Kicking off Group B at the 2024 European Under-19s Championship, Denmark Under-19s meet Spain Under-19s at Inver Park on Tuesday.
While the Danish squad are making their nation's debut at this tournament, La Rojita are record eight-time winners and will again be among the favourites to prevail.
Match preview
Since qualifying for the last of UEFA's Under-18 European Championships in 2001, where they exited at the group stage, Denmark have endured a long drought at Under-19 level.
A 2-0 qualifying win over Portugal in March finally secured their place at the finals, though, and they are now among eight nations battling it out for the title in Northern Ireland.
The top two in each group will go through to the semi-finals and also book a ticket to the 2025 Under-20 World Cup in Chile, while Europe's fifth spot goes to the winners of a playoff between the teams that finish third.
There is plenty to play for, then, as Morten Eskesen's side prepare to tackle Spain, France and Turkey in a challenging group.
Denmark came through the first phase of qualification, played in France, then recorded three wins from three in Portugal - beating their hosts, Serbia and Greece.
Crushing Germany 5-1 in their most recent friendly means that the Danes can carry significant momentum into the tournament, which they get under way against a nation they drew with in both the 2022 and 2023 elite qualifying rounds.
Spain were semi-finalists last time out, but this summer they are intent on dethroning reigning champions Italy and adding a ninth Under-19 trophy to their cabinet.
Winners in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2015 and four years ago in Armenia, when Ferran Torres - part of Luis de la Fuente's Euro 2024 squad - scored twice in the final, they boast a peerless record at this level.
Comfortable qualifying wins over Moldova, Cyprus and Georgia took La Rojita through to the elite round, where a draw with hosts Slovenia was followed by 2-1 victories against Kosovo and Austria.
Having qualified for a record 14th time, Jose Lana's young charges are now fancied to replicate the senior squad's superb run in Germany.
Denmark Under-19s form (all competitions):
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
Team News
Denmark's squad is headlined by brothers Emil Hojlund and Oscar Hojlund - younger siblings of Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund - who are both likely to start on Tuesday evening.
Midtjylland midfielder Valdemar Andreasen was the Danes' leading scorer in qualifying with five goals and should also take his place in the XI selected by boss Morten Eskesen.
Spain, meanwhile, will have Valencia's Yarek Gasiorowski at the heart of their defence - the highly rated centre-back finished qualifying as La Rojita's top scorer on four goals.
While 17-year-old Lamine Yamal has been on senior duty this summer, one of his former Barcelona teammates will play an important role in the Under-19s attack: Chelsea-bound Marc Guiu is set to start up front.
Barca's Hector Fort features in defence, but another teen star at the Catalan club, Pau Cubarsi, is not involved after being cut from La Roja's preliminary squad for Euro 2024.
Denmark Under-19s possible starting lineup:
Andresen; Vraa-Jensen, Nielsen, Lauritsen; Daghim, Nartey, O. Hojlund, Andreasen, Froholdt; E. Hojlund, Harder
Spain Under-19s possible starting lineup:
Gonzalez; Fort, Keddari, Yarek, Munoz; Fortuny, Hernandez, Canales; A. Diao, Guiu, Mella
We say: Denmark Under-19s 2-2 Spain Under-19s
Both teams scored plenty of goals in qualifying and an open encounter could take place in Larne, which hosts their first Group B game. Two well-matched sides may have to settle for an opening draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
