Italy opened the U17 Euro with a narrow victory against France
Italy U17 successfully opened its campaign at the 2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Estonia, defeating France U17 1:0 in the first round of Group B. According to UEFA's official schedule, the match was played on 26 May at Kalev Central Stadium in Tallinn, and the Italian national team won three points in a match decided by a single goal after the restart. The narrow victory carries special weight because it was achieved against one of Europe's strongest youth football schools, in a duel that carried great importance for the group standings from the very beginning. In its first-round report, UEFA stated that Italy claimed victory through Diego Perillo's goal in the 55th minute, after a situation in which the French defence failed to completely clear the danger. France increased the pressure in the closing stages, but the Italian defence held the lead and finished the match without conceding a goal.
Perillo used the key moment of the match
The match between Italy and France did not produce many clear chances, which further emphasized the value of the only goal. According to UEFA's description of the match, France threatened through Arone Gadou, while Italy had an early attempt by Diego Perillo, but the first half largely passed in tactically cautious play. Both national teams tried to keep their structure, reduce risk in midfield and not allow the opponent easy entry into the final third. In such a rhythm, every mistake could be decisive, and Italy turned precisely one hesitant reaction in the French penalty area into a goal. UEFA states that Tommaso Casagrande tried to finish the attack acrobatically, the ball rose after a block, and goalkeeper Axel Decrenisse failed to catch it safely, which Perillo used with the quickest reaction.
The goal in the 55th minute changed the dynamics of the match because France had to take more initiative. After taking the lead, the Italian national team had no need to open up, but tried to slow the rhythm and force the opponent into attacks through a denser block. In youth categories, that kind of maturity is often just as important as attacking quality, especially in a group in which only three rounds are played. France increased the pressure in the final minutes and looked for an equalizer, but the Italian defence, according to UEFA's report, withstood the final surge. For Italy, this meant an ideal start to the tournament, while France, already after the first round, found itself in a situation in which it must seek a response in the continuation of the group.
Group B already gained clear outlines after the first round
In Group B, alongside Italy and France, are Denmark and Montenegro. UEFA announced that Denmark defeated Montenegro 2:1 in the other first-round match, so after the opening round Italy and Denmark had three points each. Such an outcome further increases the importance of the second round, in which Italy plays against Montenegro and France against Denmark. According to the official schedule, both Group B matches are played on 29 May: Montenegro and Italy at 13:30 Central European Time at Kalev Central Stadium, and France and Denmark at 18:00 at Kadriorg Stadium. Local time in Estonia is one hour ahead of Central European Time, which UEFA specifically noted in the competition schedule.
For Italy, the victory over France is especially important because, in a format with eight national teams, there is not much room for correction. The top two national teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, and every point in head-to-head matches between candidates for progression can have great value. In such a system, a narrow victory brings not only three points but also a psychological advantage ahead of the continuation of the competition. France, on the other hand, has not lost its chances of progression, but against Denmark it will have to look for points in order to keep control over its own placement. After the defeat in the first round, every next match for the French selection carries significantly greater pressure, especially if one takes into account that in the final round it meets Montenegro.
The tournament is being played in Tallinn and Rakvere
The 2026 UEFA European Under-17 Championship is being held in Estonia from 25 May to 7 June. According to data from the Estonian Football Association, the host placed the final tournament in Tallinn and Rakvere, and the official schedule includes four stadiums: Lilleküla Stadium, Kadriorg Stadium, Kalev Central Stadium and Rakvere City Stadium. The match between Italy and France was played at Kalev Central Stadium in Tallinn, which was confirmed in the schedule published on the official website of the tournament host. The final stage of the competition is scheduled for 4 and 7 June, and the final will be played at Lilleküla Stadium. The Estonian Football Association also stated that the two first-placed national teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, giving the group stage an extremely competitive character.
UEFA emphasized that Estonia is organizing the final tournament of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship for male footballers for the first time. The country had previously hosted other UEFA competitions, including the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship and the 2023 UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship, while the 2018 UEFA Super Cup was also played in Tallinn. The organization of the tournament for players under 17 is important both because of the development of young internationals and because of the broader football profile of the host country. The competition brings together eight national teams, divided into two groups, and the matches are played in a short period that requires quick adaptation, rotation and stability from the teams. In such a calendar, an opening victory often has greater value than the result itself would suggest.
Perillo confirmed his status as one of Italy's assets
Diego Perillo entered the final tournament with an already pronounced attacking output. UEFA stated in its report that no other player among the finalists of this year's U17 Euro had his six goals in qualifying. Such a fact gives additional context to the winning goal against France, because it shows that the Italian national team has a forward who continuously finds space in key moments. In youth matches, the difference between teams often comes down to a few decisions in the penalty area, and Perillo's reaction in the 55th minute was exactly such a moment. Italy thereby received confirmation that it can rely on a player who had already carried an important part of the attacking output during qualifying.
At the same time, it is important to emphasize that the victory was not only the product of an individual reaction. The Italian national team had to maintain discipline after taking the lead, and against France that is not a simple task. French youth selections traditionally have a deep pool of technically strong and physically powerful players, which was also visible in the pressure after conceding the goal. Italy, however, managed to close the space in front of its own goal and reduce the number of situations in which France could reach a clear finish. Such a way of winning can be an important signal for the rest of the tournament because it shows that the team is not dependent only on attacking rhythm, but can also withstand more demanding defensive phases.
France without points, but not without chances
France's defeat in the first round does not mean the end of its ambitions, but it significantly changes its starting point in the group. In a system in which only two national teams progress, an opening defeat against a direct competitor increases the importance of every following match. Against Denmark, France must find a better balance between control of play and concreteness in the final phase, especially because Denmark already showed in the first round its ability to resolve tight matches. UEFA reported that Denmark beat Montenegro 2:1, and the winning goal was scored by Omran Khatar in the 76th minute after a move by Mads Jørgensen. Thus Denmark, like Italy, entered the second round with maximum effect.
France had late pressure against Italy, but did not find the goal that would have brought it a point. In youth categories, such defeats are often analysed through the reaction in the next match, because teams have little time for emotional and tactical recovery. The match against Denmark will therefore be a test of character, but also of the effectiveness of the French finishing. If France wins points, Group B could open up completely ahead of the final round. If it again remains without a victory, progress to the semi-finals will depend on a combination of other results and the final match with Montenegro.
The competition format does not allow long periods of adaptation
The final tournament of the UEFA European Under-17 Championship has a compact format, which makes the opening matches especially important. According to UEFA's schedule, the group stage lasts from 25 May to 1 June, the semi-finals are scheduled for 4 June, and the final for 7 June. Group A includes Estonia, Belgium, Croatia and Spain, while Group B consists of Montenegro, France, Italy and Denmark. Such a structure means that national teams must play three matches in less than a week, often against different profiles of opponents. For coaching staffs, this raises the question of workload, recovery and adjustment of the game plan without long preparation periods between matches.
UEFA stated in the official competition overview that in the knockout phase, if there is no winner after regular time, no extra time is played, but the winner is decided by a penalty shoot-out. This rule further increases the importance of psychological preparation in the final stage of the tournament, especially for young players appearing for the first time in such a structured international environment. Still, Italy and France are currently fully focused on the group, in which every result can change the standings. Italy's 1:0 victory is therefore not only a statistical beginning of the competition, but also a result that can shape the continuation of the battle for the semi-finals. France, meanwhile, will already in its next appearance have to show that the defeat by Italy has not left a deeper mark.
The broader significance of the victory for the Italian selection
For the Italian U17 national team, the victory against France also carries broader competitive significance because it was achieved against a national team that is usually counted among the most demanding opponents in European youth categories. Although the 1:0 result indicates a tight match, such victories at final tournaments often have great value for a team's confidence. Italy showed that it can punish a moment of uncertainty from the opponent and then defend the advantage in a controlled way. In matches where national teams with high individual potential meet, the ability to manage the result becomes just as important as creating chances. It was precisely this element that marked Italy's entry into the tournament.
The continuation of the group will show how solid a foundation the victory against France was for progression. Italy faces Montenegro on 29 May, a national team that lost against Denmark but remained competitive until the closing stages. In the final round, on 1 June, Italy will play against Denmark, which could be a direct contest for the top of the group if both national teams maintain a positive rhythm. France plays against Montenegro on the same day, and by then it must find a way to turn pressure into a more concrete effect. After the first round, Group B has no final answers, but it has a clear opening message: Italy used its moment and immediately positioned itself as one of the main candidates for the semi-finals.
Sources:
- UEFA – official first-round report and description of the Italy U17 – France U17 match (link)
- UEFA – official schedule, results, groups, stadiums and final-stage format of the 2026 UEFA European U17 Championship (link)
- Estonian Football Association – official host website with schedule, locations and basic tournament information (link)
- FIFA – list of European national teams that qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026 in Qatar (link)