Italy national under-21 football 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.

Italy Under-21
Nickname(s)Gli Azzurrini
(The Little Blues)
AssociationItalian Football Federation
(Federazion Italia Giuoco Calcio – FIGC)
Head coachPaolo Nicolato
CaptainManuel Locatelli
Most capsAndrea Pirlo (46)
Top scorerAlberto Gilardino (19)
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
Biggest win
Italy 7–0 Estonia
(Catanzaro, Italy; March 23, 1995)
Italy 8–1 Wales
(Pavia, Italy; September 5, 2003)
Italy 7–0 Liechtenstein
(Casarano, Italy; 6 September 2012)
Biggest defeat
Norway 6–0 Italy
(Stavanger, Norway; June 5, 1991)
Records for competitive
matches only.
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances20 (first in 1978)
Best resultWinners: (1992, 1994,
1996, 2000, 2004)

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
2021Qualified
2023TBD
Total21/23
*Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Olympics football Record
Olympic medal record
Men's Football
2004 Athens 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.

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]

2020
3 September 2020 Friendly Italy  2–1  Slovenia Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy
17:30 Colpani  33'
Melegoni  37'
 Report Matko  20' Stadium: Stadio G. Teghil
8 September 2020 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Qual. Sweden  3–0  Italy Kalmar, Sweden
18:30
Report Stadium: Guldfågeln Arena
Attendance: 0[note 1]
Referee: Luis Godinho (Portugal)
13 October 2020 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Qual. Italy  2–0  Republic of Ireland Pisa, Italy
17:00 Sottil  43'
Cutrone  62'
 Report Stadium: Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani
Note: Due to several Covid-19 matters, Under 20 team played instead of U21, as per FIGC decision.[4]
12 November 2020 (2020-11-12)[note 2] 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Qual. Iceland  1–2  Italy Reykjavík, Iceland
14:15 (13:15 WET)
Report
Stadium: Víkingsvöllur
Referee: Ioannis Papadopoulos (Greece)
15 November 2020 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Qual. Luxembourg  0–4  Italy Differdange, Luxembourg
17.30 Report Scamacca  15', 29'
Pinamonti  56'
Marchizza  66'		 Stadium: Stade Municipal de Differdange
Referee: Matthew De Gabriele (Malta)
Note: The match was originally scheduled for 26 March 2020, but was postponed on 13 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.[6]
18 November 2020 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Qual. Italy  4–1  Sweden Pisa, Italy
17:30 Maleh  27'
Raspadori  48', 61'
Scamacca  68'		 Report Karlsson  50' Stadium: Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani
Referee: Stuart Attwell (England)
Note: The match was originally scheduled for 26 March 2020, but was postponed on 13 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.[6]

2021
24 March 2021 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Czech Republic  v  Italy Celje, Slovenia
Stadium: Stadion Z'dežele
27 March 2021 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Spain  v  Italy Maribor, Slovenia
Stadium: Ljudski vrt
30 March 2021 2021 UEFA Euro U21 Italy  v  Slovenia Maribor, Slovenia
Stadium: Ljudski vrt

Players

Players born in 1998 or later are eligible for the 2021 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 Iceand on 12 November 2020, Luxembourg on 15 November 2020, and Sweden on 18 November 2020.[7]

Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2020, after the match against Sweden.[8]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Marco Carnesecchi (2000-07-01) 1 July 2000 8 0 Cremonese
1GK Michele Cerofolini (1999-01-04) 4 January 1999 2 0 Reggiana
1GK Alessandro Russo (2001-03-31) 31 March 2001 0 0 Virtus Entella
1GK Stefano Turati (2001-09-05) 5 September 2001 0 0 Sassuolo
2DF Enrico Del Prato (1999-11-10) 10 November 1999 9 1 Reggina
2DF Marco Sala (1999-06-04) 4 June 1999 9 0 SPAL
2DF Riccardo Marchizza (1998-03-26) 26 March 1998 7 1 Spezia
2DF Matteo Gabbia (1999-10-21) 21 October 1999 5 0 Milan
2DF Raoul Bellanova (2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 3 0 Pescara
2DF Alessandro Vogliacco (1998-09-14) 14 September 1998 3 0 Pordenone
2DF Alessandro Buongiorno (1999-06-06) 6 June 1999 2 0 Torino
2DF Giuseppe Cuomo (1998-02-02) 2 February 1998 2 0 Crotone
2DF Gianluca Frabotta (1999-06-24) 24 June 1999 2 0 Juventus
2DF Lorenzo Pirola (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 1 0 Monza
2DF Gabriele Zappa (1999-12-22) 22 December 1999 1 0 Cagliari
3MF Marco Carraro (1998-01-09) 9 January 1998 8 0 Frosinone
3MF Davide Frattesi (1999-09-22) 22 September 1999 6 2 Monza
3MF Niccolò Zanellato (1998-06-24) 24 June 1998 6 1 Crotone
3MF Youssef Maleh (1998-08-22) 22 August 1998 5 1 Venezia
3MF Andrea Colpani (1999-05-11) 11 May 1999 3 1 Monza
3MF Samuele Ricci (2001-08-21) 21 August 2001 3 0 Empoli
3MF Filippo Melegoni (1999-02-18) 18 February 1999 2 1 Genoa
3MF Tommaso Pobega (1999-07-15) 15 July 1999 2 2 Spezia
3MF Nicolò Rovella (2001-12-04) 4 December 2001 2 0 Genoa
4FW Gianluca Scamacca (1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 12 7 Genoa
4FW Riccardo Sottil (1999-06-03) 3 June 1999 11 3 Cagliari
4FW Giacomo Raspadori (2000-02-18) 18 February 2000 4 2 Sassuolo
4FW Lorenzo Colombo (2002-03-08) 8 March 2002 0 0 Cremonese
4FW Emanuel Vignato (2000-08-24) 24 August 2000 0 0 Bologna

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 Federico Brancolini (2001-07-14) 14 July 2001 0 0 Fiorentina v. Luxembourg, 15 November 2020
GK Alessandro Plizzari (2000-03-12) 12 March 2000 2 0 Reggina v. Iceland, 9 October 2020
GK Leonardo Loria (1999-03-28) 28 March 1999 0 0 Pisa v. Iceland, 9 October 2020
GK Mattia Del Favero (1998-06-05) 5 June 1998 1 0 Pescara v. Sweden, 8 September 2020
DF Claud Adjapong (1998-05-06) 6 May 1998 21 0 Lecce v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
DF Alessandro Bastoni (1999-04-13) 13 April 1999 12 1 Internazionale v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 PRE
DF Luca Ranieri (1999-04-23) 23 April 1999 5 0 SPAL v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
DF Marco Varnier (1998-06-08) 8 June 1998 4 0 Pisa v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
DF Nicolò Casale (1998-02-14) 14 February 1998 2 0 Empoli v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
DF Matteo Lovato (2000-02-14) 14 February 2000 1 0 Verona v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
DF Samuele Birindelli (1999-07-09) 9 July 1999 1 0 Pisa v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
DF Pietro Beruatto (1998-12-21) 21 December 1998 0 0 Vicenza v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
DF Caleb Okoli (2001-07-13) 13 July 2001 0 0 SPAL v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
DF Alessandro Tripaldelli (1999-02-09) 9 February 1999 3 0 Cagliari v. Iceland, 9 October 2020
DF Luca Pellegrini (1999-03-07) 7 March 1999 5 0 Genoa v. Sweden, 8 September 2020
DF Davide Bettella (2000-04-07) 7 April 2000 3 0 Monza v. Sweden, 8 September 2020
MF Giulio Maggiore (1998-03-12) 12 March 1998 5 0 Spezia v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
MF Sandro Tonali (2000-05-08) 8 May 2000 6 0 Milan v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
MF Simone Muratore (1998-05-30) 30 May 1998 1 0 Reggiana v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
MF Hans Nicolussi (2000-06-18) 18 June 2000 1 0 Parma v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
MF Manolo Portanova (2000-06-02) 2 June 2000 1 0 Genoa v. Republic of Ireland, 13 October 2020
MF Salvatore Esposito (2000-10-07) 7 October 2000 2 0 SPAL v. Slovenia, 3 September 2020
MF Fabio Maistro (1998-04-05) 5 April 1998 2 0 Pescara v. Slovenia, 3 September 2020
FW Patrick Cutrone (1998-01-03) 3 January 1998 21 8 Valencia v. Luxembourg, 15 November 2020
FW Andrea Pinamonti (1999-05-19) 19 May 1999 9 2 Internazionale v. Luxembourg, 15 November 2020
FW Sebastiano Esposito (2002-07-02) 2 July 2002 1 0 Venezia v. Iceland, 12 November 2020 INJ
FW Eddie Salcedo (2001-10-01) 1 October 2001 1 0 Verona v. Slovenia, 3 September 2020

Records

As of 4 November 2020.

Top appearances

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

# 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]

# 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 Massimo Maccarone 2000–2002 11 15
Gianluca Vialli 1983–1986 11 20
6 Robert Acquafresca 2007–2009 10 16
Cristiano Lucarelli 1996–1997 10 10
Christian Vieri 1992–1996 10 19
9 Roberto Mancini 1982–1986 9 26
Alberto Paloschi 2008–2011 9 28

See also

Notes
  1. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, all matches in September 2020 will be played behind closed doors.
  2. The match between Iceland and Italy was originally scheduled on 9 October 2020, 15:30 WET, at Víkingsvöllur, Reykjavík, but was postponed due to members of the Italy team testing positive for the COVID-19 virus.[5]

References
  1. "Categories - All 4". www.channel4.com.
  2. "Staff" (in Italian). FIGC.
  3. "FIGC". www.figc.it.
  4. https://www.figc.it/it/nazionali/news/qualificazioni-europee-sar%C3%A0-la-nazionale-under-20-ad-affrontare-la-repubblica-d-irlanda/
  5. "Leik U21 karla gegn Ítalíu frestað vegna Covid-smits í ítalska hópnum". Knattspyrnusamband Íslands. 9 October 2020.
  6. "The English FA suspends all activities: England vs. Italy cancelled". FIGC.it. 13 March 2020.
  7. https://www.figc.it/it/nazionali/news/costituite-due-squadre-per-le-gare-con-islanda-lussemburgo-e-svezia-i-convocati-di-nicolato-e-bollini/
  8. https://it.soccerway.com/matches/2020/10/13/europe/uefa-u21-championship/italy-under-21/ireland-republic-under-21/2978740/
  9. https://www.figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/classifica-presenze/?squadraId=13
  10. https://www.figc.it/it/nazionali/nazionali-in-cifre/classifica-marcatori/?squadraId=13
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