Italy national under-21 football team

Last updated

Italy Under-21
Logo Italy National Football Team - 2023.svg
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)
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First colours
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Second colours
First international
U-23: Flag of Italy.svg Italy 3–1 Austria Flag of Austria.svg
(Varese, Italy; 1 November 1970)
U-21: Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal 1–0 Italy Flag of Italy.svg
(Funchal, Italy; 23 December 1976)
Biggest win
Flag of Italy.svg Italy 7–0 Estonia Flag of Estonia.svg
(Catanzaro, Italy; 23 March 1995)
Flag of Italy (2003-2006).svg Italy 8–1 Wales Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg
(Pavia, Italy; 5 September 2003)
Flag of Italy.svg Italy 7–0 Liechtenstein Flag of Liechtenstein.svg
(Casarano, Italy; 6 September 2012)
Flag of San Marino.svg San Marino 0–7 Italy Flag of Italy.svg
(Serravale, San Marino; 16 November 2023)
Biggest defeat
Flag of Norway.svg Norway 6–0 Italy Flag of Italy.svg
(Stavanger, Norway; 5 June 1991)
Records for competitive
matches only.
Olympic Games
Appearances5 (first in 1992 )
Best result Bronze medal.svg Bronze medallist (2004)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances22 (first in 1978 )
Best resultChampions (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Medal record
Italy national under-21 football team
Medal record
Men's Football
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 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.

Contents

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. [1]

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.

UEFA U-21 Championship Record

YearRound
Flag of Europe.svg 1978 Quarter-finals
Flag of Europe.svg 1980 Quarter-finals
Flag of Europe.svg 1982 Quarter-finals
Flag of Europe.svg 1984 Semi-finals
Flag of Europe.svg 1986 Runners-up
Flag of Europe.svg 1988 Quarter-finals
Flag of Europe.svg 1990 Semi-finals
Flag of Europe.svg 1992 Champions
Flag of France.svg 1994 Champions
Flag of Spain.svg 1996 Champions
Flag of Romania.svg 1998 Did not qualify
Flag of Slovakia.svg 2000 Champions
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2002 Semi-finals
Flag of Germany.svg 2004 Champions
Flag of Portugal.svg 2006 Group stage
Flag of the Netherlands.svg 2007 Group stage
Flag of Sweden.svg 2009 Semi-finals
Flag of Denmark.svg 2011 Did not qualify
Flag of Israel.svg 2013 Runners-up
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg 2015 Group stage
Flag of Poland.svg 2017 Semi-finals
Flag of Italy.svg 2019 Group stage
Flag of Hungary.svg Flag of Slovenia.svg 2021 Quarter-finals
Flag of Romania.svg Flag of Georgia.svg 2023 Group stage
Flag of Slovakia.svg 2025 TBD
Total22/24
*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Olympics football Record

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.

Overage players in Olympic Games

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

Mediterranean Games Record

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

Honours

Coaches

Coaching staff

Current technical staff: [2]

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

Recent results and forthcoming fixtures

Only official matches are listed. [3]

2023

22 June 2023 (2023-06-22) 2023 UEFA U21 Champ. France  Flag of France.svg2–1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Cluj Napoca, Romania
20:45
Report Stadium: Cluj Arena
Attendance: 11,286
Referee: Allard Lindhout (Netherlands)
25 June 2023 (2023-06-25) 2023 UEFA U21 Champ. Switzerland  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg2–3Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Cluj Napoca, Romania
18:00
Report
Stadium: Cluj Arena
Attendance: 4,339
Referee: Mohammed Al-Hakim (Sweden)
28 June 2023 (2023-06-28) 2023 UEFA U21 Champ. Italy  Flag of Italy.svg0–1Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Cluj Napoca, Romania
20:45 Report
Stadium: Cluj Arena
Attendance: 2,347
Referee: Erik Lambrechts (Belgium)
8 September 2023 (2023-09-08) 2025 Championship qual. Latvia  Flag of Latvia.svg0–0Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Jūrmala, Latvia
Report Stadium: Sloka Stadium
12 September 2023 (2023-09-12) 2025 Championship qual. Turkey  Flag of Turkey.svg0–2Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Adapazari, Turkey
Report
Stadium: New Sakarya Atatürk Stadium
17 October 2023 (2023-10-17) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  Flag of Italy.svg2–0Flag of Norway.svg  Norway Bolzano, Italy
Report Stadium: Stadio Druso
16 November 2023 (2023-11-16) 2025 Championship qual. San Marino  Flag of San Marino.svg0–7Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Serravalle, San Marino
Report
Stadium: San Marino Stadium
21 November 2023 (2023-11-21) 2025 Championship qual. Republic of Ireland  Flag of Ireland.svg2–2Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Cork, Republic of Ireland
Report
Stadium: Turners Cross

2024

22 March 2024 (2024-03-22) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  Flag of Italy.svg2–0Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia Cesena, Italy
Report Stadium: Stadio Dino Manuzzi
26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  Flag of Italy.svg1–1Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey Ferrara, Italy
18:15 Report Stadium: Stadio Paolo Mazza
Referee: Cesar Soto Grado (Spain)
4 June 2024 (2024-06-04) Touloune Tournament GS Italy  Flag of Italy.svgv Flag of Japan.svg Japan U20 Vitrolles, France
15:00 Report Stadium: Stade Jules-Ladoumègue
6 June 2024 (2024-06-06) Touloune Tournament GS Ukraine U20 Flag of Ukraine.svg vFlag of Italy.svg  Italy Aubagne, France
15:00 Report Stadium: Stade de Lattre-de-Tassigny
10 June 2024 (2024-06-10) Touloune Tournament GS Italy  Flag of Italy.svgv Flag of Panama.svg Panama U23 Aubagne, France
18:15 Report Stadium: Stade de Lattre-de-Tassigny
14 or 16 June 2024 Touloune Tournament F Italy  Flag of Italy.svgv TBD TBD, France
TBDStadium: TBD
5 September 2024 (2024-09-05) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  Flag of Italy.svgvFlag of San Marino.svg  San Marino TBD, Italy
10 September 2024 (2024-09-10) 2025 Championship qual. Norway  Flag of Norway.svgvFlag of Italy.svg  Italy TBD, Norway
15 October 2024 (2024-10-15) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  Flag of Italy.svgvFlag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland TBD, Italy

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 qualifying matches against Latvia and Turkey on 22 and 26 March 2024, respectively. [4]

Caps and goals as of 26 March 2024, after the match against Turkey.

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClub
1 GK Sebastiano Desplanches (2003-03-11) 11 March 2003 (age 21)70 Flag of Italy.svg Palermo
1 GK Filippo Rinaldi (2002-12-04) 4 December 2002 (age 21)00 Flag of Italy.svg Olbia
1 GK Gioele Zacchi (2003-07-10) 10 July 2003 (age 20)00 Flag of Italy.svg Giana Erminio

2 DF Lorenzo Pirola (captain) (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 22)183 Flag of Italy.svg Salernitana
2 DF Riccardo Calafiori (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 22)80 Flag of Italy.svg Bologna
2 DF Matteo Ruggeri (2002-07-11) 11 July 2002 (age 21)80 Flag of Italy.svg Atalanta
2 DF Mattia Zanotti (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 (age 21)70 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg St. Gallen
2 DF Diego Coppola (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 20)40 Flag of Italy.svg Hellas Verona
2 DF Daniele Ghilardi (2003-01-06) 6 January 2003 (age 21)41 Flag of Italy.svg Sampdoria
2 DF Michael Kayode (2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 19)30 Flag of Italy.svg Fiorentina
2 DF Riccardo Turicchia (2003-02-05) 5 February 2003 (age 21)20 Flag of Italy.svg Juventus Next Gen

3 MF Cesare Casadei (2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 21)91 Flag of England.svg Chelsea
3 MF Fabio Miretti (2003-08-03) 3 August 2003 (age 20)91 Flag of Italy.svg Juventus
3 MF Cher Ndour (2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 (age 19)70 Flag of Portugal.svg Braga
3 MF Matteo Prati (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 20)70 Flag of Italy.svg Cagliari
3 MF Giovanni Fabbian (2003-01-14) 14 January 2003 (age 21)62 Flag of Italy.svg Bologna
3 MF Jacopo Fazzini (2003-03-16) 16 March 2003 (age 21)20 Flag of Italy.svg Empoli
3 MF Alessandro Bianco (2002-10-01) 1 October 2002 (age 21)11 Flag of Italy.svg Reggiana
3 MF Luis Hasa (2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 (age 20)00 Flag of Italy.svg Juventus Next Gen
3 MF Franco Tongya (2002-03-13) 13 March 2002 (age 22)00 Flag of Cyprus.svg AEK Larnaca

4 FW Lorenzo Colombo (2002-03-08) 8 March 2002 (age 22)204 Flag of Italy.svg Monza
4 FW Wilfried Gnonto (2003-11-05) 5 November 2003 (age 20)75 Flag of England.svg Leeds United
4 FW Gaetano Oristanio (2002-09-28) 28 September 2002 (age 21)70 Flag of Italy.svg Cagliari
4 FW Francesco Pio Esposito (2005-06-28) 28 June 2005 (age 18)62 Flag of Italy.svg Spezia
4 FW Giuseppe Ambrosino (2003-09-10) 10 September 2003 (age 20)20 Flag of Italy.svg Catanzaro
4 FW Cristian Volpato (2003-11-15) 15 November 2003 (age 20)21 Flag of Italy.svg Sassuolo

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.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsGoalsClubLatest call-up
GK Jacopo Sassi (2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 (age 20)00 Flag of Italy.svg Pro Vercelli v.Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland, 21 November 2023
GK Alessandro Sorrentino (2002-04-03) 3 April 2002 (age 22)10 Flag of Italy.svg Monza 2023 UEFA Euro U21 PRE

DF Gabriele Guarino (2004-04-14) 14 April 2004 (age 20)10 Flag of Italy.svg Modena v.Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland, 21 November 2023
DF Tommaso Barbieri (2002-08-26) 26 August 2002 (age 21)00 Flag of Italy.svg Pisa v.Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland, 21 November 2023
DF Samuel Giovane (2003-03-28) 28 March 2003 (age 21)00 Flag of Italy.svg Ascoli v.Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland, 21 November 2023
DF Giorgio Cittadini (2002-04-18) 18 April 2002 (age 22)20 Flag of Italy.svg Genoa v.Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey, 12 September 2023
DF Destiny Udogie (2002-11-28) 28 November 2002 (age 21)80 Flag of England.svg Tottenham Hotspur v.Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia, 8 September 2023 INJ
DF Giorgio Scalvini (2003-12-11) 11 December 2003 (age 20)60 Flag of Italy.svg Atalanta 2023 UEFA Euro U21

MF Edoardo Bove (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22)120 Flag of Italy.svg Roma v.Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia, 22 March 2024 INJ
MF Simone Panada (2002-06-02) 2 June 2002 (age 21)00 Flag of Italy.svg Atalanta U23 v.Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey, 12 September 2023

FW Tommaso Baldanzi (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 21)31 Flag of Italy.svg Roma v.Flag of Latvia.svg  Latvia, 22 March 2024 INJ
FW Luca Koleosho (2004-09-15) 15 September 2004 (age 19)10 Flag of England.svg Burnley v.Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland, 21 November 2023
FW Sebastiano Esposito (2002-07-02) 2 July 2002 (age 21)70 Flag of Italy.svg Sampdoria v.Flag of Norway.svg  Norway, 17 October 2023
FW Marco Nasti (2003-09-17) 17 September 2003 (age 20)21 Flag of Italy.svg Bari v.Flag of Norway.svg  Norway, 17 October 2023 PRE
FW Matteo Cancellieri (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002 (age 22)124 Flag of Italy.svg Empoli 2023 UEFA Euro U21

INJWithdrew due to injury

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: [5]

RankPlayerPeriodCapsGoals
1 Andrea Pirlo 1998–20024616
2 Marco Motta 2005–2009421
3 Francesco Bardi 2011–2015370
4 Matteo Brighi 2000–2004352
5 Daniele Bonera 2001–2004340
6 Matteo Ferrari 1999–2002333
7 Luca Marrone 2009–2013321
Alessandro Rosina 2004–2007324
9 Luca Caldirola 2010–2013311
Marco Donadel 2004–2006311

Top goalscorers

The following is the top 10 under-21 goalscorers: [6]

RankPlayerPeriodGoalsCapsRatio
1 Alberto Gilardino 2000–200419300.63
2 Andrea Pirlo 1998–200216460.34
3 Manolo Gabbiadini 2010–201312240.5
4 Massimo Maccarone 2000–200211150.73
Gianluca Vialli 1983–198611200.55
Patrick Cutrone 2017–202111250.44
7 Cristiano Lucarelli 1996–199710101
Robert Acquafresca 2007–200910160.62
Christian Vieri 1992–199610190.52
10 Gianluca Scamacca 2018–20219150.6
Ciro Immobile 2009–20139160.56
Andrea Belotti 2013–20159180.5
Roberto Mancini 1982–19869260.34
Alberto Paloschi 2008–20139290.31

See also

Notes

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    References

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    2. "Staff" (in Italian). FIGC. 18 March 2021.
    3. "FIGC". www.figc.it. 7 February 2020.
    4. "Lettonia e Turchia sulla strada verso l'Europeo: i convocati di Nunziata per le sfide di Cesena e Ferrara, prima chiamata per Hasa". 15 March 2024.
    5. "Classifica Presenze". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 24 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
    6. "Classifica Marcatori". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 5 August 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.