The finals of the under-21 version of one of the world’s most popular and entertaining football tournaments, the UEFA European Championship, will take place in Denmark in 2011. The Nordic nation was awarded the honour by the UEFA Executive Committee in Nyon this week.
The 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship will be played at venues in Aarhus, Aalborg, Herning, and Viborg. The finals consist of the eight teams representing their national youth squads that make it through the qualifying stages. Although the U-21 version of Euro doesn’t generate as much hype as the full national squad tournament held every four years, there are still plenty of incredible European players who are under 21 years old.
Denmark almost made it to the final rounds of the upcoming 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden, but lost to Serbia in a play-off. Danish youth team coach Keld Bordinggaard is already anticipating an action-packed tournament for his side as Denmark automatically qualifies since it’s the host country.
“This tournament gives us the best possible conditions to work with the vintages ’88, ’89 and ’90,” he said. “As we are sure of participating we can work with determination towards the finals and thereby give ourselves the best possible chance to do our absolute best.”
During the 2007 U-21 finals in Holland, 212,000 spectators watched the games live and 53 million people tuned in via television. Danish Football Association chairman Allan Hansen is excited about hosting the finals and is, “Looking forward to showing Europe we can manage a task of such dimensions.”