The head coach of Ukraine's under-20 national football team (players born in 2007 or later), Yuriy Moroz, has summed up the team's performance at the Euro 2024 finals (U-17).

The final stage of the European Championship among U-17 national teams is taking place in Cyprus. Unfortunately, Ukraine's team, which participated in this tournament, ended its journey at the group stage. The official website of the Ukrainian Football Association asked the head coach of the team, Yuriy Moroz, to summarize their performance.

— Mr. Yuriy, why do you think our team was unable to advance beyond the group stage?

— If we analyze what happened, I believe that the boys got too tense in terms of their approach to the game and in terms of teamwork on the field. There were many unexplained mistakes in simple situations, and we often lost ground in battles. There was even some nervousness, which probably reflected negatively on our final result.

— It's clear that you thoroughly studied the opponents in your group, and generally speaking, Ukraine did not concede to Serbia or the Czech Republic…

— In the first half of the match against Serbia, we lost in terms of our desire to fight and win. But if after halftime we had managed to capitalize on our numerous opportunities, things might have turned out differently. However, as they say, there's no use beating yourself up over it now. In our group, the Czechs were the most stable in all respects; that's why they earned nine points. But, as you can see, youth football differs somewhat from adult football. This team with great potential ended its journey at the quarterfinal stage.

— Could there have been an underestimation of our opponents by our players given who we thought might end up in our group and who actually did?

— I don't rule that out. Again, let's go back to the match against Serbia. How was our performance in the first half compared to the second... But still, I tend to think that the boys got too nervous.

— Could it be that the loss to Serbia knocked us off course?

— This match was decisive because after losing, we needed a win against the Czech Republic to have any chance of advancing from the group. But excessive emotions played a cruel joke on us as children's mistakes that led to our first goal were incomprehensible. Why? Because the boys had never made such blunders before.

Despite this, we shouldn't throw ashes on our heads; what happened is done and cannot be undone. We need to draw the right conclusions and move forward.

— Were there players in the squad whom you had no complaints about—or at least fewer complaints?

— If a team loses, questions are asked of all players, and if it wins, there are practically no complaints. Almost everything depends on the final result. Of course, I would like some positions to be stronger and not just better performers but also taller players. But at the same time, I cannot say that this Ukrainian squad was poorly assembled. Today these were the best performers in their age group. To say we missed someone or didn't take them for certain reasons—definitely no.

— In the future, could this lineup become stronger, or do we need to look for reserves?

— Reserves should always be sought out; it's part of a coach's job. But based on my experience working with youth, I can confidently say that 40% of the current squad will change in the U-19 team. Some may lower their standards, while others among potential candidates for the team might improve in skill. This is a fact. It's important to catch this moment so that at some point only the best players wear the national team jerseys.

Euro 2024 (U-17). Final tournament. Group A

May 20, 2024

Serbia — Ukraine — 1:0

Cyprus — Czech Republic — 0:5

May 23, 2024

Ukraine — Czech Republic — 1:3

Cyprus — Serbia — 1:3

May 26, 2024

Ukraine — Cyprus — 2:0

Czech Republic — Serbia — 4:3 

Final standings