UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
Encyclopedia
The European Under-21 Football Championship is a football
competition organised by the sport's Europe
an governing body, UEFA
. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970. A true Under 23 championship was then formed, starting in 1972.
The age limit was reduced to 21 for the 1978 championship and it has remained so since. To be eligible for the campaign ending in 2011, players need to be born in or after 1988. Many can be actually 23 years old by the time the finals tournament takes place; however, when the qualification process began (late 2009) all players would have been 21 or under.
Under-21 matches are typically played on the day before senior internationals and where possible, the same qualifying groups and fixtures were played out. This was not true for the shortened 2006-2007 Championship.
This tournament has been considered a stepping stone toward the senior team. Players such as Mesut Özil
, Klaas Jan Huntelaar
, Luís Figo
, Petr Čech
, 2010 World Cup winner Iker Casillas
, 2006 World Cup winners Francesco Totti
and Andrea Pirlo
, and Euro 2004 winner Georgios Karagounis began their international careers in the youth teams.
Spain are the reigning champions, defeating Switzerland in the 2011 final, 2–0. The finals of the next competition will be hosted by Israel
in 2013.
For the 1994 competition, one of the semi-finalists, France, was chosen as a host for the (single-legged) semi-finals, 3rd place playoff and final. Similarly, Spain
was chosen to host the last four matches in 1996.
For 1998, nine qualification groups were used, as participation had reached 46, nearly double the 24 entrants in 1976. The top seven group winners qualified automatically for the finals, whilst the eighth- and ninth-best qualifiers, and , played-off for the final spot. The remaining matches, from the quarter-finals onward, were held in Romania
, one of the eight qualifiers.
The 2000 competition also had nine groups, but the 9 winners and 7 runners-up went into a two-legged playoff to decide the eight qualifiers. From those, Slovakia
was chosen as host. For the first time, the familiar finals group stage was employed, with the two winners contesting a final, and two runners-up contesting the 3rd-place playoff. The structure in 2002 was identical, except for the introduction of a semi-finals round after the finals group stage. Switzerland
hosted the 2002 finals.
In 2004, ten qualification groups were used, with the group winners and six best runners-up going into the playoff. Germany
was host that year. For 2006, the top two teams of eight large qualification groups provided the 16 teams for the playoffs, held in November 2005. Portugal
hosted the finals.
Then followed the switch to odd years. The change was made because the senior teams of many nations often chose to promote players from their under-21s team as their own qualification campaign intensified. Staggering the tournaments allowed players more time to develop in the under-21 team rather than get promoted too early and end up becoming reserves for the seniors.
The 2007 competition actually began before the 2006 finals, with a qualification round to eliminate eight of the lowest-ranked nations. For the first time, the host (Netherlands) was chosen ahead of the qualification section. As hosts, qualified automatically. Coincidentally, the Dutch team had won the 2006 competition - the holders would normally have gone through the qualification stage. The other nations were all drawn into fourteen three-team groups. The 14 group winners were paired in double-leg play-off to decide the seven qualifiers alongside the hosts.
title belt. The holders played a randomly chosen opponent for the championship. This format was soon dropped in favour of one more familiar to the sport of football.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
competition organised by the sport's Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an governing body, UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
. It is held every two years. The competition has existed in its current form since 1978. It was preceded by the Under 23 Challenge Cup which ran from 1967 to 1970. A true Under 23 championship was then formed, starting in 1972.
The age limit was reduced to 21 for the 1978 championship and it has remained so since. To be eligible for the campaign ending in 2011, players need to be born in or after 1988. Many can be actually 23 years old by the time the finals tournament takes place; however, when the qualification process began (late 2009) all players would have been 21 or under.
Under-21 matches are typically played on the day before senior internationals and where possible, the same qualifying groups and fixtures were played out. This was not true for the shortened 2006-2007 Championship.
This tournament has been considered a stepping stone toward the senior team. Players such as Mesut Özil
Mesut Özil
Mesut Özil is a footballer who plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and for the German national team. Özil has been a youth national team member since 2006, and a member of the German national team since 2009. He gained international attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was nominated...
, Klaas Jan Huntelaar
Klaas Jan Huntelaar
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar , nicknamed The Hunter, is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Schalke 04 and the Dutch national football team. Huntelaar is a prolific striker with brilliant technique and athleticism and has been compared in style to players such as Marco van Basten and Ruud van...
, Luís Figo
Luís Figo
Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
, Petr Čech
Petr Cech
Petr Čech is a Czech footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Czech Republic as a goalkeeper. Čech previously played for Viktoria Plzeň, Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, and Rennes. He was voted into the all-star team of Euro 2004 after helping his country reach the semi-finals...
, 2010 World Cup winner Iker Casillas
Íker Casillas
Iker Casillas Fernández is a Spanish football goalkeeper who plays for the Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, being the captain of both...
, 2006 World Cup winners Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti
Francesco Totti, Ufficiale OMRI, is an Italian footballer who is the captain of Serie A club Roma. His primary position is that of a trequartista, though he has also been successfully utilized as a lone striker. Totti has spent his entire career at Roma, is the number-one goalscorer and the most...
and Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian World Cup winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus, and for the Italian national team. He is usually deployed as a deep-lying playmaker for both Juventus and Italy and is regarded as one of best players in this position...
, and Euro 2004 winner Georgios Karagounis began their international careers in the youth teams.
Spain are the reigning champions, defeating Switzerland in the 2011 final, 2–0. The finals of the next competition will be hosted by Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 2013.
Competition structure
Up to and including the 1992 competition, all entrants were divided into eight qualification groups, the eight winners of which formed the quarter-finals lineup. The remaining fixtures were played out on a two-legged, home and away basis to determine the eventual winner.For the 1994 competition, one of the semi-finalists, France, was chosen as a host for the (single-legged) semi-finals, 3rd place playoff and final. Similarly, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
was chosen to host the last four matches in 1996.
For 1998, nine qualification groups were used, as participation had reached 46, nearly double the 24 entrants in 1976. The top seven group winners qualified automatically for the finals, whilst the eighth- and ninth-best qualifiers, and , played-off for the final spot. The remaining matches, from the quarter-finals onward, were held in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, one of the eight qualifiers.
The 2000 competition also had nine groups, but the 9 winners and 7 runners-up went into a two-legged playoff to decide the eight qualifiers. From those, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
was chosen as host. For the first time, the familiar finals group stage was employed, with the two winners contesting a final, and two runners-up contesting the 3rd-place playoff. The structure in 2002 was identical, except for the introduction of a semi-finals round after the finals group stage. Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
hosted the 2002 finals.
In 2004, ten qualification groups were used, with the group winners and six best runners-up going into the playoff. Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was host that year. For 2006, the top two teams of eight large qualification groups provided the 16 teams for the playoffs, held in November 2005. Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
hosted the finals.
Then followed the switch to odd years. The change was made because the senior teams of many nations often chose to promote players from their under-21s team as their own qualification campaign intensified. Staggering the tournaments allowed players more time to develop in the under-21 team rather than get promoted too early and end up becoming reserves for the seniors.
The 2007 competition actually began before the 2006 finals, with a qualification round to eliminate eight of the lowest-ranked nations. For the first time, the host (Netherlands) was chosen ahead of the qualification section. As hosts, qualified automatically. Coincidentally, the Dutch team had won the 2006 competition - the holders would normally have gone through the qualification stage. The other nations were all drawn into fourteen three-team groups. The 14 group winners were paired in double-leg play-off to decide the seven qualifiers alongside the hosts.
Under-23 Challenge Cup winners
This was competed for on a basis similar to a boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
title belt. The holders played a randomly chosen opponent for the championship. This format was soon dropped in favour of one more familiar to the sport of football.
| Date | Winners | Runners-up | Venue |
| June 1967 | Stara Zagora Stara Zagora Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
||
| September 1967 | Burgas Burgas -History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
||
| November 1967 | Pleven Pleven Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
||
| April 1968 | Sofia Sofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
||
| October 1968 | Rousse Rousse Ruse is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is situated in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, from the capital Sofia and from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
||
| June 1969 | Novi Sad Novi Sad Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river.... , Yugoslavia |
||
| November 1969 | Zrenjanin Zrenjanin Zrenjanin is a city and municipality located in the eastern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina. It is the administrative centre of the Central Banat District of Serbia... , Yugoslavia Serbia Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... |
||
| March 1970 | Athens Athens Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state... , Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Under-23 champions
Held only three times before it was relabelled by UEFA.| Year | Host | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 1972 UEFA European Under-23 Football Championship The UEFA U-23 Championship 1972, which spanned two years had 22 entrants. Czechoslovakia U-23s won the competition.The 22 national teams were divided into eight groups. The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided... |
N/A | 2–2 / 3–1 5–3 on aggregate |
||
| 1974 | N/A | 2–3 / 4–0 6–3 on aggregate |
||
| 1976 | N/A | 1–1 / 2–1 3–2 on aggregate |
Results
| Year | Host | Winner | Score | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 1978 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1978, which spanned two years had 24 entrants. Yugoslavia U-21s won the competition.The 24 national teams were divided into eight groups. The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided... |
N/A | 1–0 / 4–4 5–4 on aggregate |
||
| 1980 1980 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1980, which spanned two years had 25 entrants. Cyprus and the Netherlands competed in the competition for the first time. 1978 entrants Austria did not enter. Due to 'irregularities', Turkey's first two matches were awarded to their opponents... |
N/A | 0–0 / 1–0 1–0 on aggregate |
||
| 1982 1982 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1982, which spanned two years , had 26 entrants. West Germany competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition.... |
N/A | 3–1 / 2–3 5–4 on aggregate |
||
| 1984 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1984, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. Albania, Iceland and Wales competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition for the second time running.... |
N/A | 1–0 / 2–0 3–0 on aggregate |
||
| 1986 1986 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1986, which spanned two years , had 29 entrants. Spain U-21s won the competition after a penalty shootout, the first in the U-21 competition's history.... |
N/A | 1–2 / 2–1 3–3 on aggregate, (3–0) ps |
||
| 1988 1988 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1988, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. The Republic of Ireland competed for the first time. France U-21s won the competition.... |
N/A | 0–0 / 3–0 3–0 on aggregate |
||
| 1990 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1990, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. San Marino competed for the first time. USSR U-21s won the competition.... |
N/A | 4–2 / 3–1 7–3 on aggregate |
||
| 1992 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1992, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants.Malta and Israel competed for the first time. This was also the first appearance of the unified Germany team.Italy U-21s won the competition.... |
N/A | 2–0 / 0–1 2–1 on aggregate |
||
| 1994 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1994, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, France were chosen as the first hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... |
 Early Modern France |
1–0 aet |
||
| 1996 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1996, which spanned two years , had 44 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, Spain were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... |
 Spain |
1–1 (4–2) ps Penalty shootout (football) A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game... |
||
| 1998 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1998, which spanned two years , had 46 entrants. Before the quarter-finals stage, Romania were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... |
 Kingdom of Romania |
1–0 | ||
| 2000 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 2000, which spanned two years , had 47 entrants. Northern Ireland competed for the first time. For the first time a finals tournament with two groups of four teams was held, with one of those teams, Slovakia, having been chosen as the hosts.Italy U-21s won the... |
 Slovakia |
2–1 | ||
| 2002 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:... |
 Switzerland |
0–0 (3–1) ps Penalty shootout (football) A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game... |
||
| 2004 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2004 was the 14th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Germany between 27 May and 8 June 2004.Italy U-21s won the competition for the fifth time... |
 Germany |
3–0 | ||
| 2006 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship -Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy... |
 Portugal |
3–0 | ||
| 2007 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship.... |
 Netherlands |
4–1 | ||
| 2009 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to... |
 Sweden |
4–0 | ||
| 2011 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2011 was the 18th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Denmark between 11 and 25 June 2011.... |
 Denmark |
2–0 | ||
| 2013 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship 2013 UEFA U-21 Championship will be the 19th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament will be hosted by Israel between the 15–28 June 2013... |
 Israel |
Winners and runners-up
| Team | Titles | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| 5 (1992 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1992, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants.Malta and Israel competed for the first time. This was also the first appearance of the unified Germany team.Italy U-21s won the competition.... , 1994 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1994, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, France were chosen as the first hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... , 1996 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1996, which spanned two years , had 44 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, Spain were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... , 2000 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 2000, which spanned two years , had 47 entrants. Northern Ireland competed for the first time. For the first time a finals tournament with two groups of four teams was held, with one of those teams, Slovakia, having been chosen as the hosts.Italy U-21s won the... , 2004 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2004 was the 14th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Germany between 27 May and 8 June 2004.Italy U-21s won the competition for the fifth time... ) |
1 (1986 1986 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1986, which spanned two years , had 29 entrants. Spain U-21s won the competition after a penalty shootout, the first in the U-21 competition's history.... ) |
|
| 3 (1986 1986 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1986, which spanned two years , had 29 entrants. Spain U-21s won the competition after a penalty shootout, the first in the U-21 competition's history.... , 1998 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1998, which spanned two years , had 46 entrants. Before the quarter-finals stage, Romania were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... , 2011 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2011 was the 18th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Denmark between 11 and 25 June 2011.... ) |
2 (1984 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1984, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. Albania, Iceland and Wales competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition for the second time running.... , 1996 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1996, which spanned two years , had 44 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, Spain were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... ) |
|
| 2 (1982 1982 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1982, which spanned two years , had 26 entrants. West Germany competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition.... , 1984 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1984, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. Albania, Iceland and Wales competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition for the second time running.... ) |
1 (2009 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to... ) |
|
| 2 (1980 1980 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1980, which spanned two years had 25 entrants. Cyprus and the Netherlands competed in the competition for the first time. 1978 entrants Austria did not enter. Due to 'irregularities', Turkey's first two matches were awarded to their opponents... , 1990 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1990, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. San Marino competed for the first time. USSR U-21s won the competition.... ) |
– | |
| 2 (2006 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship -Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy... , 2007 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship.... ) |
– | |
| 1 | 1 (1978 1978 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1978, which spanned two years had 24 entrants. Yugoslavia U-21s won the competition.The 24 national teams were divided into eight groups. The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided... ) |
3 (1990 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1990, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. San Marino competed for the first time. USSR U-21s won the competition.... , 2004 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2004 was the 14th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Germany between 27 May and 8 June 2004.Italy U-21s won the competition for the fifth time... , 2007 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 2007 were held from 10 June 2007 to 23 June 2007. It is the 16th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship.... ) |
| 1 (1988 1988 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1988, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. The Republic of Ireland competed for the first time. France U-21s won the competition.... ) |
1 (2002 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:... ) |
|
| 1 (2002 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2002 was the 13th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Switzerland between 16 and 28 May 2002.Czech Republic U-21s won the competition for the first time.-Qualification:... ) |
1 (2000 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 2000, which spanned two years , had 47 entrants. Northern Ireland competed for the first time. For the first time a finals tournament with two groups of four teams was held, with one of those teams, Slovakia, having been chosen as the hosts.Italy U-21s won the... ) |
|
| 1 (2009 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to... ) |
1 (1982 1982 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1982, which spanned two years , had 26 entrants. West Germany competed in the competition for the first time. England U-21s won the competition.... ) |
|
| – | 2 (1978 1978 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1978, which spanned two years had 24 entrants. Yugoslavia U-21s won the competition.The 24 national teams were divided into eight groups. The group winners played off against each other on a two-legged home-and-away basis until the winner was decided... , 1980 1980 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1980, which spanned two years had 25 entrants. Cyprus and the Netherlands competed in the competition for the first time. 1978 entrants Austria did not enter. Due to 'irregularities', Turkey's first two matches were awarded to their opponents... ) |
|
| – | 2 (1988 1988 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1988, which spanned two years , had 30 entrants. The Republic of Ireland competed for the first time. France U-21s won the competition.... , 1998 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1998, which spanned two years , had 46 entrants. Before the quarter-finals stage, Romania were chosen as the hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... ) |
|
| – | 1 (1992 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1992, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants.Malta and Israel competed for the first time. This was also the first appearance of the unified Germany team.Italy U-21s won the competition.... ) |
|
| – | 1 (1994 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship The UEFA U-21 Championship 1994, which spanned two years , had 32 entrants. After the quarter-finals stage, France were chosen as the first hosts of the final stages, consisting of four matches in total.... ) |
|
| – | 1 (2006 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship -Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Final:-Goalscorers:4 goals Klaas Jan Huntelaar3 goals Thomas Kahlenberg Nicky Hofs2 goals Bryan Bergougnoux Ruslan Fomin Artem Milevskiy... ) |
|
| – | 1 (2011 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship UEFA U-21 Championship 2011 was the 18th staging of UEFA's European Under-21 Football Championship. The final tournament was hosted by Denmark between 11 and 25 June 2011.... ) |
- 1: includes results representing SFR YugoslaviaYugoslavia national football teamThe Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
up to 1992, and Serbia and MontenegroSerbia national football teamThe Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
in 2004
Under-21 Golden Player
- 1978 - Vahid HalilhodžićVahid HalilhodžicVahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić is a former Bosnian football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team....
- - 1980 - Anatoliy Demyanenko -
- 1982 - Rudi VöllerRudi VöllerRudolf 'Rudi' Völler is a German former international football striker, and a former manager of the German national team...
- - 1984 - Mark HateleyMark HateleyMark Wayne Hateley is a retired English football player who played as a centre-forward. He was capped 32 times for the English national team , and played in top-level football leagues in England, Italy, France and Scotland...
- - 1986 - Manuel Sanchís -
- 1988 - Laurent BlancLaurent BlancLaurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
- - 1990 - Davor ŠukerDavor ŠukerDavor Šuker , is a retired Croatian footballer. He played as a striker for a number of European clubs as well as the Croatian national team, where he is the all-time top goal scorer with 45 goals....
- - 1992 - Renato BusoRenato BusoRenato Buso is an Italian professional football coach and a former player. He currently manages the team of Gavorrano in Lega Pro Seconda Divisione.- Player :He has represented Italy at the 1992 Summer Olympics.- Coach :...
- - 1994 - Luís FigoLuís FigoLuís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009...
- - 1996 - Fabio CannavaroFabio CannavaroFabio Cannavaro, Ufficiale OMRI is a former Italian footballer considered one of the greatest defenders of all time and was given the name "Muro di Berlino" which means The Berlin wall by Italian supporters. He spent the majority of his career in Italy...
- - 1998 - Francesc ArnauFrancesc ArnauFrancesc Xavier Arnau Grabulosa is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper....
- - 2000 - Andrea PirloAndrea PirloAndrea Pirlo, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian World Cup winning footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Juventus, and for the Italian national team. He is usually deployed as a deep-lying playmaker for both Juventus and Italy and is regarded as one of best players in this position...
- - 2002 - Petr ČechPetr CechPetr Čech is a Czech footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Czech Republic as a goalkeeper. Čech previously played for Viktoria Plzeň, Chmel Blšany, Sparta Prague, and Rennes. He was voted into the all-star team of Euro 2004 after helping his country reach the semi-finals...
- - 2004 - Alberto GilardinoAlberto GilardinoAlberto Gilardino, Ufficiale OMRI is an Italian World Cup-winning footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Fiorentina and the Italian national team....
- - 2006 - Klaas-Jan Huntelaar -
- 2007 - Royston DrentheRoyston DrentheRoyston Rickie Drenthe is a Dutch footballer who plays for Everton on loan from Real Madrid.Mainly a midfielder, and regarded as one of football's fastest players, he can also operate as a defender or forward, but always on the left side of the pitch.-Youth:Born in Rotterdam, Drenthe joined local...
- - 2009 - Marcus BergMarcus BergMarcus Berg is a Swedish football striker who currently plays for German Bundesliga club Hamburger SV. He is nicknamed Svarte-Marcus due to scoring a lot of goals in the junior teams, in reference to Filip "Svarte-Filip" Johansson....
- - 2011 - Juan Mata -
See also
- UEFAUEFAThe Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
- UEFA European Football ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
- UEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-19 Football ChampionshipThe European Under 19 Football Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. The competition has been held since 1948. It was originally called the FIFA junior tournament, until it was taken over by UEFA in 1955...
- UEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipUEFA European Under-17 Football ChampionshipThe UEFA U-17 Championship is an annual football competition organised by the sport's European governing body, UEFA. From 1982 to 2001 it was an Under-16 event.This meeting serves as a preliminary competition for the FIFA U-17 World Cup every other year....
External links
- UEFA European U-21 Championship at uefa.com
- The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U-21/U-23 Championships.