The first junior national team was ensembled in 1988. The first years saw just single games against amateur club teams from Nordic countries. In 1992, the first-ever European Junior Championship was held in Toulouse, France. Finland entered the competition with a team now consisting of players, according to new international rules, 19 years old and under. Finland was crowned as the first European Junior Champions beating Italy in the semifinal game and the host nation France in the final game. Finland has since participated every time in the biannual event - apart from the 2002 competition when they lost the qualification game to the Czech Republic. Finland was the most successful team in the first years of the competition, winning the first three titles followed by a bronze medal. The new millennium has seen the tightening of competition with new participants and the rise of powerhouses like Germany. Since losing the bronze game in 2000 EJC, Finland has not qualified for the medal games.