The countdown is over: the Italian Under-19 National Team is ready to defend the title that they secured one year ago in Malta. After two qualification phases and two training camps in Bolzano, the latest of which began on July 4 and ended this morning, Bernardo Corrardi has named the 20 players heading to Northern Ireland. Italy’s top goalscorer during qualifying (5 goals), Simone Pafundi, will rejoin the side after missing out on the last camp and Francesco Camarda will be the only player born in 2008 involved in the campaign: the AC Milan forward is set to play his second Euros tournament this year after the title win with the Under-17s side two months ago. Camarda was also crowned best player at the competition. AC Milan has the most players called up with five, followed by Roma and Juventus with two, whilst three players are coming back from abroad: Fabio Cristian Chiarodia (Borussia Monchengladbach), Filippo Calixte Mane (Borussia Dortmund) and Simone Pafundi, who plays Switzerland.

PROGRAMME AND TV. The Azzurrini will land in Dublin and travel to Belfast where they will have two training sessions on MD-2 and MD-1 at Paisley Park Sportsplex in the Northern Irish capital. The debut game is on Monday 15 July at 16:30 CEST against Norway (Seaview Stadium, Belfast), whilst on Thursday 18 they will play hosts Northern Ireland at 20:00 CEST at Inver Park in Larne. The final group game will be against Ukraine on Sunday 21 at 20:00 CEST, again in Larne. The top two sides in each group will qualify for both the semi-finals and the U20 World Cup in Chile in 2025. All the Italy games will be broadcast on Rai.

Squad list

Goalkeepers: Federico Magro (Lazio), Renato Bellucci Marin (Roma);

Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Fabio Cristian Chiarodia (Borussia Monchengladbach), Christian Corradi (Hellas Verona), Vittorio Magni (Milan), Filippo Calixte Mane (Borussia Dortmund), Filippo Pagnucco (Juventus);

Midfielders: Aaron Ciammaglichella (Torino), Luca Di Maggio (Inter), Jonas Harder (Fiorentina), Luca Lipani (Sassuolo), Mattia Mannini (Roma), Marco Romano (Genoa), Kevin Zeroli (Milan);

Forwards: Lorenzo Anghelè (Juventus), Francesco Camarda (Milan), Tommaso Ebone (Bologna), Simone Pafundi (Lausanne), Diego Sia (Milan).

Staff - Coach: Bernardo Corradi; Coordinator: Maurizio Viscidi; Assistant coach: Mirco Gasparetto; Fitness coach: Marco Montini; Goalkeeping coach: Graziano Vinti; Match analyst: Francesco Donzella; Doctors: Sebastiano Porcino and Cristiano Benelli; Nutritionist: Micol Purrotti; Physiotherapists: Giuliano Gepponi and Andrea Cantera; Secretary: Aldo Blessich; Press officer: Matteo Santi; Administration office: Marinella Diaco; General services: Carlo Fanano.

UEFA EURO UNDER-19

Group A: Northern Ireland (hosts), Norway, Italy (holders), Ukraine
Group B: Demark, Türkiye, France, Spain

MATCHDAY 1

Group A, Monday 15 July
Italy vs. Norway, 16:30 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast
Northern Ireland vs. Ukraine, 20:00 CEST | Inver Park, Larne

Group B, Tuesday 16 July
Denmark vs. Spain, 16:30 CEST | Inver Park, Larne
France vs. Türkiye, 20:00 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast

MATCHDAY 2

Group A, Thursday 18 July
Norway vs. Ukraine, 16:30 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast
Northern Ireland vs. Italy, 20:00 CEST | Inver Park, Larne

Group B, Friday 19 July
Denmark vs. France, 16:30 CEST | Inver Park, Larne
Türkiye vs Spain, 20:00 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast

MATCHDAY 3

Group A, Sunday 21 July
Norway vs. Northern Ireland, 20:00 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast
Ukraine vs. Italy, 20:00 CEST | Inver Park, Larne

Group B, Monday 22 July
Türkiye vs. Denmark, 20:00 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast
Spain vs. France, 20:00 CEST | Inver Park, Larne

WORLD CUP UNDER-20 PLAY OFF

Thursday 25 July
3rd in Group A vs. 3rd in Group B, 17:30 CEST | Seaview Stadium, Belfast

SEMI-FINALS*

Thursday 25 July

S1: Winner of Group A vs. 2nd in Group B
S2: Winner of Group B vs. 2nd in Group A

*The matches will be played at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast at 15:00 and 20:00 CEST. The order of the semi-finals will be decided after the group stage.

FINAL

Sunday 28 July
S1 winner vs. S2 winner, 20:00 CEST | National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Belfast

Past winners

2002 Spain; 2003 Italy; 2004 Spain, 2005 France; 2006 Spain; 2007 Spain; 2008 Germania; 2009 Ukraine; 2010 France; 2011 Spain; 2012 Spain; 2013 Serbia; 2014 Germania; 2015 Spain; 2016 France; 2017 England; 2018 Portugal; 2019 Spain; 2022 England; 2023 Italy.