The Soviet Union national under-21 football team was the Under-21 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...

 team of the Soviet Union

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....

. It ceased to exist on the break up of the Union

History of the Soviet Union (1985-1991)

The history of the Soviet Union from 1982 through 1991, spans the period from Leonid Brezhnev's death and funeral until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Due to the years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of domestic development, economic growth stagnated...

.

Following the realignment of 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....

's youth competitions in 1976, the USSR Under-21 team was formed. The team had a good record, winning the competition twice, reaching the last four once, but failing to qualify for the last eight on five occasions.

After the dissolution of the USSR (on December 26, 1991), the senior team played out its remaining fixtures, which were the finals of Euro 92. Because the USSR U-21s had, by December 26, already failed to qualify for their version of the 1992 European Championship, the former Soviet states didn't play as a combined team at U-21 level ever again.

Of the former Soviet states, only Russia entered the 1992-1994 competition. However, the Russian U-21 team

Russia national under-21 football team

The Russia national under-21 football team is overseen by the Russian Football Union. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.- Coaches :-Results:*1994: quarterfinalists...

 should not be considered as a continuation of this team; a large percentage of the team's players came from outside Russia

Russia

Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...

 (Russia still provided the most). A total of 15 former Soviet states play international football today; 11 in Europe under 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....

, 4 in Asia under the AFC

Asian Football Confederation

The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...

.

Since the under-21 competition rules insist that players must be 21 or under at the start ot a two year competition, technically it is an U-23 competition. USSR's unparalleled record in U-23 competitions is also shown.

UEFA U-23 Championship Record

• 1972: Runners-up.
• 1974: Losing semi-finalists.
• 1976: Winners.

UEFA U-21 Championship Record

• 1978: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.
• 1980: Winners.
• 1982: Losing semi-finalists.
• 1984: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 4 in qualification group.
• 1986: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 4 in qualification group.
• 1988: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 4 in qualification group.
• 1990: Winners.
• 1992: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 4 in qualification group.

National teams of the former Soviet republics

	National team Armenia national football team The Armenia national football team represents Armenia in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia, the governing body for football in Armenia...	U-21 team Armenia national under-21 football team The Armenia national under-21 football team is the youth football team of Armenia. The team is based mostly on the young players from the league and competes every two years in order to qualify for the European Under-21 Football Championship...	UEFA
	National team Azerbaijan national football team The Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan...	U-21 team Azerbaijan national under-21 football team The Azerbaijan national under-21 football team are a feeder team to the Azerbaijan Senior team.- UEFA U-21 Championship Record:* 2002: Did not qualify. Finished 5th of 6 in qualification group....	UEFA
	National team Belarus national football team The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...	U-21 team Belarus national under-21 football team The Belarus national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Belarus and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.-History:...	UEFA
	National team Estonia national football team The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....	U-21 team Estonia national under-21 football team The Estonian U-21 national football team is the football team representing Estonia in competitions for under-21 year old players.-2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification Group 5:-Current table:-Fixtures and recent results:...	UEFA
	National team Georgia national football team The Georgia national football team is the national association football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. The Georgian team's first match took place in 1990, while Georgia was still part of the Soviet Union. The team have attempted to qualify for each major...	U-21 team Georgia national under-21 football team The Georgian U-21 national football team is the football team representing Georgia in competitions for under-21 year old players.-Current squad :The following players were called up for the European Under-21 Football Championship...	UEFA
	National team Kazakhstan national football team The Kazakhstan national football team represents Kazakhstan in international men's association football and is directed by Football Federation of Kazakhstan. They split from the Soviet Union national football team after independence in 1991 and joined the Asian Football Confederation's Central and...	U-21 team Kazakhstan national under-21 football team The Kazakhstan national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Kazakhstan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Kazakhstan...	UEFA (AFC:1992-2002)
	National team Kyrgyzstan national football team The Kyrgyzstan national football team is the national team of Kyrgyzstan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Kyrgyz Republic.-History:...	U-20 team	AFC
	National team Latvia national football team The Latvian national football team is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Latvia and represents the country in international football competitions, such as the World Cup and the European Championships. So far, they have never qualified for a FIFA World...	U-21 team Latvia national under-21 football team The Latvia national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Latvia and is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body of football in Latvia. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...	UEFA
	National team Lithuania national football team The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...	U-21 team Lithuania national under-21 football team The Lithuania national under-21 football team is the feeder team for the Senior team.Coach: Vitalijus StankevičiusCaptain:-Goalkeepers:-Defenders:-Midfielders:-Forwards:-External links:*...	UEFA
	National team Moldova national football team The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chişinău and their head coach is Gavril Balint...	U-21 team Moldova national under-21 football team The Moldova national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Moldova and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova.-Current squad:- External links :*...	UEFA
	National team Russia national football team The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...	U-21 team Russia national under-21 football team The Russia national under-21 football team is overseen by the Russian Football Union. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.- Coaches :-Results:*1994: quarterfinalists...	UEFA
	National team Tajikistan national football team The Tajikistan national football team represents Tajikistan in association football and is controlled by the Tajikistan National Football Federation, the governing body for football in Tajikistan. Tajikistan's home ground is Pamir Stadium in Dushanbe....	U-20 team	AFC
	National team Turkmenistan national football team The Turkmenistan national football team is the national team of Turkmenistan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Turkmenistan.-History:After the country gained independence, they played their first match against Kazakhstan on June 1, 1992...	U-20 team	AFC
	National team Ukraine national football team The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...	U-21 team Ukraine national under-21 football team The Ukraine national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine.After Ukrainian Independence in 1991, the Ukraine senior team played their first match in April 1992...	UEFA
	National team Uzbekistan national football team The Uzbekistan national football team represents Uzbekistan in association football and is controlled by the Uzbekistan Football Federation, the governing body for football in Uzbekistan...	U-20 team	AFC

External links

• UEFA Under-21 website Contains full results archive
• The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U-21/U-23 Championships.