The Ukrainian youth team (players born in 2006 or later) will compete in the elite round of Euro-2023 (U-17) against Cyprus, Ireland, and Italy.

The Ukrainian U-17 youth team has begun a training camp dedicated to the Euro-2023 elite round (U-17). The head coach of the blue-and-yellow team, Yuriy Moroz, spoke to the official website of the Ukrainian Football Federation about how the team is preparing for the tournament.

— Mr. Yurii Leonidovich, 20 players have been invited to the training camp. Can it be said that these are all the strongest players you wanted to see?

— Practically yes.

— Foreign-based players have joined our squad. Is this a significant strengthening of the team?

— We are very hopeful about it. The information I have regarding forward Vladyslav Rusnak, who represents Italian "Siena," is quite good. I am confident that he will add competition and motivation to the team. Bogdan Budko, who plays for Dutch AZ — a midfield player — is also not bad, but we'll see how things develop in the process.

— Do you plan any friendly matches before the elite round?

— No. We always want better, but we are working with what we have. We will train in a double session format, alternating field training with theoretical sessions.

— Have you managed to analyze all the opponents in your group?

— I focused on studying the Cyprus national team, which we will face in our first match. We looked less into the games of Italy and Ireland because watching their upcoming matches didn't make much sense since a lot changes in youth football within a year. We'll base ourselves on their opening round game.

— Does your opinion about the opponents immediately after the draw differ from now?

— Generally no. Italy is the favorite.

— Are your players mentally prepared for the fight to qualify for the final stage of Euro?

— At least, I believe in the boys. But, of course, everything will be shown by the tournament itself. We hope that everything will go well.

As a reminder, 32 teams are divided into eight groups for the elite round. Up for grabs are 15 spots to the final stage, which will take place from May 17 to June 2 in Hungary. The eight group winners and seven runners-up with the best results advance to the finals along with the host country.

Composition of the Ukrainian U-17 youth team

Goalkeepers: Markian Bakus ("Rukh" Lviv), Vyacheslav Surkis ("Zorya" Luhansk).

Defenders: Vladyslav Zakharchenko, Maxim Korobov, Denis Diky (all — "Zorya" Luhansk), Kyrylo Dyhtyar ("Metalist" Kharkiv), Danilo Gaража ("Dnipro-1" Dnipropetrovsk), Arthur Bakay ("Salzburg," Austria).

Midfielders: Viktor Tsukanov ("Shakhtar" Donetsk), Danilo Khan ("Dnipro-1" Dnipropetrovsk), Hennadiy Synchuk ("Metalist" Kharkiv), Bogdan Budko (AZ, Netherlands), Kyrylo Osypenko, David Bilyi, Danilo Yshchenko, Vladyslav Kaliy (all — "Zorya" Luhansk).

Forwards: Kyrylo Pashko, Matviy Ponomarenko (both — "Zorya" Luhansk), Danilo Kaidalov ("Metalist" Kharkiv), Vladyslav Rusnak ("Siena," Italy).

Elite round schedule for Euro-2023 (U-17) in Group 6

March 7, 2023

Italy — Ireland (3 p.m.)

Cyprus — Ukraine (6 p.m.)

March 10, 2023

Italy — Cyprus (3 p.m.)

Ukraine — Ireland (3 p.m.)

March 13, 2023

Ukraine — Italy (3 p.m.)

Ireland — Cyprus (3 p.m.)

The matches will take place in the Cypriot city of Paphos on the "Municipal Geroskipou" and Stelios Kyriakides stadiums.

Match times are in Kyiv time.

Euro-2023 (U-17). Elite round

Group 1: Serbia, Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus.

Group 2: Montenegro, Wales, Scotland, Iceland.

Group 3: Netherlands, England, Denmark, Northern Ireland.

Group 4: Spain, Germany, Turkey, Finland.

Group 5: Portugal, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia.

Group 6: Italy, Ukraine, Cyprus, Ireland.

Group 7: Belgium, Norway, Croatia, Slovenia.

Group 8: France, Switzerland, Latvia, Albania.

As a reminder, in the qualification round of Euro-2023 (U-17), under the leadership of Yuriy Moroz, the Ukrainian youth team secured first place in their group, outscoring Azerbaijan (5:2), Liechtenstein (7:0) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1:1).