There's an'Italy that wins in soccer: the'Under 17s are European champions
Italy winning in soccer, and with its national team. News that may sound like science fiction or at least old news, but instead will materialize in 2026. Thanks to the Under-17 team, capable of becoming European champions by winning the Tallinn final against Belgium, beaten 4-3 on penalty kicks after the 1-1 result that had materialized in the 90 minutes of regulation time. The boys coached by Daniele Franceschini had also won the final on penalties, with the success over Spain.
Strength, courage and also lucidity for Italy, which after a very balanced final found itself at a disadvantage just in the final minutes of the match played in the Estonian capital. In fact, in the 85′ came Belgium’s advantage, when Ojea aimed at the Azzurrini’s goal with a personal action that from the left led him to invent an impenetrable snooker shot for Lupo. But in 90′ Ballarin earned a penalty when Dierckx repelled one of his own shots with his arm, and from the penalty spot Fugazzola signed the equalizer.
There was no overtime, and it went immediately to penalties. Fugazzola, Casagrande and Okon do not miss, Ojea does so on which Wolf is formidable. Belgium hopes after Rocca’s conversion at the back, but Moorthamer hits the crossbar and allows Perillo to give Italy Under 17 the European Championship. The second in history for the Azzurrini after the success of 2024.
A triumph that bears the signature of Daniele Franceschini, a coach that Club Italia knows well: already confirmed at the helm of the Under 17 in the reorganization of the staff wanted by the FIGC in 2023, he was able to build a winning group capable of repeating itself two years later. Technical and project continuity once again proved to be a determining factor for the Azzurri youth movement.
The generation that won this European title had already proven its worth on the world stage. In the fall of 2025, many of these youngsters had starred at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, where Italy reached the semifinals-the best ever result for the category-before surrendering to Austria 2-0. An extraordinary path, however, crowned by six consecutive victories that had made the entire Italian football movement dream.
Among the talents of this generation stands out the name of Destiny Elimoghale, a Juventus forward born in 2009, who already in the qualifying phase of the European Championships had highlighted himself with heavy goals, including the decisive one in the 89th minute against Croatia that had detached the pass for the final phase. A boy with an already forged character, a symbol of a team that never gives up, as demonstrated also in the final in Tallinn.
The path to this title had started precisely with that hard-fought qualification, won by beating Croatia 2-1 thanks to Elimoghale’s goal in the last useful action. “The boys were incredible, because they won two games in the last minute,” coach Massimiliano Favo, who had led the team through the qualifying phase before the group passed into Franceschini’s hands, had commented at the time. Prophetic words, considering how this Italy Under-17 team has made character and resilience its distinctive signature, all the way to the European triumph in Tallinn.
