Women’s Under-14s: Western regional XI to represent Hungary on international stage

Margret Kratz of UEFA and Under-14 project leader Edina Markó, who is also head coach of the Hungarian women’s national team, many of the national team coaching staff, and federation coaches also participated in the regional-select tournament in Telki. At the two-day event, it was decided that a Western Hungary select will represent Hungary against Slovakia and the Czech Republic at an upcoming international tournament, also being held in Telki.

As part of the project launched in December last year, UEFA and the Hungarian Football Federation have been working together to unearth young, talented, female footballers nationwide, who will be able to benefit from professional training and international experience at a younger age than they would have been able to in the past.

Kratz, who has been involved with the programme since it was launched, expressed satisfaction with the Hungarian organisation as well as the girls’ abilities. “We’ve taken many steps on the journey to the final. The organisation has been excellent throughout. I’m very satisfied with the work carried out in Hungary. The regional coaches can be proud of themselves. I’ve seen many interesting, talented players. The most talented ones began to stand out from the others in January, and I met with them later on and saw just how much they had developed in the meantime. I think they will make a very good national team. If the coaches work with the players for a longer period, the Hungarian national team will have a good chance internationally. As far as I see it, in two years’ time the team might well succeed in progressing from the European Championship qualifiers”, she said.

Edina Markó emphasised that the development which the girls have shown in the past few months has been spectacular and that since the summer trials and the Women’s Football Day, the teams have also come on leaps and bounds, adding that “Until now, what has been missing here in Hungary is a selection network. We’re now able to cast our net over everybody and won’t lose any of the players who make it to the regional select teams”. Markó concluded by stating that UEFA have positively evaluated the work carried out and that they will also be supporting the Women’s Under-14 project in the future.

Four teams with squads of eighteen players took part in the tournament in Telki, from among which the coaching staff selected a total of 32 players for the future Under-15 national team squad. It is planned that the squad size will be reduced by December, when – like last year – a training course will be held, targeted specifically at this age group.