UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Organising body	UEFA
Founded	1978; 45 years ago (1978)
Region	Europe
Number of teams	55 (total) 16 (finals)
Current champions	Germany (3rd title)
Most successful team(s)	Italy  Spain (5 titles each)
Website	Official website
2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

The UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the UEFA Under-21 Championship or simply the Euro Under-21, is a biennial football competition contested by the European men's under-21 national teams of the UEFA member associations. Since 1992, the competition also serves as the UEFA qualification tournament for the Summer Olympics.

Italy and Spain are the most successful teams in this competition, having won five titles each.

Germany are the current champions.

History

Trophy of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship

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 1973. The tournament ran parallel to already existing main UEFA youth tournament that existed after the World War II (today the under-19 competitions). Around 1980, the UEFA has been reforming its junior squad competitions and reorganized them based on age limit only.

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 2023, players need to be born in or after 2000. Many can be actually 23 years old by the time the finals tournament takes place; however, when the qualification process began (2021) all players would have been 21 or under.

Under-21 matches were typically played on the day before senior internationals and where possible, the same qualifying groups and fixtures were played out. This has changed since shortened 2006-2007 Championship.

This tournament serves as qualifier for the Summer Olympics since the 1992 tournament. It has been considered a stepping stone toward the senior team and reducing a political discourse that existed before around the Olympic Games about players' employment status outside of sports. Players such as 2014 World Cup winner Mesut Özil, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Luís Figo, Petr Čech, 2010 World Cup winner Iker Casillas, 2006 World Cup winners Francesco Totti, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Alberto Gilardino and Andrea Pirlo, and Euro 2004 winner Georgios Karagounis began their international careers in the youth teams.

Germany are the reigning champions, defeating Portugal 1–0 in the 2021 final. The finals of the 2021 competition were hosted by Hungary and Slovenia.

Format

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, third-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, Greece and England, 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 nine winners and seven 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 third-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, Netherlands 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.

From 2009 to 2015, ten qualification groups were used, with the group winners and four best runners-up going into the two-legged playoffs.

The 2015 finals was to be the last eight teams edition, as UEFA expanded the tournament to twelve teams starting from the 2017 edition.^[1]

On 6 February 2019, UEFA's Executive Committee increased the number of participants in the finals to sixteen teams, starting from the 2021 edition.^[2]

Results

Under-23 championships

Held only three times before it was relabelled by UEFA.

Year	Hosts		Final				Losing semi-finalists			Number of teams
			Winner	Score	Runner-up
1972	Home-and-away basis		Czechoslovakia	2–2 / 3–1 5–3 on aggregate	Soviet Union		Bulgaria and  Greece			8 (23)
1974	Home-and-away basis		Hungary	2–3 / 4–0 6–3 on aggregate	East Germany		Poland and  Soviet Union			8 (21)
1976	Home-and-away basis		Soviet Union	1–1 / 2–1 3–2 on aggregate	Hungary		Netherlands and  Yugoslavia			8 (23)

Under-21 championships

Year	Hosts		Final				Losing semi-finalists (or third place match)			Number of teams
			Winner	Score	Runner-up
1978	Home-and-away basis		Yugoslavia	1–0 / 4–4 5–4 on aggregate	East Germany		Bulgaria and  England			8 (24)
1980	Home-and-away basis		Soviet Union	0–0 / 1–0 1–0 on aggregate	East Germany		England and  Yugoslavia			8 (25)
1982	Home-and-away basis		England	3–1 / 2–3 5–4 on aggregate	West Germany		Scotland and  Soviet Union			8 (26)
1984	Home-and-away basis		England	1–0 / 2–0 3–0 on aggregate	Spain		Italy and  Yugoslavia			8 (30)
1986	Home-and-away basis		Spain	1–2 / 2–1 3–3 on aggregate (3–0 p)	Italy		England and  Hungary			8 (29)
1988	Home-and-away basis		France	0–0 / 3–0 3–0 on aggregate	Greece		England and  Netherlands			8 (30)
1990	Home-and-away basis		Soviet Union	4–2 / 3–1 7–3 on aggregate	Yugoslavia		Italy and  Sweden			8 (30)
1992	Home-and-away basis		Italy	2–0 / 0–1 2–1 on aggregate	Sweden		Denmark and  Scotland			8 (32)
1994	France		Italy	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Portugal		Spain	2–1	France	8 (32)
1996	Spain		Italy	1–1 (4–2 p)	Spain		France	1–0	Scotland	8 (44)
1998	Romania		Spain	1–0	Greece		Norway	2–0	Netherlands	8 (46)
2000	Slovakia		Italy	2–1	Czech Republic		Spain	1–0	Slovakia	8 (47)
2002	Switzerland		Czech Republic	0–0 (3–1 p)	France		Italy and  Switzerland			8 (47)
2004	Germany		Italy	3–0	Serbia and Montenegro		Portugal	3–2 (a.e.t.)	Sweden	8 (48)
2006	Portugal		Netherlands	3–0	Ukraine		France and  Serbia and Montenegro			8 (51)
2007	Netherlands		Netherlands	4–1	Serbia		Belgium and  England			8 (51)
2009	Sweden		Germany	4–0	England		Italy and  Sweden			8 (52)
2011	Denmark		Spain	2–0	Switzerland		Belarus	1–0	Czech Republic	8 (53)
2013	Israel		Spain	4–2	Italy		Netherlands and  Norway			8 (53)
2015	Czech Republic		Sweden	0–0 (4–3 p)	Portugal		Denmark and  Germany			8 (53)
2017	Poland		Germany	1–0	Spain		England and  Italy			12 (53)
2019	Italy		Spain	2–1	Germany		France and  Romania			12 (55)
2021	Hungary  Slovenia		Germany	1–0	Portugal		Netherlands and  Spain			16 (55)
2023	Romania  Georgia									16 (54)
2025	Slovakia									16 (54)

Performances by countries

Team	Winners	Runners-up
Spain	5 (1986, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2019)	3 (1984, 1996, 2017)
Italy	5 (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)	2 (1986, 2013)
Germany[a]	3 (2009, 2017, 2021)	2 (1982, 2019)
England	2 (1982, 1984)	1 (2009)
Russia[b]	2 (1980, 1990)
Netherlands	2 (2006, 2007)
Serbia[c]	1 (1978)	3 (1990, 2004, 2007)
France	1 (1988)	1 (2002)
Czech Republic	1 (2002)	1 (2000)
Sweden	1 (2015)	1 (1992)
Portugal		3 (1994, 2015, 2021)
East Germany		2 (1978, 1980)
Greece		2 (1988, 1998)
Ukraine		1 (2006)
Switzerland		1 (2011)

Comprehensive team results by tournament

Legend

Teams	1978	1980	1982	1984	1986	1988	1990	1992	1994	1996	1998	2000	2002	2004	2006	2007	2009	2011	2013	2015	2017	2019	2021	2023	2025	Total
Albania	×	×	×	QF	•	•	•	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		1
Austria	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•		1
Belarus	Part of USSR								×	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	3rd	•	•	•	•	•	•		3
Belgium	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	SF	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	q		4
Bulgaria	SF	•	•	•	•	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		2
Croatia	Part of Yugoslavia							×	×	•	•	GS	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	QF	q		5
Czech Republic4	QF	QF	•	•	•	QF	QF	QF	QF	QF	•	2nd	1st	•	•	GS	•	4th	•	GS	GS	•	GS	q		15
Denmark	QF	•	•	•	QF	•	•	SF	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	SF	GS	GS	QF	•		9
East Germany	2nd	2nd	•	•	•	•	•	Part of Germany																		2
England	SF	SF	1st	1st	SF	SF	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•	SF	2nd	GS	GS	GS	SF	GS	GS	q		17
Finland	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		1
France	•	•	QF	QF	QF	1st	•	•	4th	3rd	•	•	2nd	•	SF	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	QF	q		11
Georgia	Part of USSR							×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	q		1
Germany2	×	×	2nd	•	•	•	QF	QF	•	QF	QF	•	•	GS	GS	•	1st	•	GS	SF	1st	2nd	1st	q		14
Greece	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	QF	•	2nd	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		4
Hungary	QF	QF	•	•	SF	•	•	•	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•		5
Iceland	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	GS	•		2
Israel	Member of OFC								•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	q		3
Italy	QF	QF	QF	SF	2nd	QF	SF	1st	1st	1st	•	1st	SF	1st	GS	GS	SF	•	2nd	GS	SF	GS	QF	q		22
Netherlands	×	•	•	•	•	SF	•	QF	•	•	4th	GS	•	•	1st	1st	•	•	SF	•	•	•	SF	q		9
North Macedonia	Part of Yugoslavia							×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•		1
Norway	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3rd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	•	•	•	•	q		3
Poland	•	•	QF	QF	QF	•	•	QF	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•		7
Portugal	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	QF	•	•	GS	3rd	GS	GS	•	•	•	2nd	GS	•	2nd	q		10
Romania	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	GS	q		4
Russia3	•	1st	SF	•	•	•	1st	•	QF	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	×	×	7
Scotland	•	QF	SF	QF	•	QF	•	SF	•	4th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		6
Serbia1	1st	SF	•	SF	•	•	2nd	•	×	×	•	•	•	2nd	SF	2nd	GS	•	•	GS	GS	GS	•	•		11
Slovakia	Part of Czechoslovakia									•	•	4th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	q	3
Slovenia	Part of Yugoslavia							×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•		1
Spain	•	•	QF	2nd	1st	QF	QF	•	3rd	2nd	1st	3rd	•	•	•	•	GS	1st	1st	•	2nd	1st	SF	q		16
Sweden	•	•	•	•	QF	•	SF	2nd	•	•	QF	•	•	4th	•	•	SF	•	•	1st	GS	•	•	•		8
Switzerland	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	GS	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	•	•	GS	q		5
Turkey	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		1
Ukraine	Part of USSR								×	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	q		3
Total	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	12	12	16	16	16

Notes

• ¹ Includes results representing Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro
• ² Includes results representing West Germany
• ³ Includes results representing Soviet Union and CIS
• ⁴ Includes results representing Czechoslovakia

Awards

Player of the Tournament

The Golden Player award is awarded to the player who plays the most outstanding football during the tournament. Since 2013 an official Player of the Tournament has been selected by the UEFA Technical Team.^[3]

Edition	Golden Player	Ref.
1978	Vahid Halilhodžić	[4]
1980	Anatoliy Demyanenko	[5]
1982	Rudi Völler	[6]
1984	Mark Hateley	[7]
1986	Manolo Sanchís	[8]
1988	Laurent Blanc	[9]
1990	Davor Šuker	[10]
1992	Renato Buso	[11]
1994 France	Luís Figo	[12]
1996 Spain	Fabio Cannavaro	[13]
1998 Romania	Francesc Arnau	[14]
2000 Slovakia	Andrea Pirlo	[15]
2002 Switzerland	Petr Čech	[16]
2004 Germany	Alberto Gilardino	[17]
2006 Portugal	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar	[18]
2007 Netherlands	Royston Drenthe	[19]
2009 Sweden	Marcus Berg	[20]
2011 Denmark	Juan Mata	[21]
2013 Israel	Thiago	[22]
2015 Czech Republic	William Carvalho	[23]
2017 Poland	Dani Ceballos	[24]
2019 Italy	Fabián	[25]
2021 Hungary–Slovenia	Fábio Vieira	[26]

Golden Boot

The UEFA European Under-21 Championship adidas Golden Boot award will be handed to the player who scores the most goals during the tournament. Since the 2013 tournament, those who finish as runners-up in the vote receive the Silver Boot and Bronze Boot awards as the second and third top goalscorer players in the tournament respectively.

Tournament	Golden Boot	Goals	Silver Boot	Goals	Bronze Boot	Goals	Ref.
2000 Slovakia	Andrea Pirlo	3					[27]
2002 Switzerland	Massimo Maccarone	3					[27]
2004 Germany	Alberto Gilardino	4					[27]
2006 Portugal	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar	4					[27]
2007 Netherlands	Maceo Rigters	4					[27]
2009 Sweden	Marcus Berg	7					[27]
2011 Denmark	Adrián	5					[27]
2013 Israel	Álvaro Morata	4	Thiago	3	Isco	3	[28]
2015 Czech Republic	Jan Kliment	3	Kevin Volland	2	John Guidetti	2	[27]
2017 Poland	Saúl	5	Marco Asensio	3	Bruma	3	[29]
2019 Italy	Luca Waldschmidt	7	George Pușcaș	4	Marco Richter	3	[30]
2021 Hungary–Slovenia	Lukas Nmecha	4	Patrick Cutrone	3	Dany Mota	3	[31]

EURO Under-21 dream team

On 17 June 2015, UEFA revealed an all-time best XI from the previous Under-21 final tournaments.^[32]

Goalkeeper	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
Manuel Neuer	Branislav Ivanović Mats Hummels Alessandro Nesta Giorgio Chiellini	Frank Lampard Andrea Pirlo Xavi Mesut Özil	Francesco Totti Raúl