France: representing the opponent of Ukraine's youth team in the semifinals of Euro 2024 (U-19)
The Ukraine U-19 team has joined a very solid company — the quartet of strongest teams at Euro 2024 (U-19), plus they have already qualified for the World Cup U-20, which will take place next year in Chile.
Photo from fff.fr
The Ukraine U-19 team has joined a very solid company — the quartet of strongest teams at Euro 2024 (U-19), plus they have already qualified for the World Cup U-20, which will take place next year in Chile. However, in the continental semifinals, under Dmitro Mykhaylichenko's guidance, they have a chance to make another step up by winning against France's national team.
As shown by the results of Bernard Diomède's team during qualification stages, there is nothing unrealistic about their goal to knock the French off. They lost to Denmark and even Lithuania.
However, Ukraine will have to play without three key players who received disqualifications in the match against Italy (central defensive midfielder Vashchenko, left winger Matveychuk, central forward Ponomarenko).
Matches of France's National Team in Euro 2024 (U-19)
| Date | Opponent | Score | Goals by France's National Team |
| 15.11.2023 | Estonia | 2:0 | Duy, Jacque |
| 18.11.2023 | Iceland | 1:0 | own goal |
| 21.11.2023 | Denmark | 1:2 | Sumaoro |
| 20.03.2024 | Belgium | 2:0 | Meullu, Tel |
| 23.03.2024 | Netherlands | 1:0 | Tel |
| 26.03.2024 | Lithuania | 0:2 | |
| 16.07.2024 | Turkey | 2:1 | Mishal, Jacque |
| 19.07.2024 | Denmark | 4:2 | Baya, Eké, Bouabre, Assumaní |
| 22.07.2024 | Spain | 2:2 | Bouabre, Atangana |
However, at Euro 2024 (U-19), we see a far from the strongest version of France's national team in this age category. Due to various reasons, the coaching staff did not include 14 players born between 2005 and 2007, who are valued by the authoritative Transfermarkt portal at over one million euros.
Eight of them are valued at ten million or more, and it's fortunate that they are currently not in Bernard Diomède's squad. Some of their names fans might have heard: goalkeeper Guillaume Rest ("Toulouse"; valuation - 18 million euros), defenders Lenny Joró (English "Manchester United"; 50), El-Shaddal Bitshyabu (German "RB Leipzig"; 12) and Jeanuel Belosian (German "Bayern"; 10), midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery ("PSG"; 60), forwards Mathys Tel (German "Bayern Munich"; 40), Désiré Doué ("Rennes"; 30) and George Ihenigba (Belgian "Antwerp"; 10).
Roster of France's National Team for Euro 2024 (U-19)
| No. | Goalkeepers | Date of Birth | Club | Matches | Mins. | Goals |
| 1 | Justine Bengi | 09.07.2005 | "Lyon" | 3 | 209 | -3 |
| 16 | Alexis Mirbash | 04.03.2005 | "Metz" | 2 | 180 | -4 |
| Defenders | Date of Birth | Club | Matches | Mins. | Goals | |
| 2 | Sayel Kembedi | 26.03.2005 | "Lyon" | 7 | 630 | 0 |
| 3 | Aboubakar Sumaoro | 04.02.2005 | "Paris" | 4 | 355 | 1 |
| 4 | Yoni Gomis | 23.09.2005 | "Le Havre" | 8 | 654 | 0 |
| 5 | Jeremy Jacque | 13.07.2005 | "Rennes" | 8 | 675 | 2 |
| 12 | Mamadou Sar | 29.08.2005 | "Molenbeek" (Belgium) | 1 | 79 | 0 |
| 15 | Elias Zidan | 26.12.2005 | "Sevilla" (Spain) | 6 | 347 | 0 |
| Midfielders | Date of Birth | Club | Matches | Mins. | Goals | |
| 10 | Demen Assumaní | 17.04.2005 | "Nantes" | 9 | 518 | 1 |
| 14 | Senni Meullu | 17.05.2005 | "PSG" | 6 | 332 | 1 |
| 18 | Mathis Amugu | 18.01.2006 | "St Etienne" | 5 | 309 | 0 |
| Forwards | Date of Birth | Club | Matches | Mins. | Goals | |
| 7 | Lucas Mishal | 22.06.2005 | "Monaco" | 5 | 297 | 1 |
| Coach | Date of Birth | Matches | ||||
| Bernard Diomède | 23.01.1974 | 9 |
Note: The statistics are for the Euro 2024 (U-19) cycle.
