France national under-21 football team

France Under-21
Nickname(s)	Les Bleuets (The Little Blues) ; Les Espoirs (The Hopes)
Association	French Football Federation
Head coach	Sylvain Ripoll
Most caps	Mickaël Landreau (43)
Top scorer	Odsonne Édouard (17)
First colours	Second colours
First international
	France 7–1 England ; (Le Havre, France; 22 May 1952)
Biggest win
	France 7–0 Yugoslavia ; (Reims, France; 16 November 1985)
Biggest defeat
	England 6–0 France ; (Sheffield, England; 28 February 1984); Records for competitive; matches only.
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	11 (first in 1982)
Best result	Winners (1988)

The France national under-21 football team (French: Equipe de France Espoirs), known in France as Les Espoirs (French pronunciation: [ɛs.pwaʁ], The Hopes), is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, held every two years.

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, under-21 football teams in Europe were formed. The team is exclusively for football players that are age 21 or under at the start of the two-year campaign of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, meaning a player can represent the national team until the age of 23.

France has won the Under-21 Championship once, in 1988. Notable players on the team that went on to play for the senior national team include Laurent Blanc, Eric Cantona, Franck Sauzée, and Jocelyn Angloma, among others.^[1] Blanc was named the tournament's Golden Player.^[2] The team's best finish since was in 2002 when the team finished runners-up to the Czech Republic in Switzerland.

The France under-21 team does not have a permanent home. The team plays in stadiums located all around France, particularly grounds of Ligue 2 clubs. Because of the smaller demand compared to the senior national team, smaller facilities are used. Recently, the under-21 team has established the Stade Auguste-Delaune II, home of Stade Reims, as a home residence having played numerous matches there over the past two seasons.

History

Though, under-21 teams weren't formed until 1976, Les Espoirs, a youth national team in France, had existed since 1950 playing its first match on 22 May 1952 defeating England 7–1 at the Stade Jules Deschaseaux in Le Havre. The team's next match was two years later suffering a 3–1 defeat to Italy in Vicenza. For the rest of the decade, the youth team played seven more matches, which included a 1–1 draw with Hungary in Budapest and a 2–0 loss to England in Sunderland in 1959. In the 1960s, Espoirs continued to play matches against fellow national youth sides. However, on 18 December 1968, the team contested a match against Algeria senior team in Algiers recording an impressive 5–2 victory. Four days later, the team draw 1–1 with the under-23 team of Algeria in Oran. On 12 February 1969, the Espoirs played the Hungary senior team at the Stade Gerland in Lyon. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.

Team image

Media coverage

France's under-21 football friendlies and qualifying matches are broadcast by Direct 8.

Results and fixtures

Legend

Win Draw Lose Fixture

2022

23 September Friendly	Germany	0–1	France	Magdeburg, Germany
		Report	Gouiri 52'	Stadium: MDCC-Arena Referee: Krzysztof Jakubik (Poland)

26 September Friendly	France	2–2	Belgium	Valenciennes, France
	Nianzou 51' Wahi 77'	Report	Ramazani 41' Verschaeren 58'	Stadium: Stade du Hainaut Attendance: 9,768 Referee: Alessandro Dudic (Switzerland)

19 November Friendly	France	1–1	Norway	Caen, France
	Adli 17'	Report	Hove 83'	Stadium: Stade Michel d'Ornano

2023

25 March Friendly	England	4–0	France	Leicester, England
	Smith Rowe 51' Madueke 77' Jones 79' Ramsey 86'	Report		Stadium: King Power Stadium Referee: Joey Kooij (Netherlands)

28 March Friendly	France	0–0	Spain	Vannes, France
		Report		Stadium: Stade de la Rabine

16 June Friendly	France	1–0	Mexico	Grenoble, France
	Caqueret 34'	Report		Stadium: Stade des Alpes

22 June U21 Euro 2023 GS	France	2–1	Italy	Cluj-Napoca, Romania
21:45 EEST (UTC+3)	Kalimuendo 22' Barcola 62'	Report	Pellegri 36'	Stadium: Cluj Arena Attendance: 11,286 Referee: Allard Lindhout (Netherlands)

25 June U21 Euro 2023 GS	Norway	0–1	France	Cluj-Napoca, Romania
21:45 EEST (UTC+3)		Report	Olise 57'	Stadium: Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Attendance: 1,507 Referee: Donatas Rumšas (Lithuania)

28 June U21 Euro 2023 GS	Switzerland	1–4	France	Cluj-Napoca, Romania
21:45 EEST (UTC+3)	Ndoye 35'	Report	Gouiri 16' (pen.) Barcola 65' Cherki 76' Caqueret 81'	Stadium: Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu Attendance: 1,652 Referee: Morten Krogh (Denmark)

2 July U21 Euro 2023 QF	France	v	Ukraine	Cluj-Napoca, Romania
22:00 EEST (UTC+3)		Report		Stadium: Cluj Arena Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal)

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 22 April 2021

Position	Name	Nationality
Manager	Sylvain Ripoll	French
Assistant manager	Patrice Gonfalone	French
Assistant manager	José Alcocer	French
Goalkeeping coach	Sylvain Matrisciano	French
Doctor	François Brochet	French
Physiotherapist	Guy Puravet	French

Players

Current squad

For the 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons, including the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, players born on or after 1 January 2000 are eligible.

The following 23 players were called up for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.^[3]

Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped by the senior team.

Caps and goals as of 28 June 2023, after the team's match against Switzerland.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Illan Meslier	(2000-03-02) 2 March 2000 (age 24)	13	0	Leeds United
16	1GK	Lucas Chevalier	(2001-11-06) 6 November 2001 (age 22)	5	0	Lille
23	1GK	Stefan Bajic	(2001-12-23) 23 December 2001 (age 22)	1	0	Bristol City

2	2DF	Mohamed Simakan	(2000-05-03) 3 May 2000 (age 24)	6	0	RB Leipzig
3	2DF	Yasser Larouci	(2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 23)	6	1	Troyes
4	2DF	Loïc Badé	(2000-04-11) 11 April 2000 (age 24)	6	0	Sevilla
5	2DF	Niels Nkounkou	(2000-11-01) 1 November 2000 (age 23)	5	0	Saint-Étienne
12	2DF	Valentin Gendrey	(2000-06-21) 21 June 2000 (age 24)	2	0	Lecce
14	2DF	Castello Lukeba	(2002-12-17) 17 December 2002 (age 21)	11	0	Lyon
18	2DF	Bafodé Diakité	(2001-01-06) 6 January 2001 (age 23)	4	0	Lille
20	2DF	Pierre Kalulu	(2000-06-05) 5 June 2000 (age 24)	18	2	Milan

6	3MF	Enzo Le Fée	(2000-02-03) 3 February 2000 (age 24)	14	3	Lorient
7	3MF	Manu Koné	(2001-05-17) 17 May 2001 (age 23)	11	0	Borussia Mönchengladbach
8	3MF	Maxence Caqueret (captain)	(2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 24)	23	4	Lyon
13	3MF	Joris Chotard	(2001-09-24) 24 September 2001 (age 22)	9	0	Montpellier
19	3MF	Khéphren Thuram	(2001-03-26) 26 March 2001 (age 23)	17	2	Nice
22	3MF	Michael Olise	(2001-12-12) 12 December 2001 (age 22)	7	1	Crystal Palace

9	4FW	Arnaud Kalimuendo	(2002-01-20) 20 January 2002 (age 22)	21	5	Rennes
10	4FW	Rayan Cherki	(2003-08-17) 17 August 2003 (age 20)	13	5	Lyon
11	4FW	Amine Gouiri	(2000-02-16) 16 February 2000 (age 24)	30	12	Rennes
15	4FW	Amine Adli	(2000-05-10) 10 May 2000 (age 24)	11	3	Bayer Leverkusen
17	4FW	Bradley Barcola	(2002-09-02) 2 September 2002 (age 21)	6	2	Lyon
21	4FW	Elye Wahi	(2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 (age 21)	6	1	Montpellier

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the France under-21 squad and remain eligible:

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Thimothée Lo-Tutala	(2003-02-13) 13 February 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Hull City	v. Norway, 19 November 2022
GK	Guillaume Dietsch	(2001-04-17) 17 April 2001 (age 23)	1	0	Seraing	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022
GK	Yahia Fofana	(2000-08-21) 21 August 2000 (age 23)	1	0	Angers	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022

DF	Quentin Merlin	(2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22)	5	0	Nantes	2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship ^INJ
DF	Sacha Boey	(2000-09-13) 13 September 2000 (age 23)	0	0	Galatasaray	2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship ^INJ
DF	Benoît Badiashile (vice-captain)	(2001-03-26) 26 March 2001 (age 23)	19	0	Chelsea	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
DF	Ismaël Doukouré	(2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Strasbourg	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
DF	Yoan Koré	(2004-11-16) 16 November 2004 (age 19)	0	0	Paris FC	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
DF	Warmed Omari	(2000-04-23) 23 April 2000 (age 24)	2	0	Rennes	v. Spain, 28 March 2023 ^INJ
DF	Adrien Truffert	(2001-01-20) 20 January 2001 (age 23)	15	0	Rennes	v. England, 25 March 2023 ^INJ
DF	Melvin Bard	(2000-11-06) 6 November 2000 (age 23)	3	0	Nice	v. England, 25 March 2023 ^INJ
DF	Malo Gusto	(2003-05-19) 19 May 2003 (age 21)	7	1	Chelsea	v. Norway, 19 November 2022
DF	Wesley Fofana	(2000-12-17) 17 December 2000 (age 23)	7	0	Chelsea	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022
DF	Tanguy Nianzou	(2002-06-07) 7 June 2002 (age 22)	1	1	Sevilla	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022
DF	William Saliba (captain)	(2001-03-24) 24 March 2001 (age 23)	5	0	Arsenal	v. Faroe Islands, 24 March 2022 ^SEN
DF	Andy Pelmard	(2000-03-12) 12 March 2000 (age 24)	2	0	Basel	v. Faroe Islands, 6 September 2021
DF	Rayan Aït-Nouri	(2001-06-06) 6 June 2001 (age 23)	5	0	Wolverhampton Wanderers	v. Liechtenstein, 12 November 2020 ^INJ

MF	Han-Noah Massengo	(2001-07-07) 7 July 2001 (age 23)	2	0	Bristol City	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
MF	Johann Lepenant	(2002-10-22) 22 October 2002 (age 21)	1	0	Lyon	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
MF	Sofiane Diop	(2000-06-09) 9 June 2000 (age 24)	13	4	Nice	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022
MF	Eduardo Camavinga	(2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 (age 21)	13	2	Real Madrid	v. Ukraine, 9 June 2022
MF	Alexis Beka Beka	(2001-03-29) 29 March 2001 (age 23)	0	0	Nice	v. Serbia, 12 October 2021
MF	Aurélien Tchouaméni	(2000-01-27) 27 January 2000 (age 24)	4	0	Real Madrid	v. Liechtenstein, 12 November 2020 ^INJ

FW	Matthis Abline	(2003-03-28) 28 March 2003 (age 21)	4	1	Rennes	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
FW	Andy Diouf	(2003-05-17) 17 May 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Basel	v. Spain, 28 March 2023
FW	Nathan Ngoumou	(2000-03-14) 14 March 2000 (age 24)	9	0	Borussia Mönchengladbach	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022
FW	Georginio Rutter	(2002-04-20) 20 April 2002 (age 22)	4	0	Leeds United	v. Belgium, 26 September 2022
FW	Mohamed-Ali Cho	(2004-01-19) 19 January 2004 (age 20)	7	0	Real Sociedad	v. Germany, 23 September 2022 ^INJ
FW	Hugo Ekitike	(2002-06-20) 20 June 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Paris Saint-Germain	v. North Macedonia, 16 November 2021
FW	Janis Antiste	(2002-08-18) 18 August 2002 (age 21)	1	0	Sassuolo	v. Serbia, 12 October 2021
FW	Nathanaël Mbuku	(2002-03-16) 16 March 2002 (age 22)	2	1	Reims	v. Faroe Islands, 6 September 2021
FW	Sékou Mara	(2002-07-30) 30 July 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Southampton	v. Faroe Islands, 6 September 2021
FW	Isaac Lihadji	(2002-04-10) 10 April 2002 (age 22)	2	1	Lille	v. Switzerland, 16 November 2020
FW	Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe	(2000-11-21) 21 November 2000 (age 23)	1	0	Eintracht Frankfurt	v. Azerbaijan, 7 September 2020

Notes

Players in italics have played at senior level.
^COV Withdrew due to COVID-19
^CLU Player withdrew from the squad because of a club necessity.
^INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
^SEN Player withdrew from the squad due to a call up to the senior team.
^SH Player sent home by team staff.

Previous squads

U-21 European Championship squads

Honours

UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

Champions (1): 1988

Runners-up (1): 2002

Toulon Tournament

Champions (12): 1977, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015

Finalists (14): 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016

Competitive record

UEFA U-23 Championship

1972: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
1974: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 3 in qualification group.
1976: Losing quarter-finalists.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Year	Result	Pld	W	D*	L	GS	GA
1978	did not qualify	4	0	1	3	4	6
1980	did not qualify	4	2	1	1	3	2
1982	Quarterfinals	6	3	1	2	9	8
1984	Quarterfinals	6	3	1	2	11	9
1986	Quarterfinals	8	2	3	3	13	13
1988	Champions	12	6	5	1	21	13
1990	did not qualify	6	3	2	1	11	7
1992	did not qualify	8	3	2	3	7	5
1994	Fourth Place	14	10	2	2	24	8
1996	Third Place	14	8	4	2	30	5
1998	did not qualify	8	4	3	1	13	8
2000	did not qualify	8	6	2	2	19	6
2002	Runners-Up	15	12	3	0	27	7
2004	did not qualify	10	8	1	1	20	7
2006	Semi-finals	14	10	2	2	24	10
2007	did not qualify	4	2	1	1	6	3
2009		10	5	3	2	17	7
2011		8	4	3	1	12	6
2013		10	8	0	2	23	7
2015		10	8	1	1	31	11
2017		10	6	2	2	17	8
2019	Semi-finals	14	11	2	1	28	11
2021	Quarterfinals	14	11	0	3	37	13
Total	1 title	209	126	44	39	375	170

*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

**Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won. Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Qualification

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	France	10	9	1	32	10	+22	27	Final tournament	—	3–1	3–2	1–0	5–0	5–0
2	Switzerland	10	9	1	26	8	+18	27	Final tournament	3–1	—	2–1	4–1	2–1	3–0
3	Georgia	10	5	5	17	14	+3	15		0–2	0–3	—	2–1	1–0	4–0
4	Slovakia	10	4	6	22	21	+1	12		3–5	1–2	3–2	—	2–1	6–0
5	Azerbaijan	10	2	8	6	18	−12	6		1–2	0–1	0–3	2–1	—	1–0
6	Liechtenstein	10	1	9	3	35	−32	3		0–5	0–5	0–2	2–4	1–0	—

Source: UEFA

References

^ "1988: France sweep to final glory". Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
^ "1988: Laurent Blanc". Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
^ "Fédération Française de Football" (in French).

External links

[1] "1988: France sweep to final glory". Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2010.

[2] "1988: Laurent Blanc". Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2010.

[3] "Fédération Française de Football" (in French).

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