My squad is good enough and I’m going to sell them a dream of getting out of the group, says defiant Northern Ireland U19's manager Gareth McAuley after draw is made for this summer's U19 Euro 2024

The U19s were drawn in Group A with holders Italy, Norway and Ukraine, while Group B features Denmark, Spain, France and Turkiye.

The draw for the eight-team tournament, which is being staged in Northern Ireland this summer, was held at Titanic Belfast on Wednesday afternoon.

"The same as we did at Euro 2016 - to get out of the group," McAuley said of his side's objective.

"I think it's possible as I have a good group. Yes, they're young as a lot of them have two years at U19 level, but they are good enough.

"We went to Italy in my first game in September, we only had three days on the training pitch before but they gave a great account of themselves.

"Having seen that up close and the belief they can draw from that in terms of going toe-to-toe with these guys already, it's going to be really important for them.

"At the end of the day, I'm a salesman and I'm going to sell them a dream.

"They are playing on home soil, there are pathways into the senior team and there will be people worldwide watching them.

"They all want to be footballers so there's no better place to do it than these games."

Northern Ireland will play Ukraine in their opening game but McAuley refused to see the glamour in that contest after netting for the Green and White Army against the same opposition at Euro 2016.

He remarked: "Everybody will look back at my career and look at the opening game against Ukraine but that's a completely different kettle of fish.

"I've just been asked if I'll be putting videos on and stuff like that there from the Euro 2016 game but it's not in my culture and the boys would just laugh at me.

"There will be things around that game such as it being a must-win fixture for us like it was in 2016, so that will be used as a reference perhaps.”

The Irish Football Association is hosting U19 Euro 2024 along with UEFA from 15 to 28 July at Seaview, Windsor Park and Inver Park.