The European U21 Championship for men and women starts on Sunday in the Spanish Terrassa. Two years ago, the Jong Oranje Men won the European title in Ghent and the Jong Oranje Women finished third. To warm you up for this continental clash, we have listed a number of things so that you can go into the tournament well informed.
The European Championship will be played at the Atlétic Terrassa complex near Barcelona. The Spanish top club is located a mere three quarters of an hour drive from Barcelona airport.
Who’s participating?
Eight countries are participating in the men’s tournament: the Netherlands, host country Spain, Belgium, Germany, England, France, Ireland and Turkey. Eight countries are also participating in the women’s tournament: the Netherlands, host country Spain, Belgium, Germany, England, France, Ireland and Austria.
Pool A-Men
Pool B-Men
Group A-Ladies
Group B-Ladies
Belgium
The Netherlands
The Netherlands
England Germany England Belgium Germany France Ireland France Ireland Turkey Spain Spain Austria
Where can you watch the matches?
The European Under-21 Championship in Terrassa can be followed via the EuroHockey livestream. However, this comes at a price. After purchasing the Event Pass for 7.99 euros, you can watch the www.eurohockeytv.org watch the matches. Please note: only matches played on field 1 can be followed via the livestream.
Broadcast schedule group matches Young Orange Women
Datum
Time
Contest
Sunday July 14 6:00 PM Netherlands – Spain
Livestream
Monday July 15 5:00 PM Belgium – Netherlands
Livestream
Wednesday July 17 8:00 PM Netherlands – France No livestream
Broadcast schedule group matches Young Orange Men
Datum
Time
Contest
Sunday July 14 5:45 PM Netherlands – England No livestream Tuesday July 16 7:15 PM Spain – Netherlands
Livestream
Wednesday July 17 5:45 PM Netherlands – Ireland No livestream
Luke Dommershuijzen celebrates the title following winning the final once morest Germany during the 2022 European U21 Championships in Ghent. Photo: Worldsportpics/Rodrigo Jaramillo
What do we do at hockey.nl?
Hockey.nl travelled to Spain with two reporters. They report daily on the European Championship with of course extra attention for the performances of the Jong Oranje Dames and Heren. In the Match Centre on the website and in the hockey.nl app you can find all results, goal scorers and standings. Follow hockey.nl’s Instagram for cool goals, great actions of the Jong Oranje Dames and Heren.
Tournament setup
In both the men’s and women’s tournaments, the countries are divided into two groups of four countries. In that phase, the countries from the group play each other once. The top two countries from both groups advance to the semi-finals, following which the winners of both matches compete for the European title. The numbers three and four from both groups then compete in group C once morest relegation. The two lowest-ranked countries are relegated.
Eye-catcher Young Orange Women: Trijntje Beljaars
At the golden U21 World Cup in Chile last winter, Trijntje Beljaars was one of the stars of the Jong Oranje side. With eight goals in six games, she clearly shows that she is a promise for the future.
What is good comes quickly, the saying goes. That certainly applies to the 19-year-old attacker of SCHC. At a young age she stood out in the youth of Oranje-Rood. The then coach of Dames 1, the German former international Tina Bachmann, let Beljaars make her debut at the age of fourteen. A year later, the youngster joins the A-selection for good and at the age of sixteen Beljaars scores her first goal in the Hoofdklasse. Her talent is recognized and acknowledged. In the summer of 2022, Beljaars makes the switch to top club SCHC.
The Brabant native is described as a player with a nose for goal. A typical striker who knows where to stand in the circle to finish. With a good shot, a great tip and a penalty corner, Beljaars has many scoring opportunities.
Last season she scored ten goals in the Tulp Hoofdklasse, seven of which from the top of the circle. Behind Yibbi Jansen (21 goals) and Pien Dicke (13 hits), Beljaars ends third on the SCHC top scorer list.
Trijntje Beljaars in action for the Dutch Juniors during the U21 World Cup in Chile once morest England. Photo: Worldsportpics/Frank Uijlenbroek
View the European Championship selection of the Dutch Junior Women
Eye-catcher Young Orange Men: Miles Bukkens
When Miles Bukkens gets the ball, the audience is ready to watch. The 21-year-old striker from Pinoké is technically gifted and frivolous in his actions. With a gigantic arsenal of tricks, he knows how to worm his way past his opponents in even the most dire positions. You never know what’s going to happen, but his actions always seem threatening. And the smile on his face is never far away. Bukkens is an expressive player who shows his emotion and passion during the match. When the eyes are on him, the attacker is at his best. Bukkens loves the attention.
Last season, the spotlights were less bright. Bukkens was sidelined for a long time due to a knee injury. As a result, he missed the U21 World Cup in Malaysia. The tournament where he made his name in 2021 by scoring no fewer than eighteen goals. A year later, Bukkens did win gold with Jong Oranje, at the European Championship in Ghent. In the summer of 2023, he made his debut for the ‘big’ Oranje. He has played three international matches so far and scored twice.
View the European Championship selection of the Dutch Junior Men
Miles Bukkens celebrates following his goal for the Dutch U21 team once morest Spain during the 2022 European U21 Championship in Ghent. Photo: Worldsportpics/Frank Uijlenbroek
What happened during the last edition in 2022?
The Dutch Men won the European title in Ghent by beating Germany 3-1 in the final. The Dutch goals were scored by Floris Middendorp, Duco Telgenkamp and Luke Dommershuijzen. Telgenkamp’s devastating backhand in particular is definitely worth watching once more. The Young Orange Women, who had become world champions in South Africa a few months earlier, had to settle for a bronze medal in Belgium following a 2-1 victory over England thanks to goals by Luna Fokke and Mette Winter. Germany became European champions in the women’s category following beating Belgium in the shoot-out series.
Previous editions
The men will play the 21st edition of the European Championship in Terrassa, which was first on the calendar for teams under 21 in 1976. With ten golds, the Jong Oranje Heren won the most titles. In the twenty previous editions, the Dutch men never missed out on medals.
The women are also starting the 21st edition of the European Championship. Since 1977, the Jong Oranje Dames have won ten championships. In 2006, the team remained without a medal for the first and only time to date. The Jong Oranje Dames did not get further than fifth place in Catania, Italy.
Overview of the last five editions for men:
2012: 1. Belgium 2.The Netherlands 3.Germany 4.France
2014: 1.The Netherlands 2.Germany 3.England 4.Belgium
2017: 1.The Netherlands 2.Belgium 3.Germany 4.Spain
2019: 1.Germany 2.England 3.The Netherlands 4.Spain
2022: 1.The Netherlands 2.Germany 3.Belgium 4.Spain
Overview of the last five editions for women:
2012: 1.The Netherlands 2.Spain 3.England 4.Germany
2014: 1.The Netherlands 2.Germany 3.England 4.Spain
2017: 1.The Netherlands 2.Belgium 3.England 4.Germany
2019: 1.Spain 2.The Netherlands 3.Germany 4.Belgium
2022: 1.Germany 2.Belgium 3.The Netherlands 4.England
The women of Jong Oranje celebrate the 1-1 by Luna Fokke once morest England in the battle for bronze during the European U21 Championship in Ghent in 2022. Photo: Worldsportpics/Frank Uijlenbroek
Joy among the women of the Dutch Juniors following a goal once morest Wales in the group stage of the European U21 Championship in Ghent in 2022. Photo: Worldsportpics/Rodrigo Jaramillo
Playing schedule
DATE TIME
CONTEST
D/H
VELD
Sun 14 July
09:45 France-Turkey (Pool A) H Field 2 10:00 England-Austria (Pool B) D Field 1 (Livestream) 12:00 Germany-Ireland (Pool B) D Field 2 12:15 Germany-Belgium (Pool A) H Field 1 (Livestream) 5:45 PM
The Netherlands-England (Pool B) H Field 2 6:00 PM
The Netherlands-Spain (Pool A) D Field 1 (Livestream) 20:00 Belgium-France (Pool A) D Field 2 20:15 Spain-Ireland (Pool B) H Field 1 (Livestream)
He is 15 years old
10:00 am Belgium-Turkey (Pool A) H Field 1 (Livestream) 12:15 pm France-Germany (Pool A) H Field 1 (Livestream) 5:00 PM Belgium-The Netherlands (Pool A) D Veld 1 (Livestream) 7:15 PM Spain-France (Pool A) D Field 1 (Livestream)
On July 16th
10:00 am Ireland-Austria (Pool B) D Field 1 (Livestream) 12:15 pm England-Germany (Pool B) D Field 1 (Livestream) 5:00 PM England-Ireland (Pool B) H Field 1 (Livestream) 7:15 pm Spain-The Netherlands (Pool B) H Field 1 (Livestream)
Where 17 July
09:45 Germany-Turkey (Pool A) H Field 2 10:00 Belgium-France (Pool A) H Field 1 (Livestream) 12:00 Germany-Austria (Pool B) D Field 2 12:15 Ireland-England (Pool B) D Field 1 (Livestream) 5:45 PM
The Netherlands-Ireland (Pool B) H Field 2 6:00pm England-Spain (Pool B) H Field 1 (Livestream) 8:00 PM
The Netherlands-France (Pool A) D Field 2 20:15 Spain-Belgium (Pool A) D Field 1 (Livestream)
Fri 19 July
09:45 am 4th Group A v 4th Group B (Group C) D Veld 2 10:00 am 1st Group A v 2nd Group B (Final Half) D Veld 1 (Livestream) 12:00 pm 3rd Group A v 3rd Group B (Group C) D Veld 2 12:15 pm 1st Group B v 2nd Group A (Final half) D Veld 1 (Livestream) 16:30 uur 3rd Pool A v 3rd Pool B (Pool C) H Veld 2 16:45 uur 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B (Final Halve) H Veld 1 (Livestream) 18:45 uur 4th Pool A v 4th Pool B (Pool C) H Veld 2 19:00 uur 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A (Final Halve) H Veld 1 (Livestream)
For July 20
09:30 hrs 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B (Pool C) D Field 1 09:45 hrs 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A (Pool C) D Field 2 11:45 hrs Battle for Bronze D Field 1 (Livestream) 3:30 PM Fight for bronze H Field 1 (Livestream) 3:45 PM 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B (Pool C) H Field 2 5:45 PM Final D Field 1 (Livestream) 18:00 hrs 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A (Pool C) H Field 2 20:00 hrs Final H Field 1 (Livestream)
Ticket sales
Want to experience the tournament up close? You can. The matches are free to attend. VIP tickets can be purchased for the final weekend on July 19 and 20 via the club’s website.
