Italy national under-21 football team
| Nickname(s) | Azzurrini (Little Blues) |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio |
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| Head coach | Ciro Ferrara | ||
| Captain | Davide Santon | ||
| Most caps | Andrea Pirlo (46) | ||
| Top scorer | Alberto Gilardino (19) | ||
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| Biggest win | |||
 Italy 7-0 Estonia  Catanzaro, March 23, 1995 Italy 8-1 Wales  Pavia, September 5, 2003 |
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| Biggest defeat | |||
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matches only. |
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| UEFA U-21 Championship | |||
| Appearances | 16 (First in 1978) | ||
| Best result | Winners: 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004 |
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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 Football Championship, held every two years. Italy is the most successful nation in the history of the competition, with five Championships won (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000 and 2004).
Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the Italian Under-21 team was formed. Until 1990, the team had a very good record - reaching the last eight of each of the first seven UEFA U-21 Championships. From 1990 to 2004 the team established near-total dominance of European Under-21 football, winning five of the seven tournaments.
The lowest point for the team came in 1997, when it failed to qualify for the 1998 finals. The team won the 2000 tournament finals in Slovakia and the 2004 tournament finals in Germany. In the 2006 tournament finals in Portugal the team failed to advance to second round. This was Italy's 14th U-21 finals tournament.
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].
In the 2009 U-21 Championship Italy was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Contents |
[edit] UEFA U-23 Championship Record
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.
[edit] UEFA U-21 Championship Record
- 1978: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1980: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1982: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1984: Losing semi-finalists.
- 1986: Runners-up.
- 1988: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1990: Losing semi-finalists.
- 1992: Winners.
- 1994: Winners.
- 1996: Winners.
- 1998: Did not qualify.
- 2000: Winners.
- 2002: Losing semi-finalists.
- 2004: Winners.
- 2006: Finished 3rd of 4 in finals group.
- 2007: Finished 3rd of 4 in finals group; Winner of the Olympic qualification play-off.
- 2009: Losing semi-finalists.
- 2011: Did not qualify.
[edit] Olympics football Record
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Football | ||
| Bronze | 2004 Athens | Team |
Since 1992 Olympics football changed to U-23 event, and the European U-21 teams, technically is a U-23 teams. The winner, runner-up and third place of UEFA U-21 Championship qualify for Olympics.
- Before 1992: See Italy national football team
- 1992: Losing quarter-finalists
- 1996: Finished 4th of 4 in finals group
- 2000: Losing quarter-finalists
- 2004: Bronze Medal
- 2008: Losing quarter-finalists
- 2012: Did not qualify
[edit] 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
[edit] Coaches
- 1976–1986: Azeglio Vicini
- 1986–1996: Cesare Maldini
- 1996–1998: Rossano Giampaglia
- 1998–2000: Marco Tardelli
- 2000–2006: Claudio Gentile
- 2006–2010: Pierluigi Casiraghi
- 2010–present: Ciro Ferrara
[edit] Current players
Players born in 1990 or later are eligible for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
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1990-born
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1991-born
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1992-born |
1993-born |
Note: Players in italics have already been called up to the senior team.
[edit] Current squad
Squad called up for Euro 2013 qualifying matches against Turkey on 10 November 2011, and Hungary on 15 November 2011.
Caps and goals as of 15 November 2011.
| Name | Date of birth (age) | Club | Caps (goals) | Debut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | ||||
| Francesco Bardi | 18 January 1992 | Livorno |
3 (0) | v. Sweden, 24 March 2011 |
| Simone Colombi | 1 July 1991 | Juve Stabia |
0 (0) | N/A |
| Carlo Pinsoglio | 16 March 1990 | Vicenza |
8 (0) | v. England, 8 February 2011 |
| Defenders | ||||
| Luca Caldirola | 1 February 1991 | Brescia |
16 (0) | v. Turkey, 17 November 2010 |
| Michele Camporese | 19 May 1992 | Fiorentina |
3 (0) | v. Turkey, 17 November 2010 |
| Marco Capuano | 14 October 1991 | Pescara |
9 (0) | v. Côte d'Ivoire, 1 June 2011 |
| Alessandro Crescenzi | 25 September 1991 | Bari |
16 (0) | v. Austria, 25 March 2009 |
| Giulio Donati | 5 February 1990 | Padova |
13 (0) | v. Turkey, 17 November 2010 |
| Daniele Mori | 28 June 1990 | Empoli |
7 (0) | v. England, 8 February 2011 |
| Marco Davide Faraoni | 25 October 1991 | Internazionale |
5 (0) | v. Turkey, 17 November 2010 |
| Davide Santon | 2 January 1991 |  Newcastle United |
15 (0) | v. Netherlands, 31 March 2009 |
| Midfielders | ||||
| Andrea Bertolacci | 11 January 1991 | Lecce |
4 (0) | v. Switzerland, 10 August 2011 |
| Marco Crimi | 17 March 1990 | Grosseto |
2 (0) | v. Turkey, 10 November 2011 |
| Alessandro Florenzi | 11 March 1991 | Crotone |
5 (1) | v. Hungary, 6 September 2011 |
| Luca Marrone | 28 March 1990 | Juventus |
22 (1) | v. Bosnia Herzegovina, 13 October 2009 |
| Fausto Rossi | 3 December 1990 | Vicenza |
10 (1) | v. Côte d'Ivoire, 1 June 2011 |
| Riccardo Saponara | 21 December 1991 | Empoli |
12 (2) | v. England, 8 February 2011 |
| Strikers | ||||
| Mattia Destro | 20 March 1991 | Siena |
12 (5) | v. Wales, 7 September 2010 |
| Stephan El Shaarawy | 27 October 1992 | Milan |
1 (0) | v. Hungary, 15 November 2011 |
| Manolo Gabbiadini | 26 November 1991 | Atalanta |
13 (10) | v. Turkey, 17 November 2010 |
| Alberto Paloschi | 4 January 1990 | Chievo |
23 (8) | v. Germany, 18 November 2008 |
| Antonino Ragusa | 27 March 1990 | Reggina |
2 (0) | v. Turkey, 10 November 2011 |
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources/External links
- UEFA Under-21 website Contains full results archive
- The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U-21/U-23 Championships.
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