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Italy national under-21 football team facts for kids

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Italy Under-21
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Gli Azzurrini
(The Little Blues)
Association Italian Football Federation
(Federazion Italia Giuoco Calcio – FIGC)
Head coach Carmine Nunziata
Captain Lorenzo Pirola
Most caps Andrea Pirlo (46)
Top scorer Alberto Gilardino (19)
First colours
Second colours
First international
U-23: Italy Italy 3–1 Austria Austria
(Varese, Italy; 1 November 1970)
U-21: Portugal Portugal 1–0 Italy Italy
(Funchal, Italy; 23 December 1976)
Biggest win
Italy Italy 7–0 Estonia Estonia
(Catanzaro, Italy; 23 March 1995)
Italy Italy 8–1 Wales Wales
(Pavia, Italy; 5 September 2003)
Italy Italy 7–0 Liechtenstein Liechtenstein
(Casarano, Italy; 6 September 2012)
San Marino San Marino 0–7 Italy Italy
(Serravale, San Marino; 16 November 2023)
Italy Italy 7–0 San Marino San Marino
(Latina, Italy; 5 September 2024)
Biggest defeat
Norway Norway 6–0 Italy Italy
(Stavanger, Norway; 5 June 1991)
Records for competitive
matches only.
Olympic Games
Appearances 5 (first in 1992)
Best result Bronze medal.svg Bronze medallist (2004)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances 22 (first in 1978)
Best result Champions (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Medal record
Italy national under-21 football team
Medal record
Men's Football
Bronze 2004 Athens Team

The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.

The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, held every two years. Italy (along with Spain) is the most successful nation in the history of the competition, with five Championships won (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2004). Italy has also been twice runner-up of the competition, in 1986 and 2013.

From 1990 to 2004 the team established near-total dominance of European Under-21 football, winning five of the seven tournaments.

Italy's Under-21s played the first match at the new Wembley Stadium, on 24 March 2007, against England Under-21s. The game resulted in a 3–3 draw, with Giampaolo Pazzini scoring all 3 goals for the Azzurrini.

Prior to the 2008 Olympic games, Italy U-21s went on to win the 2008 Toulon Tournament by beating Chile (1–0) in the final. It was the first time they had won this tournament, previously their best had been runner-up on two occasions.

Honours

  • Winner: 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004
  • Runner-up: 1986, 2013
  • Third place: 2004
  • Mediterranean Games
  • Winner: 1997
  • Maurice Revello Tournament
  • Winner: 2008
  • Third place: 2011, 2024

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Since the under-21 competition rules insist that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two-year competition, technically it is an U-23 competition. For this reason, Italy's record in the preceding U-23 competitions is also shown.

  • 1972: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.
  • 1974: Losing quarter-finalists.
  • 1976: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.

UEFA U-21 Championship Record

Year Round
Europe 1978 Quarter-finals
Europe 1980
Europe 1982
Europe 1984 Semi-finals
Europe 1986 Runners-up
Europe 1988 Quarter-finals
Europe 1990 Semi-finals
Europe 1992 Champions
France 1994
Spain 1996
Romania 1998 Did not qualify
Slovakia 2000 Champions
Switzerland 2002 Semi-finals
Germany 2004 Champions
Portugal 2006 Group stage
Netherlands 2007
Sweden 2009 Semi-finals
Denmark 2011 Did not qualify
Israel 2013 Runners-up
Czech Republic 2015 Group stage
Poland 2017 Semi-finals
Italy 2019 Group stage
Hungary Slovenia 2021 Quarter-finals
Romania Georgia (country) 2023 Group stage
Slovakia 2025 Qualified
Total 22/24
*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Olympics football Record

Main article: Italy national under-23 football team

Since 1992 Olympic football changed to a U-23 event, and the European U-21 teams are technically U-23 teams. European national teams qualify for the Olympic football tournament through the UEFA European U-21 Championship.

  • Before 1992: See Italy national football team
  • 1992: Quarter-finals
  • 1996: Group stage
  • 2000: Quarter-finals
  • 2004: Bronze medal
  • 2008: Quarter-finals
  • 2012: Did not qualify
  • 2016: Did not qualify
  • 2020: Did not qualify
  • 2024: Did not qualify

Overage players in Olympic Games

Tournament Player 1 Player 2 Player 3
1996
 Gianluca Pagliuca (GK) Massimo Crippa (MF) Marco Branca (FW)
2000
 Did not select
2004
 Matteo Ferrari (DF) Andrea Pirlo (MF) Did not select
2008
 Tommaso Rocchi (FW) Did not select

Mediterranean Games Record

Mediterranean Games Football tournament was U-23 event in 1993 and 1997.

  • 1993: 4th place
  • 1997: Winners
  • 2001: a U20 event
  • 2005: filled with B team

Coaches

Coaching staff

Current technical staff:

Position Name
Head coach Italy Carmine Nunziata
Assistant coaches Italy Emanuele Filippini
Italy Matteo Brighi
Goalkeeping coach Italy Fabrizio Ferron
Athletic trainer Italy Vito Azzone
Match analyst Italy Marco Mannucci
Doctors Italy Daniele Mazza
Italy Vincenzo Santoriello
Physiotherapists Italy Nicola Sanna
Italy Emiliano Bozzetti
Osteopath Italy Cristiano Pompili
Head of Delegation Italy Mauro Balata
Secretary Italy Manfredi Martino

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of matches played in the past 12 months and future matches that have been scheduled. Only official matches are listed.

2024

Players

Players born in 2002 or later are eligible for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Players in bold have been already capped with the senior team.

Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendlies against France and Ukraine on 15 and 19 November 2024.

Caps and goals as of 19 November 2024, after the match against Ukraine.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Sebastiano Desplanches (2003-03-11) 11 March 2003 (age 22) 11 0 Italy Palermo
1GK Gioele Zacchi (2003-07-10) 10 July 2003 (age 21) 5 0 Italy Latina
1GK Jacopo Sassi (2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 (age 21) 2 0 Italy Modena
2DF Lorenzo Pirola (captain) (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 23) 20 3 Greece Olympiacos
2DF Mattia Zanotti (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 (age 22) 13 0 Switzerland Lugano
2DF Matteo Ruggeri (2002-07-11) 11 July 2002 (age 22) 12 0 Italy Atalanta
2DF Daniele Ghilardi (2003-01-06) 6 January 2003 (age 22) 11 1 Italy Hellas Verona
2DF Riccardo Turicchia (2003-02-05) 5 February 2003 (age 22) 8 0 Italy Catanzaro
2DF Diego Coppola (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 21) 7 0 Italy Hellas Verona
2DF Nicolò Bertola (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 22) 6 0 Italy Spezia
2DF Giovanni Bonfanti (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 22) 4 0 Italy Pisa
2DF Michael Kayode (2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 20) 4 0 Italy Fiorentina
2DF Gabriele Guarino (2004-04-14) 14 April 2004 (age 21) 1 0 Italy Carrarese
2DF Marco Palestra (2005-03-03) 3 March 2005 (age 20) 1 0 Italy Atalanta
3MF Cher Ndour (2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 (age 20) 15 2 Turkey Beşiktaş
3MF Cesare Casadei (2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 22) 12 3 England Chelsea
3MF Giovanni Fabbian (2003-01-14) 14 January 2003 (age 22) 12 4 Italy Bologna
3MF Fabio Miretti (2003-08-03) 3 August 2003 (age 21) 11 1 Italy Genoa
3MF Matteo Prati (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 21) 10 0 Italy Cagliari
4FW Wilfried Gnonto (2003-11-05) 5 November 2003 (age 21) 12 5 England Leeds United
4FW Francesco Pio Esposito (2005-06-28) 28 June 2005 (age 19) 11 7 Italy Spezia
4FW Cristian Volpato (2003-11-15) 15 November 2003 (age 21) 8 1 Italy Sassuolo
4FW Giuseppe Ambrosino (2003-09-10) 10 September 2003 (age 21) 5 1 Italy Frosinone
4FW Simone Pafundi (2006-03-14) 14 March 2006 (age 19) 1 0 Switzerland Lausanne

Recent call-ups

Following are listed players called up in the previous twelve months who are still eligible to represent the under-21 team.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Filippo Rinaldi (2002-12-04) 4 December 2002 (age 22) 2 0 Italy Feralpisalò 2024 Toulon Tournament
DF Nicolò Savona (2003-03-19) 19 March 2003 (age 22) 3 0 Italy Juventus v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
DF Pietro Comuzzo (2005-02-20) 20 February 2005 (age 20) 0 0 Italy Fiorentina v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
DF Mattia Viti (2002-01-24) 24 January 2002 (age 23) 6 0 Italy Empoli v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2023 PRE
DF Davide Veroli (2003-01-29) 29 January 2003 (age 22) 4 0 Italy Sampdoria v. Norway, 10 September 2024
DF Christian Dalle Mura (2002-02-02) 2 February 2002 (age 23) 3 0 Italy Cosenza 2024 Toulon Tournament
DF Edoardo Pieragnolo (2003-01-03) 3 January 2003 (age 22) 3 0 Italy Sassuolo 2024 Toulon Tournament
DF Alessandro Fontanarosa (2003-02-07) 7 February 2003 (age 22) 1 0 Italy Reggiana 2024 Toulon Tournament
DF Riccardo Calafiori (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 23) 8 0 England Arsenal v. Turkey, 26 March 2024
MF Edoardo Bove (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 23) 14 1 Italy Fiorentina v. France, 15 November 2024 PRE
MF Tommaso Baldanzi (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 22) 6 4 Italy Roma v. France, 15 November 2024 INJ
MF Alessandro Bianco (2002-10-01) 1 October 2002 (age 22) 5 1 Italy Monza v. France, 15 November 2024 PRE
MF Jacopo Fazzini (2003-03-16) 16 March 2003 (age 22) 3 0 Italy Empoli v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
MF Niccolò Pisilli (2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 20) 7 0 Italy Roma v. Norway, 10 September 2024
MF Franco Tongya (2002-03-13) 13 March 2002 (age 23) 5 0 Italy Salernitana v. Norway, 10 September 2024
MF Luis Hasa (2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 (age 21) 3 0 Italy Lecce 2024 Toulon Tournament
MF Federico Zuccon (2004-04-01) 1 April 2004 (age 21) 3 0 Italy Juve Stabia 2024 Toulon Tournament
MF Giacomo Faticanti (2004-07-31) 31 July 2004 (age 20) 2 0 Italy Juventus Next Gen 2024 Toulon Tournament
FW Luca Koleosho (2004-09-15) 15 September 2004 (age 20) 2 0 England Burnley v. France, 15 November 2024 PRE
FW Antonio Raimondo (2004-03-18) 18 March 2004 (age 21) 7 4 Italy Venezia v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
FW Sebastiano Esposito (2002-07-02) 2 July 2002 (age 22) 11 0 Italy Empoli 2024 Toulon Tournament
FW Leonardo Cerri (2003-03-04) 4 March 2003 (age 22) 4 1 Italy Carrarese 2024 Toulon Tournament
FW Seydou Fini (2006-06-02) 2 June 2006 (age 19) 4 1 Netherlands Excelsior 2024 Toulon Tournament
FW Rachid Kouda (2002-07-25) 25 July 2002 (age 22) 1 0 Italy Spezia 2024 Toulon Tournament
FW Lorenzo Colombo (2002-03-08) 8 March 2002 (age 23) 20 4 Italy Empoli v. Turkey, 26 March 2024
FW Gaetano Oristanio (2002-09-28) 28 September 2002 (age 22) 7 0 Italy Venezia v. Turkey, 26 March 2024

INJ Withdrew due to injury
PRE Preliminary squad

Records

Players in bold are still eligible to represent the Under-21 team. Caps and goals with the Olympic team are included.

Most appearances

The following is the top 10 most capped under-21 players:

Rank Player Period Caps Goals
1 Andrea Pirlo 1998–2002 46 16
2 Marco Motta 2005–2009 42 1
3 Francesco Bardi 2011–2015 37 0
4 Matteo Brighi 2000–2004 35 2
5 Daniele Bonera 2001–2004 34 0
6 Matteo Ferrari 1999–2002 33 3
7 Luca Marrone 2009–2013 32 1
Alessandro Rosina 2004–2007 32 4
9 Luca Caldirola 2010–2013 31 1
Marco Donadel 2004–2006 31 1

Top goalscorers

The following is the top 10 under-21 goalscorers:

Rank Player Period Goals Caps Ratio
1 Alberto Gilardino 2000–2004 19 30 0.63
2 Andrea Pirlo 1998–2002 16 46 0.34
3 Manolo Gabbiadini 2010–2013 12 24 0.5
4 Massimo Maccarone 2000–2002 11 15 0.73
Gianluca Vialli 1983–1986 11 20 0.55
Patrick Cutrone 2017–2021 11 25 0.44
7 Cristiano Lucarelli 1996–1997 10 10 1
Robert Acquafresca 2007–2009 10 16 0.62
Christian Vieri 1992–1996 10 19 0.52
10 Gianluca Scamacca 2018–2021 9 15 0.6
Ciro Immobile 2009–2013 9 16 0.56
Andrea Belotti 2013–2015 9 18 0.5
Roberto Mancini 1982–1986 9 26 0.34
Alberto Paloschi 2008–2013 9 29 0.31

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol sub-21 de Italia para niños

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