Greece national under-21 football team

Last updated

Greece Under-21
Greece National Football Team.svg
Nickname(s) Εθνική Ελπίδων
("National team of Hopes")
Association Hellenic Football Federation
Head coach Nikos Papadopoulos
Captain Konstantinos Tzolakis
Most caps Giorgos Karagounis (39)
Top scorer Nikos Liberopoulos &
Lampros Choutos (15)
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First colours
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Second colours
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Third colours
Biggest win
Flag of Greece.svg Greece 6–0 Luxembourg Flag of Luxembourg.svg
(Greece; 1993)
Flag of Greece.svg Greece 6–0 Latvia Flag of Latvia.svg
(Greece; 1999)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Hungary.svg Hungary 7–0 Greece Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg
(Hungary; 1976)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances4 (first in 1988 )
Best resultRunners-up, 1988, 1998
Greece U-21 team on 5 September 2011 Greece U-21-national football team 2011-09-05 (01).jpg
Greece U-21 team on 5 September 2011

The Greece national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Greece and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.

Contents

The under-21 competition rules stipulate that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two-year competition, so technically it is up to an U-23 competition. To be eligible for the Greece National Team, all the football players must hold Hellenic (Greek) nationality and comply with the provisions of Article 15 of the regulations governing the Application of FIFA Statutes. A list of 35 football players must be submitted to the UEFA administration 30 days before the European Under-21 Football Championship opening match. Only 22 of the 35 players listed are authorised to take part in the final tournament and 3 of them must be goalkeepers.

As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to play for the U-21s, senior side and again for the U-21s, as Sotiris Ninis has done recently. It is also possible to play more than one country at youth level or different at youth level and different at senior level (provided the player is eligible). But a football player can represent only the senior national team that capped him first.

Also in existence are national teams for Under-20s (for non-UEFA tournaments), Under-19s and Under-17s. Greece also has a women's national team.

History

The first time that Greece's national team of hopes were formed was in 1968, with the aim of participating in the first Balkan Youth Championship that took place at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki.

In their maiden match she played with the corresponding team in Turkey; the match ended in a goalless draw.

The first eleven were the following: Tourkomenis, B. Intzoglou (59' Dimitriou), Chaliambalias, Kyriazis, Athanasopoulos, Karafeskos, Filakouris, Sarafis (46' Stoligas), K. Papaioannou, Koudas, Kritikopoulos (70' Alexiadis).

In the following years, Greece won twice the Balkan Youth Championship (1969 and 1971), and they fought twice (1988 and 1998) in the final of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Competition Record

As of 23 September 2022

CompetitionPldWDL
UEFA U-21 Championship 2391094585

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Record

YearPosition
1978 Did not qualify
1980 Did not qualify
1982 Did not qualify
1984 Did not qualify
1986 Did not qualify
1988 Silver medal icon.svg
1990 Did not qualify
1992 Did not qualify
Flag of France.svg 1994 Quarter finalist
Flag of Spain.svg 1996 Did not qualify
Flag of Romania.svg 1998 Silver medal icon.svg
Flag of Slovakia.svg 2000 Play-Off for Final Tournament
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2002 Quarter finalist
Flag of Germany.svg 2004 Did not qualify
Flag of Portugal.svg 2006 Did not qualify
Flag of the Netherlands.svg 2007 Did not qualify
Flag of Sweden.svg 2009 Did not qualify
Flag of Denmark.svg 2011 Play-Off for Final Tournament
Flag of Israel.svg 2013 Did not qualify
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg 2015 Did not qualify
Flag of Poland.svg 2017 Did not qualify
Flag of Italy.svg Flag of San Marino.svg 2019 Play-Off for Final Tournament
Flag of Hungary.svg Flag of Slovenia.svg 2021 Did not qualify
Flag of Romania.svg Flag of Georgia.svg 2023 Did not qualify
Flag of Slovakia.svg 2025 To be determined
Total4/23

Honours

Gold medal icon.svg Winners (2): 1969, 1971
Bronze medal icon.svg Third place (2):, 2015, 2018

Results and schedule

The following is a list of match results from the previous 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2023

28 March 2023 (2023-03-28) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Greece  Flag of Greece.svg1–1Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus Athens, Greece
16:00 (17:00 EEST)
  • Tzolis Soccerball shade.svg11'
Report
Stadium: Leoforos Alexandras Stadium
Attendance: 150
Referee: Sigurd Kringstad (Norway)
12 September 2023 (2023-09-12) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Andorra  Flag of Andorra.svg0–1Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Andorra la Vella, Andorra
18:00 Report
Stadium: Estadi Nacional
Attendance: 506
Referee: Jamie Robinson (Northern Ireland)
13 October 2023 (2023-10-13) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Greece  Flag of Greece.svg2–2Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia Tripoli, Greece
17:00
Report Stadium: Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium
Attendance: 1,250
Referee: Tom Owen (Wales)
17 October 2023 (2023-10-17) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Portugal  Flag of Portugal.svg2–0Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Guimarães, Portugal
20:00 (19:00 WEST)
Report Stadium: Estádio D. Afonso Henriques
Attendance: 2,231
16 November 2023 (2023-11-16) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Greece  Flag of Greece.svg3–0Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands Tripoli, Greece
15:00 (16:00 EEST)
Report Stadium: Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium
Attendance: 250
Referee: Mervan Bejtullahu (Kosovo)
21 November 2023 (2023-11-21) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Greece  Flag of Greece.svg2–1Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal Tripoli, Greece
15:00 (16:00 EEST)
Report Stadium: Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium
Attendance: 500
Referee: Nikola Popov (Bulgaria)

2024

22 March 2024 (2024-03-22) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G Belarus  Flag of Belarus.svg1–0Flag of Greece.svg  Greece Armavir, Armenia
15:30 (13:30 EEST)
Report Stadium: Armavir City Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: Marian Barbu (Romania)

Euro 2025 Under-21 Championship qualification

2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualificationFlag of Portugal.svgFlag of Greece.svgFlag of Croatia.svgFlag of the Faroe Islands.svgFlag of Belarus.svgFlag of Andorra.svg
1Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 7601264+2218 Final tournament 2–0 5–1 4–0 6–1 3–0
2Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 8422107+314 Play-offs 2–1 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–0
3Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 6411139+413 10 Sep '24 15 Oct '24 5 Sep '24 2–0 11 Oct '24
4Flag of the Faroe Islands.svg  Faroe Islands 621381577 11 Oct '24 10 Sep '24 2–4 15 Oct '24 2–2
5Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus (E)9135619136 0–5 1–0 0–1 2–3 0–0
6Flag of Andorra.svg  Andorra (E)803531293 15 Oct '24 0–1 0–3 0–1 1–1
Updated to match(es) played on 26 March 2024. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated

Coaching staff

Managers

The following table provides a summary of the complete record of each Greece team manager including their results regarding European Under-21 Championship.

Giannis Goumas was the most recent U-21 Greece national team manager Goumas 2008.jpg
Giannis Goumas was the most recent U-21 Greece national team manager
Key: Pld–games played, W–games won, D–games drawn; L–games lost, %–win percentage
ManagerGreece tenurePldWDLWin %Major competitions
Flag of Greece.svg Stelios Aposporis 2004–200718918050.0 Symbol delete vote.svg 2006 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Symbol delete vote.svg 2007 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Flag of Greece.svg Nikos Nioplias 2007–200919955047.4 Symbol delete vote.svg 2009 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Flag of Greece.svg Georgios Georgiadis 2010–2012191027052.6 Symbol delete vote.svg 2011 European Championship  – Play-offs
Symbol delete vote.svg 2013 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Flag of Greece.svg Kostas Tsanas 2012–201518927050.0 Symbol delete vote.svg 2015 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Flag of Greece.svg Michalis Iordanidis 20151100100.0
Flag of Greece.svg Antonis Nikopolidis 2015–20193316512048.5 Symbol delete vote.svg 2017 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Symbol delete vote.svg 2019 European Championship  – Play-offs
Flag of Greece.svg Giannis Goumas 2019–202112426033.3 Symbol delete vote.svg 2021 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Flag of Greece.svg Georgios Simos 2021–202210523050.0 Symbol delete vote.svg 2023 European Championship  – Failed to qualify
Flag of Greece.svg Nikos Papadopoulos 2022–1100100.0
Totals

Last updated: 23 September 2022. Statistics include official FIFA-recognised matches only.

Players

Current squad

As of 26 March 2024

The following players were called for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus on 22 March 2024 and Flag of Andorra.svg  Andorra on 26 March 2024. [1]

Names in italics denote players who have been capped for the senior team.

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClub
11 GK Konstantinos Tzolakis (captain) (2002-11-08) 8 November 2002 (age 21)210 Flag of Greece.svg Olympiacos
121 GK Konstantinos Balomenos (2002-03-11) 11 March 2002 (age 22)20 Flag of Greece.svg PAOK B
131 GK Nikolaos Grammatikakis (2003-05-26) 26 May 2003 (age 20)00 Flag of Greece.svg Asteras Tripolis

32 DF Vangelis Keramidas (2002-09-12) 12 September 2002 (age 21)00 Flag of Greece.svg Olympiacos B
42 DF Panagiotis Panagiotou (2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 22)80 Flag of Greece.svg PAOK B
52 DF Apostolos Konstantopoulos (2002-08-02) 2 August 2002 (age 21)110 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Beerschot
192 DF Alexis Kalogeropoulos (2004-07-26) 26 July 2004 (age 19)10 Flag of Greece.svg Volos
202 DF Konstantinos Chrysopoulos (2003-05-21) 21 May 2003 (age 20)40 Flag of Greece.svg AEK
222 DF Argyris Darelas (2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 (age 20)70 Flag of Greece.svg PAOK B
232 DF Apostolos Apostolopoulos (2002-12-11) 11 December 2002 (age 21)30 Flag of Greece.svg Olympiacos B
2 DF Fotis Kitsos (2003-03-31) 31 March 2003 (age 20)120 Flag of Greece.svg Volos
2 DF Nikolaos Kanellopoulos (2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 21)00 Flag of Greece.svg AEK B

23 MF Thanasis Karamanis (2003-10-14) 14 October 2003 (age 20)20 Flag of Greece.svg Atromitos
63 MF Dimitrios Metaxas (2003-12-16) 16 December 2003 (age 20)90 Flag of Finland.svg AC Oulu
83 MF Christos Kourfalidis (2002-11-11) 11 November 2002 (age 21)110 Flag of Italy.svg Feralpisalò
103 MF Vasilios Sourlis (2002-11-16) 16 November 2002 (age 21)183 Flag of Greece.svg Asteras Tripolis
113 MF Nikos Zouglis (2003-11-14) 14 November 2003 (age 20)71 Flag of Greece.svg Asteras Tripolis
143 MF Marios Sofianos (2003-11-24) 24 November 2003 (age 20)30 Flag of Greece.svg Panserraikos
163 MF Michalis Panagidis (2004-02-11) 11 February 2004 (age 20)41 Flag of Greece.svg Aris Thessaloniki
173 MF Titos Koutentakis (2003-08-22) 22 August 2003 (age 20)00 Flag of Greece.svg OFI
183 MF Giannis Apostolakis (2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 (age 19)20 Flag of Greece.svg OFI
213 MF Christos Kryparakos (2003-06-12) 12 June 2003 (age 20)100 Flag of Greece.svg Panathinaikos B
3 MF Christos Belevonis (2002-07-29) 29 July 2002 (age 21)60 Flag of Greece.svg Panetolikos

74 FW Stefanos Tzimas (2006-01-06) 6 January 2006 (age 18)20 Flag of Greece.svg PAOK
94 FW Michalis Kosidis (2002-02-09) 9 February 2002 (age 22)102 Flag of the Netherlands.svg VVV-Venlo
4 FW Giannis Niarchos (2002-06-26) 26 June 2002 (age 21)70 Flag of Slovakia.svg Zemplín Michalovce

Former squads

See also

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References

  1. "Εθνική Ελπίδων: η αποστολή για Λευκορωσία και Ανδόρα". epo.gr. Retrieved 13 March 2024.