Italy national under-21 football team

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Italy Under-21
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Gli Azzurrini
(The Little Blues)
AssociationItalian Football Federation
(Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio – FIGC)
Head coachSilvio Baldini
CaptainVacant
Most capsAndrea Pirlo (46)
Top scorerAlberto 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
Appearances5 (first in 1992)
Best result Bronze medallist (2004)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances23 (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 – third place 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.[1]

Honours

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UEFA European Under-21 Championship

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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

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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 Quarter-finals
Albania Serbia 2027 TBD
Total 23/25
*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Olympics football Record

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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.

Overage players in Olympic Games

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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

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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

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Coaching staff

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Position Name
Head coach Italy Silvio Baldini
Assistant coach Italy Andrea Barzagli
Goalkeeping coach Italy Fabrizio Ferron
Fitness coach Italy Vito Azzone
Match analyst Italy Gianluca Mazziotti
Head of delegation Italy Giancarlo Antognoni
Doctors Italy Daniele Mazza
Italy Vincenzo Santoriello
Physiotherapists Italy Emiliano Bozzetti
Italy Nicola Sanna
Osteopath Italy Cristiano Pompili
Nutritionist Italy Maria Luisa Cravana

Source:[2]

Results and fixtures

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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.[3]

2024

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5 September 2024 (2024-09-05) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  7–0  San Marino Latina, Italy
16:45
Report Stadium: Stadio Domenico Francioni
Referee: Marek Radina (Czech Republic)
10 September 2024 (2024-09-10) 2025 Championship qual. Norway  0–3  Italy Stavanger, Norway
18:30 Report
Stadium: Viking Stadion
15 October 2024 (2024-10-15) 2025 Championship qual. Italy  1–1  Republic of Ireland Trieste, Italy
18:30
Report
Stadium: Stadio Nereo Rocco
Referee: Adam Ladebäck (Sweden)
15 November 2024 (2024-11-15) Friendly Italy  2–2  France Empoli, Italy
16:15
Report
Stadium: Stadio Carlo Castellani
19 November 2024 (2024-11-19) Friendly Italy  2–2  Ukraine La Spezia, Italy
18:15
Report
Stadium: Stadio Alberto Picco

2025

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21 March 2025 (2025-03-21) Friendly Italy  1–2  Netherlands Venice, Italy
18:15
Report
Stadium: Stadio Pierluigi Penzo
24 March 2025 (2025-03-24) Friendly Italy  1–1  Denmark Cittadella, Italy
18:15 UTC+1
Report
Stadium: Stadio Pier Cesare Tombolato
Attendance: 7,000
11 June 2025 (2025-06-11) 2025 UEFA U21C RR Italy  1–0  Romania Trnava, Slovakia
21:00
Report Stadium: Anton Malatinský Stadium
Referee: Vassilis Fotias (Greece)
14 June 2025 (2025-06-14) 2025 UEFA U21C RR Slovakia  0–1  Italy Trnava, Slovakia
21:00 Report
Stadium: Anton Malatinský Stadium
Attendance: 15,455
Referee: Nenad Minaković (Serbia)
17 June 2025 (2025-06-17) 2025 UEFA U21C RR Spain  1–1  Italy Trnava, Slovakia
21:00
Report
Stadium: Anton Malatinský Stadium
Referee: Nick Walsh (Scotland)
22 June 2025 (2025-06-22) 2025 UEFA U21C QF Germany  3–2  Italy Dunajská Streda, Slovakia
21:00
Report
Stadium: MOL Arena
Attendance: 6,503[4]
Referee: Manfredas Lukjančukas (Lithuania)
5 September 2025 (2025-09-05) 2027 Championship qual. Italy  v  Montenegro La Spezia, Italy
Stadium: Stadio Alberto Picco
9 September 2025 (2025-09-09) 2027 Championship qual. North Macedonia  v  Italy Bitola, North Macedonia
Stadium: Stadium Petar Miloševski
10 October 2025 (2025-10-10) 2027 Championship qual. Italy  v  Sweden Cesena, Italy
Stadium: Stadio Dino Manuzzi
14 October 2025 (2025-10-14) 2027 Championship qual. Italy  v  Armenia Cremona, Italy
Stadium: Stadio Giovanni Zini
14 November 2025 (2025-11-14) 2027 Championship qual. Poland  v  Italy TBD, Poland
14 November 2025 (2025-11-14) 2027 Championship qual. Montenegro  v  Italy TBD, Montenegro

2026

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26 March 2026 (2026-03-26) 2027 Championship qual. Italy  v  North Macedonia TBD, Italy
31 March 2026 (2026-03-31) 2027 Championship qual. Sweden  v  Italy TBD, Sweden
1 October 2026 (2026-10-01) 2027 Championship qual. Armenia  v  Italy TBD, Armenia
5 October 2026 (2026-10-05) 2027 Championship qual. Italy  v  Poland TBD, Italy

Players

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Players born in 2004 or later are eligible for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Players in bold have been already capped with the senior team.

Current squad

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The following 23 players were selected for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[5]

Caps and goals as of 22 June 2025, after the match against Germany.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Sebastiano Desplanches (2003-03-11) 11 March 2003 (age 22) 16 0 Italy Palermo
12 1GK Gioele Zacchi (2003-07-10) 10 July 2003 (age 22) 7 0 Italy Sassuolo
22 1GK Jacopo Sassi (2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 (age 22) 3 0 Italy Atalanta U23
2 2DF Mattia Zanotti (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 (age 22) 18 0 Switzerland Lugano
3 2DF Matteo Ruggeri (2002-07-11) 11 July 2002 (age 23) 16 0 Spain Atlético Madrid
5 2DF Lorenzo Pirola (captain) (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 23) 26 3 Greece Olympiacos
6 2DF Daniele Ghilardi (2003-01-06) 6 January 2003 (age 22) 16 1 Italy Roma
13 2DF Michael Kayode (2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 21) 8 0 England Brentford
15 2DF Diego Coppola (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 21) 11 0 England Brighton & Hove Albion
16 2DF Riccardo Turicchia (2003-02-05) 5 February 2003 (age 22) 11 0 Italy Juventus Next Gen
19 2DF Gabriele Guarino (2004-04-14) 14 April 2004 (age 21) 2 0 Italy Empoli
4 3MF Matteo Prati (2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 21) 15 1 Italy Cagliari
7 3MF Cher Ndour (2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 (age 21) 20 2 Italy Fiorentina
8 3MF Cesare Casadei (2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 22) 16 4 Italy Torino
14 3MF Giovanni Fabbian (2003-01-14) 14 January 2003 (age 22) 17 4 Italy Bologna
18 3MF Issa Doumbia (2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 (age 21) 3 0 Italy Venezia
20 3MF Niccolò Pisilli (2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 20) 13 1 Italy Roma
21 3MF Jacopo Fazzini (2003-03-16) 16 March 2003 (age 22) 5 0 Italy Fiorentina
23 3MF Alessandro Bianco (2002-10-01) 1 October 2002 (age 22) 7 1 Italy Fiorentina
9 4FW Giuseppe Ambrosino (2003-09-10) 10 September 2003 (age 21) 11 2 Italy Napoli
10 4FW Wilfried Gnonto (2003-11-05) 5 November 2003 (age 21) 17 5 England Leeds United
11 3MF Tommaso Baldanzi (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 22) 10 5 Italy Roma
17 4FW Luca Koleosho (2004-09-15) 15 September 2004 (age 20) 7 1 Spain Espanyol

Recent call-ups

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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
DF Marco Palestra (2005-03-03) 3 March 2005 (age 20) 3 0 Italy Atalanta 2025 U21 Championship PRE
DF Giovanni Leoni (2006-12-21) 21 December 2006 (age 18) 0 0 England Liverpool 2025 U21 Championship PRE
DF Pietro Comuzzo (2005-02-20) 20 February 2005 (age 20) 0 0 Italy Fiorentina v.  Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
MF Simone Pafundi (2006-03-14) 14 March 2006 (age 19) 2 0 Italy Udinese 2025 U21 Championship PRE
FW Pio Esposito (2005-06-28) 28 June 2005 (age 20) 11 7 Italy Inter 2025 U21 Championship PRE
FW Antonio Raimondo (2004-03-18) 18 March 2004 (age 21) 7 4 Italy Frosinone v.  Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024

INJ Withdrew due to injury
PRE Preliminary squad

Records

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

Most appearances

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The following is the top 10 most capped under-21 players:[6]

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

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The following is the top 10 under-21 goalscorers:[7]

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

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "Categories - All 4". www.channel4.com.
  2. ^ "Nazionale Under 21 - Squadra e staff" (in Italian). FIGC. 20 June 2025.
  3. ^ "FIGC". www.figc.it. 7 February 2020.
  4. ^ "Germany vs. Italy" (JSON). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 22 June 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Italia U21, ecco i 23 convocati per l'Europeo. Antognoni: "Un bel gruppo con tanti ottimi giocatori"" (in Italian). tuttomercatoweb.com. 4 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Classifica Presenze". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 24 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Classifica Marcatori". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 5 August 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
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