Croatia was selected as the host nation of the 16th U-17 European Football Championship, and the home team starts the competition today.
The best European youngsters will compete this month, and it all kicks off in Rijeka on May, 3. 2017. The first match for Croatia will be a tough one, as the Croatian boys will face the Italian team.
Dario Bašić, the Croatian U-17 head coach has eight Dinamo players in his team, five players come from Hajduk, Rijeka will have two members of the national team, and Split, Osijek, and Slaven have one player each in the roster.
Croatia awaits the "group of death" challenge with Italy, Turkey, and Spain, but head coach Dario Bašić explains there is nothing to fear. His players, he says, will present their quality against the best opposition:
"The players and the coaching staff are in good spirits. We are happy to have a chance to open the European Championships on home soil, against a quality opponent. These players are not only good footballers, but also have strong characters. They are learning to deal with pressure, and regardless of the outcome, they will remain the future of Croatian football.''
The match kicks off 17.45 CET in Rijeka, TCN will bring you the match report tonight.
