Italy national under-21 football team

Italy Under-21
Nickname(s)Gli Azzurrini
(The Little Blues)
AssociationItalian Football Federation
(Federazion Italia Giuoco Calcio – FIGC)
Head coachPaolo Nicolato
CaptainSandro Tonali
Most capsAndrea Pirlo (46)
Top scorerAlberto Gilardino (19)
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
First international
U-23: Italy 3–1 Austria
(Varese, Italy; 1 November 1970)
U-21: Portugal 1–0 Italy
(Funchal, Italy; 23 December 1976)
Biggest win
Italy 7–0 Estonia
(Catanzaro, Italy; 23 March 1995)
Italy 8–1 Wales
(Pavia, Italy; 5 September 2003)
Italy 7–0 Liechtenstein
(Casarano, Italy; 6 September 2012)
Biggest defeat
Norway 6–0 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
Appearances21 (first in 1978)
Best resultChampions: (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Medal record
Italy national under-21 football team
Medal record
Men's Football
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]

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.

  • 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
Year Round
1978Quarter-finals
1980Quarter-finals
1982Quarter-finals
1984Semi-finals
1986Runners-up
1988Quarter-finals
1990Semi-finals
1992Winners
1994Winners
1996Winners
1998Did not qualify
2000Winners
2002Semi-finals
2004Winners
2006Group stage
2007Group stage
2009Semi-finals
2011Did not qualify
2013Runners-up
2015Group stage
2017Semi-finals
2019Group stage
2021Quarter-finals
2023TBD
Total21/23
*Red border color 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.

Mediterranean Games Record

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

Honours

Coaches

Coaching staff
Main article: List of Italy national football team managers

Current technical staff:[2]

Position Name
Head Coach Paolo Nicolato
Assistant Coach Mirco Gasparetto
Goalkeeping Coach Matteo Mareggini
Team Manager Massimo Paganin
Athletic Trainers Vincenzo Pincolini
Match Analyst Francesco Bordin
Doctors Angelo De Carli
Vincenzo Santoriello
Physiotherapists Nicola Sanna
Emiliano Bozzetti
Physiologist Christian Osgnach
Accompanying Manager Vincenzo Marinelli
Secretary Manfredi Martino

Recent results and forthcoming fixtures

Only official matches are listed.[3]

2021
24 March 2021 2021 UEFA U21 Championship Czech Republic  1–1  Italy Celje, Slovenia
18:00 Maggiore  75' (o.g.) Report Scamacca  31' Stadium: Stadion Z'dežele
Attendance: 0[4]
Referee: Dennis Higler (Netherlands)
27 March 2021 2021 UEFA U21 Championship Spain  0–0  Italy Maribor, Slovenia
21:00 Report Stadium: Ljudski vrt
Attendance: 0[5]
Referee: Harm Osmers (Germany)
30 March 2021 2021 UEFA U21 Championship Italy  4–0  Slovenia Maribor, Slovenia
21:00 Maggiore  10'
Raspadori  19'
Cutrone  25' (pen.), 50'		 Report Stadium: Ljudski vrt
Attendance: 0[6][note 1]
Referee: Bartosz Frankowski (Poland)
31 May 2021 (2021-05-31) 2021 UEFA U21 Championship Portugal  5–3 (a.e.t.)  Italy Ljubljana, Slovenia
21:00 Mota  6', 31'
Ramos  58'
Jota 109'
Conceição  119'		 Report Pobega  45'
Scamacca  60'
Cutrone  89'		 Stadium: Stadion Stožice
Attendance: 1,032[7]
Referee: François Letexier (France)
3 September 2021 (2021-09-03) 2023 Championship qual. Italy  3–0  Luxembourg Empoli, Italy
17.30 Pirola  7'
Olesen  11' (o.g.)
Cancellieri  50'		 Report Stadium: Stadio Carlo Castellani
Referee: Peter Kralović (Slovenia)
7 September 2021 (2021-09-07) 2023 Championship qual. Italy  1–0  Montenegro Vicenza, Italy
17.30 Colombo  53' Report Stadium: Stadio Romeo Menti
Referee: Espen Eskås (Norway)
8 October 2021 (2021-10-08) 2023 Championship qual. Bosnia and Herzegovina  1–2  Italy Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
17:30 Barišić  80' Report Okoli  19'
Vignato  27'		 Stadium: Bilino Polje Stadium,
Referee: Peter Kjaesgaard (Denmark)
12 October 2021 (2021-10-12) 2023 Championship qual. Italy  1–1  Sweden Monza, Italy
18:30 Lucca  42' Report Prica  90+2' Stadium: Stadio Brianteo
Referee: António Nobre (Portugal)
12 November 2021 (2021-11-12) 2023 Championship qual. Republic of Ireland  0–2  Italy Dublin, Ireland
18:30 Report Lucca  31'
Cancellieri  90'		 Stadium: Tallaght Stadium
Referee: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania)
16 November 2021 (2021-11-16) Friendly Italy  4–2  Romania Frosinone, Italy
Mulattieri  42'
Canestrelli  61', 69', 71'		 Report Canestrelli  29' (o.g.)
Racovițan  41'		 Stadium: Stadio Benito Stirpe

2022
25 March 2022 (2022-03-25) 2023 Championship qual. Montenegro  v  Italy
29 March 2022 (2022-03-29) 2023 Championship qual. Italy  v  Bosnia and Herzegovina
6 June 2022 (2022-06-06) 2023 Championship qual. Luxembourg  v  Italy
9 June 2022 (2022-06-09) 2023 Championship qual. Sweden  v  Italy
14 June 2022 (2022-06-14) 2023 Championship qual. Italy  v  Republic of Ireland

Players

Players born in 2000 or later are eligible for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Players in bold have been already capped with the senior team.

Current squad

The following players have been called up for the qualification match against Republic of Ireland on 12 November 2021 and the friendly match against Romania on 16 November 2021.[8]

Caps and goals updated as of 16 November 2021, after the match against Romania.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Marco Carnesecchi (2000-07-01) 1 July 2000 15 0 Cremonese
1GK Stefano Turati (2001-09-05) 5 September 2001 3 0 Reggina
1GK Alessandro Russo (2001-03-31) 31 March 2001 1 0 Alessandria
2DF Raoul Bellanova (2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 12 0 Cagliari
2DF Caleb Okoli (2001-07-13) 13 July 2001 5 1 Cremonese
2DF Gabriele Ferrarini (2000-04-09) 9 April 2000 4 0 Perugia
2DF Andrea Cambiaso (2000-02-20) 20 February 2000 2 0 Genoa
2DF Simone Canestrelli (2000-09-11) 11 September 2000 1 3 Crotone
2DF Fabiano Parisi (2000-11-09) 9 November 2000 1 0 Empoli
2DF Giacomo Quagliata (2000-02-19) 19 February 2000 1 0 Heracles Almelo
2DF Giorgio Scalvini (2003-12-11) 11 December 2003 1 0 Atalanta
3MF Nicolò Rovella (2001-12-04) 4 December 2001 11 0 Genoa
3MF Samuele Ricci (2001-08-21) 21 August 2001 9 0 Empoli
3MF Salvatore Esposito (2000-10-07) 7 October 2000 6 0 SPAL
3MF Nicolò Fagioli (2001-02-12) 12 February 2001 2 0 Cremonese
3MF Filippo Ranocchia (2001-05-14) 14 May 2001 2 0 Vicenza
3MF Alessandro Cortinovis (2001-01-25) 25 January 2001 1 0 Reggina
4FW Lorenzo Colombo (2002-03-08) 8 March 2002 7 1 SPAL
4FW Matteo Cancellieri (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002 5 2 Verona
4FW Lorenzo Lucca (2000-09-10) 10 September 2000 4 2 Pisa
4FW Emanuel Vignato (2000-08-24) 24 August 2000 4 1 Bologna
4FW Roberto Piccoli (2001-01-27) 27 January 2001 4 0 Atalanta
4FW Samuele Mulattieri (2000-10-07) 7 October 2000 3 1 Crotone
4FW Pietro Pellegri (2001-03-17) 17 March 2001 1 0 Milan

Recent call-ups

Following are listed players called up in the previous 12 months that are still eligible to represent the Under-21 team.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Semuel Pizzignacco (2001-09-01) 1 September 2001 0 0 Vicenza v. Sweden, 12 October 2021
GK Alessandro Plizzari (2000-03-12) 12 March 2000 2 0 Milan v. Montenegro, 7 September 2021
DF Mattia Viti (2002-01-24) 24 January 2002 0 0 Empoli v. Romania, 16 November 2021 INJ
DF Matteo Lovato (2000-02-14) 14 February 2000 8 0 Atalanta v. Republic of Ireland, 12 November 2021 INJ
DF Lorenzo Pirola (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 4 1 Monza v. Republic of Ireland, 12 November 2021 INJ
DF Riccardo Calafiori (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 3 0 Roma v. Republic of Ireland, 12 November 2021 INJ
DF Andrea Carboni (2001-02-04) 4 February 2001 1 0 Cagliari v. Republic of Ireland, 12 November 2021 INJ
DF Andrea Papetti (2002-07-03) 3 July 2002 0 0 Brescia v. Montenegro, 7 September 2021
DF Antonino Gallo (2000-01-05) 5 January 2000 0 0 Lecce v. Luxembourg, 3 September 2021 INJ
MF Destiny Udogie (2002-11-28) 28 November 2002 4 0 Udinese v. Republic of Ireland, 12 November 2021 INJ
MF Sandro Tonali (2000-05-08) 8 May 2000 11 0 Milan v. Sweden, 12 October 2021
MF Marco Brescianini (2000-01-20) 20 January 2000 1 0 Monza v. Sweden, 12 October 2021
MF Jacopo Da Riva (2000-10-27) 27 October 2000 0 0 SPAL v. Montenegro, 7 September 2021
MF Mattia Viviani (2000-09-04) 4 September 2000 0 0 Benevento Preliminary stage May 2021
FW Sebastiano Esposito (2002-07-02) 2 July 2002 2 0 Basel v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 8 October 2021 INJ
FW Eddie Salcedo (2001-10-01) 1 October 2001 2 0 Spezia v. Montenegro, 7 September 2021
FW Kelvin Yeboah (2000-05-06) 6 May 2000 2 0 Sturm Graz v. Montenegro, 7 September 2021
FW Giacomo Raspadori (2000-02-18) 18 February 2000 8 3 Sassuolo UEFA Euro 2021
FW Gianluca Gaetano (2000-05-05) 5 May 2000 0 0 Cremonese Preliminary stage May 2021

INJ Withdrew due to injury

Records

Players in bold are still eligible to represent Under-21 team. As of 31 May 2021.

Top appearances

The following is the top 10 most capped under-21 players:[9]

Rank Player Period U-21 Caps
1 Andrea Pirlo 1998–2002 46
2 Marco Motta 2005–2009 38
3 Francesco Bardi 2011–2015 37
4 Matteo Brighi 2000–2004 35
5 Daniele Bonera 2001–2004 34
6 Matteo Ferrari 1999–2002 33
7 Luca Marrone 2009–2013 32
Alessandro Rosina 2004–2007 32
9 Luca Caldirola 2010–2013 31
Marco Donadel 2004–2006 31

Top goalscorers

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

Rank Player Period U-21 Goals U-21 Caps
1 Alberto Gilardino 2000–2004 19 30
2 Andrea Pirlo 1998–2002 16 46
3 Manolo Gabbiadini 2010–2013 12 24
4 Patrick Cutrone 2017–2021 11 25
Massimo Maccarone 2000–2002 11 15
Gianluca Vialli 1983–1986 11 20
7 Robert Acquafresca 2007–2009 10 16
Cristiano Lucarelli 1996–1997 10 10
Christian Vieri 1992–1996 10 19
10 Andrea Belotti 2013–2015 9 18
Ciro Immobile 2009–2013 9 16
Roberto Mancini 1982–1986 9 26
Alberto Paloschi 2008–2013 9 29
Gianluca Scamacca 2018–2021 9 15

See also

Notes
  1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the match was played behind closed doors.

References
  1. "Categories - All 4". www.channel4.com.
  2. "Staff" (in Italian). FIGC. 18 March 2021.
  3. "FIGC". www.figc.it. 7 February 2020.
  4. "Czech Republich vs. Italy". Union of European Football Associations. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  5. "Spain vs. Italy". Union of European Football Associations. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  6. "Italy vs. Slovenia". Union of European Football Associations. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  7. "Portugal vs. Italy". Union of European Football Associations. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  8. https://www.figc.it/it/nazionali/news/u21-quagliata-da-palermo-all-olanda-e-alla-maglia-azzurra-un-bel-traguardo-ma-%C3%A8-solo-l-inizio-del-percorso/
  9. "Classifica Presenze". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 24 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  10. "Classifica Marcatori". Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (in Italian). 5 August 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
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