FIFA U-17 World Cup: France look to replicate European Championships form.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017 IST
France coasted to the quarter-finals of the Euro U-17 but ran aground against eventual champions Spain. France do not have an impressive record in this tournament, having played in only five of the 16 finals.
But they emerged champions in 2001 inspired by forwards Anthony Le Tallec and Florent Sinama-Pongolle. The French, though, have had a better run in the UEFA Euro U-17, winning the championship in 2001 and in 2015.
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They also finished runners-up in 2002 and 2008. This team finished fifth, aided by group stage wins against Scotland and Faroe Islands, in the 16thedition of UEFA Euro U-17, beating Hungary 1-0 to book the last European spot.
KNOW THE COACH: Lionel Rouxel
Lionel Rouxel, 47, is a former striker who played in Ligue 1 clubs such as EA Guingamp and RC Strasbourg. He took to coaching after hanging up his boots in 2002, building up considerable experience as the U-18 coach for EA Guingamp since 2006.
He took charge of the U-17 team in 2015 and built the team around his image as an attacking player. Ahead of the Euro, he said: “We subscribe to the premise that we can go far by playing good football. But you also have to be solid defensively and capable of scoring goals at any time.”
PASSAGE TO INDIA: France earned a ticket to India by finishing fifth in the 2017 UEFA Euro Under-17 championship.
Results in UEFA U-17: Lost to Hungary 3-2; bt Faroe Islands 7-0; bt Scotland 2-1 (Round 1); Lost to Spain 3-1 (Quarterfinals); bt Hungary 1-0 for fifth spot
PAST U-17 PERFORMANCE: Champions: 2001. Quarter-finals: 1987, 2007, 2011. Round of 16: 2015. Did not qualify: 1985, 89-99, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2013.
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