YOUNG footballers narrowly missed out on international football glory in a mini Euro 2000 - but they still managed to massively outperform their professional counterparts.
The 13 and 14-year-olds, from Consett and Stanley, represented their country in Tubingen, Germany, as part of a cultural trip organised by the YMCA.
The County Durham youngsters went all the way to the final before being beaten by a Russian team 2-0.
A team from the Chester-le-Street area made it to the semi-final before being defeated 4-1.
The finalists were coached by Consett officers Detective Constable Kevin Kilkenny and PC Kevin Alder.
Det Con Kilkenny said the event had been a success, with the English and German youngsters even swapping jokes during the countries' match in the tournament proper.
Other members of the group, of 41 youngsters from north-west Durham, took part in cultural activities including making a video of the trip.
The £4,800 cost was met by fundraising from the group and the County Durham Key Fund, administered by the European Commission. The youngsters mixed with contempories from Russia, Germany and France as well as taking part in other activities for five days last week.
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