Nickname(s) | Boys in Green | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Football Association of Ireland (FAI) | ||
Head coach | Jim Crawford | ||
Captain | Joe Hodge | ||
Most caps | Conor Coventry (28) | ||
Top scorer | Robbie Brady (7) Kevin Doyle (7) Sinclair Armstrong (7) | ||
| |||
First international | |||
Rep. Ireland 1–1 Northern Ireland (Dublin; 8 March 1978) | |||
Biggest win | |||
San Marino 0–7 Rep. Ireland (Serravalle, San Marino; 22 March 2024) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Germany 8–0 Rep. Ireland (Baunatal, Germany; 23 March 1993) | |||
UEFA U-21 Championship | |||
Appearances | Have never qualified |
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team is a representative team of Irish football players. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland and represents them at Under-21 level against the national teams of other national associations. The team played its first match in 1978 and has competed in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship since 1988.
As a European under-21 team, the Republic of Ireland participates in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which takes place every two years. There is no Under-21 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup. Ireland did not enter the first five Under-21 Championships, entering for the first time in 1988 but failing to qualify. Ireland have never qualified for the European Under-21 Championships.
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship record | UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification record | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1978 | did not enter | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||
1980 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
1982 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
1984 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
1986 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||||||||
1988 | did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |||||||
1990 | did not enter | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||
1992 | did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | |||||||
1994 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 20 | ||||||||
1996 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | ||||||||
1998 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 7 | ||||||||
2000 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 12 | ||||||||
2002 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | ||||||||
2004 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 | ||||||||
2006 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | ||||||||
2007 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||
2009 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 14 | ||||||||
2011 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 11 | ||||||||
2013 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 10 | ||||||||
2015 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | ||||||||
2017 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 17 | ||||||||
2019 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 15 | ||||||||
2021 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 8 | ||||||||
2023 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 11 | ||||||||
2025 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 12 | ||||||||
Total | – | 144 | 48 | 31 | 65 | 184 | 199 |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Italy | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 4 | +23 | 22 | Final tournament | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 7–0 | |
2 | Norway | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 28 | 11 | +17 | 19 [a] | Play-offs | 0–3 | — | 3–2 | 5–1 | 7–0 | 4–0 | |
3 | Republic of Ireland | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 19 [a] | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | ||
4 | Turkey | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 15 | +6 | 13 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | — | 3–0 | 5–0 | ||
5 | Latvia | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 18 | −8 | 11 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | — | 2–0 | ||
6 | San Marino | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 51 | −50 | 0 | 0–7 | 0–7 | 0–7 | 1–6 | 0–3 | — |
26 March Friendly | Republic of Ireland | 2–1 | Iceland | Cork, Republic of Ireland |
16:00 GMT | Tom Cannon 23' Festy Ebosele 29' Johnny Kenny 82' | Report | Kristall Máni Ingason 14' | Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 6,000 |
13 June Friendly | Republic of Ireland | C–C | Gabon | Austria |
17:00 GMT | Report | |||
Note: Fixture cancelled on 12 June as Gabon elected not to travel to Austria for the fixture. |
16 June Friendly | Ukraine | 2–2 | Republic of Ireland | Bad Blumau, Austria |
17:00 GMT | Artem Bondarenko 16' (pen.) Danylo Sikan 73' (pen.) | Andrew Moran 45+5' Bosun Lawal 82' | Stadium: Union Sport-Club Blumau |
19 June Friendly | Republic of Ireland | 3–0 | Kuwait | Bad Radkersburg, Austria |
16:00 GMT | Ollie O'Neill 5' Conor Carty 7' Aidomo Emakhu 52' | Report | Stadium: Parktherme Arena | |
Note: Fixture abandoned after 70 minutes due to a racist comment by a Kuwait player towards Ireland substitute Sinclair Armstrong. |
8 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland | 3–2 | Turkey | Cork, Republic of Ireland |
19:30 GMT | Andrew Moran 56' Zak Gilsenan 87' (pen.) Aidomo Emakhu 90+6' Sean Roughan 90+9' | Report | Kenan Yıldız 22' (pen.) Cihan Çanak 76' | Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 3,754 Referee: Joonas Jaanovits (Estonia) |
12 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland | 3–0 | San Marino | Cork, Republic of Ireland |
19:30 GMT | Rocco Vata 8' Rocco Vata 45+2' Sinclair Armstrong 66' | Report | Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 3,826 Referee: Antoine Paul Chiaramonti (Andorra) |
13 October UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Latvia | 1–2 | Republic of Ireland | Jelgava, Latvia |
13:00 GMT | Lūkass Vapne 90+2' | Report | Armstrong Oko-Flex 15' Armstrong Oko-Flex 57' | Stadium: Zemgale Olympic Center Attendance: 274 Referee: Oliver Reitala (Finland) |
17 November UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Norway | 3–2 | Republic of Ireland | Drammen, Norway |
17:00 GMT | Halvor Rødølen Opsahl 20' Kristian Arnstad 72' (pen.) Lasse Selvåg Nordås 77' | Report | Aidomo Emakhu 37' Sinclair Armstrong 53' | Stadium: Marienlyst Stadion Attendance: 566 Referee: Walter Altmann (Austria) |
21 November UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland | 2–2 | Italy | Cork, Republic of Ireland |
17:30 GMT | Killian Phillips 31' Sinclair Armstrong 48' | Report | Wilfried Gnonto 45+1' (pen.) Wilfried Gnonto 90+6' | Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 6,157 Referee: Lionel Tschudi (Switzerland) |
22 March UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | San Marino | 0–7 | Republic of Ireland | Serravalle, San Marino |
17:00 GMT | Report | Sinclair Armstrong 26' Andrew Moran 53' Sinclair Armstrong 57' Rocco Vata 62' Rocco Vata 64' Armstrong Oko-Flex 73' Rocco Vata 90+1' | Stadium: San Marino Stadium Attendance: 213 Referee: Viktor Kopiievskyi |
7 June Friendly | Croatia | 2–3 | Republic of Ireland | Zagreb, Croatia |
17:00 GMT | Igor Matanović 62' Matija Frigan 74' (pen.) | Report | Andrew Moran 11' Sinclair Armstrong 14' Aidomo Emakhu 52' | Stadium: Gradski Stadion Referee: Filip Dragašević |
11 June Friendly | England | 2–2 | Republic of Ireland | Zagreb, Croatia |
15:00 GMT | Archie Brown 45+2' Dane Scarlett 47' (pen.) | Joe Hodge 4' Armstrong Oko-Flex 88' | Stadium: Gradski Stadion Referee: Ivan Vučkovič |
6 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Turkey | 0–1 | Republic of Ireland | Istanbul, Turkey |
17:45 GMT | Report | Sam Curtis 84' | Stadium: Esenler Stadium Attendance: 2,188 Referee: Amine Kourgheli |
10 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland | 2–2 | Latvia | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
17:00 GMT | Sinclair Armstrong 16' Sean Roughan 65' | Report | Kaspars Anmanis 42' Ivans Patrikejevs 63' | Stadium: Tallaght Stadium Attendance: 953 Referee: Stefan Ebner |
11 October UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Republic of Ireland | 1–1 | Norway | Cork, Republic of Ireland |
19:00 GMT | Sean Roughan 75' | Report | Andreas Schjelderup 90+3' | Stadium: Turners Cross Attendance: 5,754 Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas |
15 October UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification | Italy | 1–1 | Republic of Ireland | Trieste, Italy |
17:30 GMT | Cesare Casadei 23' | Report | Andrew Moran 66' | Stadium: Stadio Nereo Rocco Referee: Adam Ladebäck |
The Under-21s' management team includes: [1]
Position | Name | Appointed |
---|---|---|
Head coach | Jim Crawford | 5 April 2020 |
Assistant coach | Paul McShane | 28 August 2023 |
Assistant coach | Stephen Rice | 29 August 2024 |
Goalkeeping coach | Rene Gilmartin | 24 April 2020 |
Lead Performance Analyst | Martin Doyle | April 2020 |
Sports Scientist | Paul Walsh | 18 March 2023 |
Sports Scientist | Adam Fox | June 2021 |
Chartered Physiotherapist | Glauber Barduzzi | 24 April 2019 |
Athletic Therapist | Kieran Murray | March 2022 |
Doctor | Dr Mortimer O'Connor | March 2021 |
Performance Nutritionist | Ian Byrne | March 2023 |
Kitman | John Crudden | May 2023 |
Players born on or after 1 January 2004 are eligible for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The following players were called up for the Friendly fixtures against Sweden U21 in Marbella, Spain on 14 & 17 November 2024. [2]
Caps and goals updated as of 15 October 2024, after the game vs Italy.
The following players have also been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad and remain eligible:
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Andrew Wogan | 1 December 2005 | 0 | 0 | Drogheda United | v. San Marino, 22 March 2024 |
GK | Owen Mason | 24 March 2004 | 0 | 0 | Wexford | v. Latvia, 13 October 2023PRE |
DF | Sam Curtis | 1 December 2005 | 14 | 1 | Peterborough United | v. Italy, 15 October 2024 |
MF | Adam Murphy | 8 April 2005 | 2 | 0 | Bristol City | v. Sweden, 14 November 2024INJ |
MF | Harry Vaughan | 6 April 2004 | 0 | 0 | Hull City | v. Kuwait, 19 June 2023 |
FW | Franco Umeh | 26 January 2005 | 0 | 0 | Crystal Palace | v. Italy, 15 October 2024 |
FW | Mason Melia | 22 September 2007 | 0 | 0 | St Patrick's Athletic | v. Norway, 11 October 2024INJ |
INJ Withdrew from latest squad due to injury |
Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped for the senior 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 Serbia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Serbia and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia. Both FIFA and UEFA consider the Serbia national team to be the direct and sole successor of the Yugoslavia under-21 and Serbia and Montenegro under-21 national teams.
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. The team is coached by Aleksandrs Basovs and is currently captained by defender Daniels Balodis.
The Albania national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, which is held every two years.
The Sweden national under-21 football team is the football team representing Sweden in competitions for under-21 year old players and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association. Primarily, it competes to qualify for the biennial UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The Turkey national Under-21 football team, also known as Turkey Under-21s or Turkey U-21s, is the Under-21 years of age team of the Turkey national football team.
The Georgia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. It is considered to be the feeder team for the senior Georgian national football team. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years.
The San Marino national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of San Marino in the UEFA U-21 Championship, and is controlled by the San Marino Football Federation, the governing body of football of the state.
The Republic of Ireland national under-17 football team, is the national under-17 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the biennial FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The Republic of Ireland national futsal team has represented the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Futsal Championship. The Republic of Ireland has, to date, never qualified for the final stages of a major tournament. It has, however, taken part in several invitational tournaments, such as the 2008 Four Nations Futsal Cup. It is organised by the Football Association of Ireland.
The Romania national under-19 football team represents Federația Română de Fotbal, the governing body for football in Romania, in international football at this age level.
Sam John Byrne is an Irish professional footballer who last played as a forward for UCD. Born in Dublin, he began his career with St. Joseph's Boys before joining Manchester United in July 2011. He has also represented the Republic of Ireland at every youth international level from under-15 to under-19. His brother is former Connacht and Leinster rugby player Adam Byrne.
The Gibraltar national under-21 football team represents Gibraltar in football competitions at under-21 level and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association. It is a full member of FIFA and is therefore eligible to enter any FIFA-sanctioned tournaments. Gibraltar applied for full UEFA membership and was accepted by the UEFA Congress in May 2013 and can therefore compete in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship beginning with the 2015 edition of the tournament, although they did not participate until 2017, in qualification for the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Darragh Francis O'Brien Burns is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Shamrock Rovers, on loan from EFL League Two club Milton Keynes Dons.
James Bright Adusei Abankwah is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Serie A club Udinese. Abankwah is a product of St Patrick's Athletic's youth academy.
Tony Gary Springett is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Norwich City.
Zak Thomas Gilsenan is a professional footballer currently playing as a midfielder for English EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers. Born in Australia, he represents the Republic of Ireland at international level.
Rocco Vata is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Watford. Born in Scotland, he is a youth international for Ireland.
Adam Murphy is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Bristol City. He previously played for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic, where he started his professional career.