo 42' (pen.), 81'

Goalscorers

Andrea Pirlo was the top goalscorer of three goals. He was also announced as the UEFA Golden Player award recipient.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

Medal table and Olympic qualifiers

  • Italy, Czechia, Spain and Slovakia qualified for Olympic Games finals.
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsFinal result
Italy431083+510Gold medal
Czech Republic421197+27Silver medal
Spain422031+28Bronze medal
4Slovakia (H)421153+27Fourth place
5England310264+23Eliminated in group stage
6Netherlands310235−23
7Croatia301246−21
8Turkey3003211−90

External links