Italy's Under-17 national team has advanced to the UEFA European Under-17 Championship Final, overcoming Spain in a tense penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in regular time. The semi-final clash, held on June 4, 2026, in Tallinn, Estonia, saw Italian goalkeeper Christian LupoPlayer·Christian Lupo emerge as the decisive figure, making crucial saves throughout the contest.
The match at the Lilleküla Staadion began with both sides demonstrating tactical discipline. Italy, under the guidance of Daniele Franceschini, took the lead in the 42nd minute when CrociPlayer·Croci converted a penalty after a handling offence by Mario Diaz. This early advantage reflected Italy's strong tournament form, having topped Group B with victories over France and Montenegro, alongside a draw with DenmarkTeam·Denmark.
Spain, who had finished second in their group after wins against Estonia and BelgiumTeam·Belgium, pressed for an equaliser. Enzo AlvesPlayer·Enzo Alves came close, striking the crossbar with a header from a corner. Their persistence paid off in the 77th minute when Urrestarazu capitalised on a loose ball to tap in and level the score, forcing the match directly into a penalty shootout.
Christian LupoPlayer·Christian Lupo, a youth team player from Lecce, had already showcased his penalty-saving prowess in regular time, parrying a spot-kick from ImgaPlayer·Imga in the 29th minute following a Bonifazi foul. His heroics continued into the shootout, where he saved two crucial penalties from MenciaPlayer·Mencia and Enzo AlvesPlayer·Enzo Alves. Italy, demonstrating composure under pressure, converted all four of their attempts, with RoccaPlayer·Rocca scoring the decisive penalty to seal a 4-2 shootout victory (5-3 overall including the regular time goal).
This triumph sets up a compelling final for Italy against BelgiumTeam·Belgium, who secured their spot by defeating France 2-1 in their semi-final. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, June 7, 2026, at 19:00 CEST, returning to the Lilleküla Staadion in Tallinn. Italy will aim to add another title to their record, having previously won the European Under-17 tournament in 2024 and reached the final in 2013, 2018, and 2019. This success in youth football offers a promising outlook for the future of the Italian game, with the tournament also serving as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World CupCompetition·FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Italy's Christian Lupo celebrates a goal during the UEFA U17 European Championship semi-final against Spain. Mauri Levandi/IMAGO
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