UEFA European Under-21 Championship facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Organising body	UEFA
Founded	1978; 46 years ago (1978)
Region	Europe
Number of teams	55 (total) 16 (finals)
Current champions	England (3rd title)
Most successful team(s)	Italy  Spain (5 titles each)
Website	Official website: https://www.uefa.com/under21/

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. England are the current champions, having beaten Spain 1–0 in the 2023 final.

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. From the teams that applied for participation, two teams were selected by lot. These teams in the match between themselves revealed the winner of the main trophy. The winner was obliged to play with those teams that called him to the next meeting. These matches were initially held no more than once every three months, starting from the fourth tournament - in spring and autumn. In the event that several teams challenged the winner, the order of opponents was determined by lot. The cup holder was allowed to play games at home. Only two teams held that trophy: Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. In 1970, the tournament was replaced by the European Youth Championship.

A true Under-23 championship was then formed, starting in 1973. The tournament ran parallel to the existing main UEFA youth tournament that existed after the World War II (today the under-19 competitions). Around 1980, the UEFA reformed 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 2025, players must be born in 2002 or later. Many may actually be 23 years old by the time of the final tournament; however, when the qualification process began (2023), 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 the 2006 edition.

The tournament's record attendance was set during the knockout stage of the 2023 edition, when 44,338 spectators gathered for the match between hosts Georgia and Israel.

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.

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

Results

Edition	Year	Hosts		Final				Losing semi-finalists			Number of teams
				Winner	Score	Runner-up
1972–1976: Under-23 championships
1	1972	Home-and-away basis	Czechoslovakia	2–2 / 3–1 5–3 on aggregate	Soviet Union	Bulgaria and  Greece			8 (23)
2	1974	Home-and-away basis	Hungary	2–3 / 4–0 6–3 on aggregate	East Germany	Poland and  Soviet Union			8 (21)
3	1976	Home-and-away basis	Soviet Union	1–1 / 2–1 3–2 on aggregate	Hungary	Netherlands and  Yugoslavia			8 (23)
Since 1978: Under-21 championships
Edition	Year	Hosts		Final				Losing semi-finalists (or third place match)			Number of teams
				Winner	Score	Runner-up
1	1978	Home-and-away basis		Yugoslavia	1–0 / 4–4 5–4 on aggregate	East Germany		Bulgaria and  England			8 (24)
2	1980	Home-and-away basis		Soviet Union	0–0 / 1–0 1–0 on aggregate	East Germany		England and  Yugoslavia			8 (25)
3	1982	Home-and-away basis		England	3–1 / 2–3 5–4 on aggregate	West Germany		Scotland and  Soviet Union			8 (26)
4	1984	Home-and-away basis		England	1–0 / 2–0 3–0 on aggregate	Spain		Italy and  Yugoslavia			8 (30)
5	1986	Home-and-away basis		Spain	1–2 / 2–1 3–3 on aggregate (3–0 p)	Italy		England and  Hungary			8 (29)
6	1988	Home-and-away basis		France	0–0 / 3–0 3–0 on aggregate	Greece		England and  Netherlands			8 (30)
7	1990	Home-and-away basis		Soviet Union	4–2 / 3–1 7–3 on aggregate	Yugoslavia		Italy and  Sweden			8 (30)
8	1992	Home-and-away basis		Italy	2–0 / 0–1 2–1 on aggregate	Sweden		Denmark and  Scotland			8 (32)
9	1994	France		Italy	1–0 (aet)	Portugal		Spain	2–1	France	8 (32)
10	1996	Spain		Italy	1–1 (4–2 p)	Spain		France	1–0	Scotland	8 (44)
11	1998	Romania		Spain	1–0	Greece		Norway	2–0	Netherlands	8 (46)
12	2000	Slovakia		Italy	2–1	Czech Republic		Spain	1–0	Slovakia	8 (47)
13	2002	Switzerland		Czech Republic	0–0 (3–1 p)	France		Italy and  Switzerland			8 (47)
14	2004	Germany		Italy	3–0	Serbia and Montenegro		Portugal	3–2 (aet)	Sweden	8 (48)
15	2006	Portugal		Netherlands	3–0	Ukraine		France and  Serbia and Montenegro			8 (51)
16	2007	Netherlands		Netherlands	4–1	Serbia		Belgium and  England			8 (51)
17	2009	Sweden		Germany	4–0	England		Italy and  Sweden			8 (52)
18	2011	Denmark		Spain	2–0	Switzerland		Belarus	1–0	Czech Republic	8 (53)
19	2013	Israel		Spain	4–2	Italy		Netherlands and  Norway			8 (53)
20	2015	Czech Republic		Sweden	0–0 (4–3 p)	Portugal		Denmark and  Germany			8 (53)
21	2017	Poland		Germany	1–0	Spain		England and  Italy			12 (53)
22	2019	Italy		Spain	2–1	Germany		France and  Romania			12 (55)
23	2021	Hungary  Slovenia		Germany	1–0	Portugal		Netherlands and  Spain			16 (55)
24	2023	Romania  Georgia		England	1–0	Spain		Israel and  Ukraine			16 (54)
25	2025	Slovakia									16 (53)

Performances by countries

Team	Winners	Runners-up	Third place
Spain	5 (1986, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2019)	4 (1984, 1996, 2017, 2023)	2 (1994, 2000)
Italy	5 (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)	2 (1986, 2013)
Germany	3 (2009, 2017, 2021)	2 (1982, 2019)
England	3 (1982, 1984, 2023)	1 (2009)
Russia	2 (1980, 1990)
Netherlands	2 (2006, 2007)
Serbia	1 (1978)	3 (1990, 2004, 2007)
France	1 (1988)	1 (2002)	1 (1996)
Czech Republic	1 (2002)	1 (2000)
Sweden	1 (2015)	1 (1992)
Portugal		3 (1994, 2015, 2021)	1 (2004)
East Germany		2 (1978, 1980)
Greece		2 (1988, 1998)
Ukraine		1 (2006)
Switzerland		1 (2011)
Norway			1 (1998)
Belarus			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	•	GS		4
Bulgaria	SF	•	•	•	•	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		2
Croatia	Part of Yugoslavia							×	×	•	•	GS	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	QF	GS		5
Czech Republic1	QF	QF	•	•	•	QF	QF	QF	QF	QF	•	2nd	1st	•	•	GS	•	4th	•	GS	GS	•	GS	GS		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	1st		17
Finland	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		1
France	•	•	QF	QF	QF	1st	•	•	4th	3rd	•	•	2nd	•	SF	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	QF	QF		11
Georgia	Part of USSR							×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	QF		1
Germany2	×	×	2nd	•	•	•	QF	QF	•	QF	QF	•	•	GS	GS	•	1st	•	GS	SF	1st	2nd	1st	GS		14
Greece	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	QF	•	2nd	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		4
Hungary	QF	QF	•	•	SF	•	•	•	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•		5
Iceland	×	×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	GS	•		2
Israel	Member of OFC								•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	SF	•	3
Italy	QF	QF	QF	SF	2nd	QF	SF	1st	1st	1st	•	1st	SF	1st	GS	GS	SF	•	2nd	GS	SF	GS	QF	GS		22
Netherlands	×	•	•	•	•	SF	•	QF	•	•	4th	GS	•	•	1st	1st	•	•	SF	•	•	•	SF	GS		9
Macedonia	Part of Yugoslavia							×	×	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•		1
Norway	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	3rd	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	•	•	•	•	GS		3
Poland	•	•	QF	QF	QF	•	•	QF	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	GS	•	•		7
Portugal	•	•	×	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	QF	•	•	GS	3rd	GS	GS	•	•	•	2nd	GS	•	2nd	QF		10
Romania	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	GS	GS		4
Russia3	•	1st	SF	•	•	•	1st	•	QF	•	QF	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	GS	×	×	7
Scotland	•	QF	SF	QF	•	QF	•	SF	•	4th	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		6
Serbia4	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	2nd		16
Sweden	•	•	•	•	QF	•	SF	2nd	•	•	QF	•	•	4th	•	•	SF	•	•	1st	GS	•	•	•		8
Switzerland	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	SF	GS	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	•	•	GS	QF		5
Turkey	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•		1
Ukraine	Part of USSR								×	•	•	•	•	•	2nd	•	•	GS	•	•	•	•	•	SF		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

Awards

Player of the Tournament

The Player of the Tournament award, formerly known as the Golden Player, 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.

Year	Golden Player	Ref.
1978	Vahid Halilhodžić
1980	Anatoliy Demyanenko
1982	Rudi Völler
1984	Mark Hateley
1986	Manolo Sanchís
1988	Laurent Blanc
1990	Davor Šuker
1992	Renato Buso
1994	Luís Figo
1996	Fabio Cannavaro
1998	Francesc Arnau
2000	Andrea Pirlo
2002	Petr Čech
2004	Alberto Gilardino
2006	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
2007	Royston Drenthe
2009	Marcus Berg
2011	Juan Mata
2013	Thiago
2015	William Carvalho
2017	Dani Ceballos
2019	Fabián
2021	Fábio Vieira
2023	Anthony Gordon

Top Scorer

The UEFA European Under-21 Championship Top Scorer award, formerly known as the Golden Boot, is 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 goalscorers in the tournament, respectively.

Year	First place	Goals	Second place	Goals	Third place	Goals	Ref.
2000	Andrea Pirlo	3
2002	Massimo Maccarone	3
2004	Alberto Gilardino	4
2006	Klaas-Jan Huntelaar	4
2007	Maceo Rigters	4
2009	Marcus Berg	7
2011	Adrián	5
2013	Álvaro Morata	4	Thiago	3	Isco	3
2015	Jan Kliment	3	Kevin Volland	2	John Guidetti	2
2017	Saúl	5	Marco Asensio	3	Bruma	3
2019	Luca Waldschmidt	7	George Pușcaș	4	Marco Richter	3
2021	Lukas Nmecha	4	Patrick Cutrone	3	Dany Mota	3
2023	Sergio Gómez Abel Ruiz Heorhiy Sudakov	3

Euro Under-21 dream team

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

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

See also

In Spanish: Eurocopa Sub-21 para niños

• UEFA European Championship
• UEFA European Under-19 Championship
• UEFA European Under-17 Championship