Spain national under-21 football team

Summary

The Spain national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Spain and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation. The team, nicknamed La Rojita (The Little Red [One]),[1] competes in the biennial UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Spain Under-21
Nickname(s)La Rojita (The Little Red [One])
AssociationRoyal Spanish Football Federation
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachSanti Denia
CaptainBryan Gil
Most capsGerard Deulofeu (36)
Top scorerGerard Deulofeu (17)
FIFA codeESP
First colours
Second colours
First international
 Yugoslavia 4–1 Spain 
(Zagreb, Yugoslavia; 9 October 1976)
Biggest win
 Spain 14–0 San Marino 
(El Ejido, Spain; 8 February 2005)
Biggest defeat
 Netherlands 5–0 Spain 
(Utrecht, Netherlands; 16 February 1983)
Records for competitive matches only.
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances16 (first in 1982)
Best resultWinners (1986, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2019)
The 2011 winning team

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the Spain under-21 team was formed. Spain has a strong record (competition winners five times and runners-up twice); having consecutively won the 2011 and 2013 Championships. They hold the joint record with Italy for the most wins of the competition.

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, Spain's brief record in the preceding U-23 competitions is also shown, though in actuality, Spain played only three competitive U-23 matches. The first was in the "under-23 Challenge", which they lost, while the next two were in a two-team qualification "group" for the 1972 competition (facing the Soviet Union team, they lost 2–1 at home then drew 1–1 away and failed to qualify. Spain did not enter a team in the other two U-23 competitions, but have been ever present in under-21 competitions).

Spain's youth development programs has been challenging the South American dominance in the FIFA U-17 World Championship and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In fact, 20 of the Spanish 23-man squad that won the Euro 2008 came through the ranks of the youth teams; most of them had won titles at the youth level as well.

Competitive record edit

UEFA European Under-21 Championship record edit

Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
1978 Qualifying Stage 4 2 0 2 5 8
1980 Qualifying Stage 4 1 2 1 4 2
1982 Quarter-Finals 6 5 0 1 14 5
1984 Runners-up 10 5 2 3 11 11
1986 Champions 10 7 1 2 18 9
1988 Quarter-Finals 8 4 2 2 10 4
1990 Quarter-Finals 6 4 0 2 5 4
1992 Qualifying Stage 7 3 2 2 6 5
  1994 Third Place 12 9 2 1 21 9
  1996 Runners-up 14 10 3 1 34 14
  1998 Champions 11 10 1 0 21 6
  2000 Third Place 14 11 3 0 31 7
  2002 Qualification Playoffs 10 6 1 3 15 9
  2004 Qualification Playoffs 10 6 2 2 17 5
  2006 Qualifying Stage 10 6 2 2 37 8
  2007 Qualification Playoffs 4 2 1 1 8 4
  2009 Group Stage 13 10 1 2 27 7
  2011 Champions 15 12 2 1 31 8
  2013 Champions 15 14 1 0 47 5
  2015 Qualification Playoffs 10 7 2 1 25 8
  2017 Runners-up 15 11 2 2 43 12
  2019 Champions 15 13 0 2 45 16
   2021 Semifinals 15 12 2 1 27 3
   2023 Runners-up 13 12 1 1 50 10
  2025 To be determined
Total 15/23 238 170 34 34 502 169

*Denotes draws including knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

  • Gold background color indicates first-place finish. Silver background color indicates second-place finish. Bronze background color indicates third-place finish.
  • Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Individual awards edit

Spanish players have won individual awards at UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.

Year Golden Player Golden Boot
  1986 Manolo Sanchís
  1998 Francesc Arnau
  2011 Juan Mata Adrián
  2013 Thiago Álvaro Morata
  2017 Dani Ceballos Saúl
    2019 Fabián Ruiz

Player records edit

Top appearances edit

Rank Player Club(s) Year(s) U-21 Caps
1 Gerard Deulofeu Barcelona, Everton, Sevilla, Milan 2012–2017 36
2 Borja Mayoral Real Madrid, VfL Wolfsburg, Levante 2015–2019 31
  Jorge Meré Sporting Gijón, FC Köln 2015–2019 31
  Iker Muniain Athletic Bilbao 2011–2014 31
5 Dani Ceballos Betis, Real Madrid 2015–2019 29
6 Santi Denia Albacete, Atlético Madrid 1992–1996 27
  David de Gea Atlético Madrid, Manchester United 2009–2013 27
8 Diego Capel Sevilla 2007–2011 25
  Mikel Oyarzabal Real Sociedad 2017–2019 25
  Saúl Atlético Madrid, Rayo Vallecano 2013–2017 25
  Xavi Barcelona 1998–2001 25

Note: Club(s) represents all the clubs that players played in at the time they did it too in the Under-21s.

Top goalscorers edit

Rank Player Club(s) Year(s) U-21 Goals
1 Gerard Deulofeu Barcelona, Everton, Sevilla, Milan 2012–2017 17
2 Borja Mayoral Real Madrid, VfL Wolfsburg, Levante 2015–2019 16
3 Rodrigo Benfica 2011–2013 15
4 Isco Málaga, Real Madrid 2011–2014 14
5 Álvaro Morata Real Madrid, Juventus 2013–2014 13
6 Óscar Barcelona, Albacete 1992–1996 12
7 Munir Barcelona 2014–2016 10
8 Pablo Couñago Celta, Recreativo, Ipswich Town 1999–2001 9
  Adrián Deportivo, Alavés, Málaga, Atlético Madrid 2007–2011 9
  Saúl Atlético Madrid, Rayo Vallecano 2013–2017 9

Note: Club(s) represents all the clubs that players played in at the time they did it too in the Under-21s.

  • Caps and goals correct as of 3 September 2020.

Recent results edit

Date Competition Location Opponent Result Scorers
3 September 2021 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Almendralejo, Spain   Russia 4–1 Fer Niño   13', 54', Pino   47', 86'
7 September 2021 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Vilnius, Lithuania   Lithuania 2–0 Francés   32', Pino   78'
8 October 2021 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Seville, Spain   Slovakia 3–2 Guillamón   58', Sergio Gómez   80' (pen.), Miranda   88' (pen.)
12 October 2021 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Seville, Spain   Northern Ireland 3–0 Sergio Gómez   26' (pen.), 32', Abel Ruiz   56'
12 November 2021 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Ta' Qali, Malta   Malta 5–0 Sergio Gómez   23', Abel Ruiz   24', 88', Guillamón   40', Lobete   50'
16 November 2021 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Khimki, Russia   Russia 0–1
25 March 2022 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Huelva, Spain   Lithuania 8–0 Rodri   16', 37', Sergio Gómez   35', Bryan Gil   40', Abel Ruiz   43', Manu Sánchez   61', Baena   65', Turrientes   70'
29 March 2022 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Žilina, Slovakia   Slovakia 3–2 Bryan Gil   4', Sergio Gómez   66', Navarro   81'
3 June 2022 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Larne, Northern Ireland   Northern Ireland 6–0 Ruiz   22', Gil   50', 61', Miranda   64', Riquelme   76', V. Gómez   87'
7 June 2022 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification Melilla, Spain   Malta 7–1 Navarro   8', 69', Ruiz 8  47', 64', Manu Sánchez   55', Lobete   73', 78'
23 September 2022 Friendly Cluj-Napoca, Romania   Romania 4–1 Ruiz   8', 18', Riquelme   80', 89'
27 September 2022 Friendly Huesca, Spain   Norway 3–0 Gragera   40', Ruiz   51', Novoa   90'
18 November 2022 Friendly Seville, Spain   Japan 2–0 Turrientes   47', Manu Sánchez   69'
21 June 2023 2023 UEFA U-21 Bucharest, Romania   Romania 3–0 Baena   55', Miranda   62', Sergio Gómez   90+5'
24 June 2023 2023 UEFA U-21 Giulești, Romania   Croatia 1–0 Abel Ruiz   1'
27 June 2023 2023 UEFA U-21 Giulești, Romania   Ukraine 2–2 Ivan Zhelizko   49' (o.g.), Abel Ruiz   90'
1 July 2023 2023 UEFA U-21 Giulești, Romania    Switzerland 2–1 Sergio Gómez   68', Miranda   103'
5 July 2023 2023 UEFA U-21 Bucharest, Romania   Ukraine 5–1 Ruiz   17', Sancet   24', Blanco   54', Aimar Oroz   68', Sergio Gómez   78'
8 July 2023 2023 UEFA U-21 Batumi, Georgia   England 0–1
8 September 2023 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification Paola, Malta   Malta 6–0 Diego López   5', Gabri Veiga   14', 18', Ilias   49', Pablo Torre   70', Turrientes   88'
11 September 2023 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification Jaén, Spain   Scotland 1–0 Turrientes   83'
13 October 2023 Friendly Tashkent, Uzbekistan   Uzbekistan 0–0
17 October 2023 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification Astana, Kazakhstan   Kazakhstan 4–0 Fermín López   11', Diego López   54', Fran Pérez   56', Omorodion   90'
17 November 2023 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification Huelva, Spain   Hungary 2–0 Carlos Martín   36', Pablo Torre   67'
21 November 2023 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification Leuven, Belgium   Belgium 1–1 Omorodion   66'
21 March 2024 Friendly Jerez, Spain   Slovakia 0–2
26 March 2024 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification Almería, Spain   Belgium 1–0 Joseph   88'

Forthcoming fixtures edit

Date Competition Location Opponent

2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship edit

Group phase edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification            
1   Spain 6 5 1 0 15 1 +14 16 Final tournament 1–0 1–0 2–0 10 Oct '24 15 Oct '24
2   Scotland 6 4 1 1 11 4 +7 13 Play-offs 6 Sep '24 11 Oct '24 3–1 4–1 2–1
3   Belgium 7 4 1 2 8 5 +3 13 1–1 0–2 15 Oct '24 1–0 3–1
4   Hungary 7 3 1 3 9 6 +3 10 10 Sep '24 0–0 0–1 2–0 10 Oct '24
5   Kazakhstan (Y) 6 1 0 5 3 14 −11 3 0–4 15 Oct '24 10 Sep '24 0–3 5 Sep '24
6   Malta (E) 6 0 0 6 2 18 −16 0 0–6 10 Sep '24 0–2 0–3 0–2
Updated to match(es) played on 26 March 2024. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated; (Y) Cannot qualify directly, but may still qualify through play-offs

Players edit

Current squad edit

The following players were called up for a friendly against Slovakia and a 2025 UEFA U-21 qualification match against Belgium.[2][3]

Caps and goals as of 26 March 2024, after the match against Belgium.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
23 1GK Pablo Cuñat (2002-04-28) 28 April 2002 (age 21) 5 0   Amorebieta
1 1GK Alejandro Iturbe (2003-09-02) 2 September 2003 (age 20) 3 0   Atlético Madrid
13 1GK Álvaro Aceves (2003-07-26) 26 July 2003 (age 20) 2 0   Eldense

5 2DF Alejandro Francés (2002-08-01) 1 August 2002 (age 21) 17 1   Zaragoza
2 2DF Hugo Novoa (2003-01-24) 24 January 2003 (age 21) 12 1   Villarreal
4 2DF Rafa Marín (2002-05-19) 19 May 2002 (age 21) 7 0   Alavés
15 2DF Álvaro Carreras (2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 21) 7 0   Benfica
14 2DF Dean Huijsen (2005-04-14) 14 April 2005 (age 18) 2 0   Roma
19 2DF Javi López (2002-03-25) 25 March 2002 (age 22) 1 0   Alavés
3 2DF Cristhian Mosquera (2004-06-27) 27 June 2004 (age 19) 2 0   Valencia
18 2DF Marc Pubill (2003-06-20) 20 June 2003 (age 20) 2 0   Almería

8 3MF Beñat Turrientes (captain) (2002-01-31) 31 January 2002 (age 22) 19 4   Real Sociedad
16 3MF Pablo Torre (2003-04-03) 3 April 2003 (age 20) 9 2   Girona
17 3MF Pablo Barrios (2003-06-15) 15 June 2003 (age 20) 8 0   Atlético Madrid
6 3MF Javi Guerra (2003-05-13) 13 May 2003 (age 20) 8 0   Valencia
10 3MF Fermín López (2003-05-11) 11 May 2003 (age 20) 6 1   Barcelona
22 3MF Unai Gómez (2003-05-25) 25 May 2003 (age 20) 1 0   Athletic Bilbao

7 4FW Diego López (2002-05-13) 13 May 2002 (age 21) 8 2   Valencia
20 4FW Samu Omorodion (2004-05-05) 5 May 2004 (age 19) 7 2   Alavés
21 4FW Fran Pérez (2002-09-09) 9 September 2002 (age 21) 7 1   Valencia
11 4FW Robert Navarro (2002-04-12) 12 April 2002 (age 21) 6 3   Cádiz
12 4FW Alberto Moleiro (2003-09-30) 30 September 2003 (age 20) 4 0   Las Palmas
9 4FW Mateo Joseph (2003-10-19) 19 October 2003 (age 20) 2 1   Leeds United

Recent call-ups edit

The following players have been called up within the last twelve months are still eligible for selection.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up

DF Arnau Martínez (2003-04-25) 25 April 2003 (age 20) 12 0   Girona v.   Belgium, 21 November 2023
DF David Torres (2003-03-05) 5 March 2003 (age 21) 1 0   Valladolid v.   Belgium, 21 November 2023
DF Juanlu Sánchez (2003-08-15) 15 August 2003 (age 20) 1 0   Sevilla v.   Belgium, 21 November 2023
DF Hugo Bueno (2002-09-18) 18 September 2002 (age 21) 1 0   Wolverhampton Wanderers v.   Scotland, 11 September 2023
DF Álvaro Carrillo (2002-04-06) 6 April 2002 (age 21) 0 0   Real Madrid v.   Scotland, 11 September 2023

MF Nico González (2002-01-03) 3 January 2002 (age 22) 9 0   Porto v.   Slovakia, 21 March 2024
MF Gabri Veiga (2002-05-27) 27 May 2002 (age 21) 13 2   Al-Ahli v.   Belgium, 21 November 2023
MF Iker Muñoz (2002-11-05) 5 November 2002 (age 21) 2 0   Osasuna v.   Kazakhstan, 17 October 2023
MF Stefan Bajčetić (2004-10-22) 22 October 2004 (age 19) 1 0   Liverpool v.   Scotland, 11 September 2023

FW Carlos Martín (2002-04-22) 22 April 2002 (age 21) 4 1   Mirandés v.   Belgium, 21 November 2023
FW Assane Diao (2005-09-07) 7 September 2005 (age 18) 4 0   Betis v.   Belgium, 21 November 2023
FW Iván Azón (2002-12-24) 24 December 2002 (age 21) 2 0   Real Zaragoza v.   Scotland, 11 September 2023

Honours edit

Titles edit

Former squads edit

See also edit

Notes edit

References edit

  1. ^ "La sub 21 regresa al lugar donde nació el 'tiqui-taca'" [The under-21 team returns to the birthplace of tiki-taka] (in Spanish). Marca. 9 June 2011.
  2. ^ "Convocatoria para los partidos frente a Eslovaquia y Bélgica" (in Spanish). Real Federación Española de Fútbol. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  3. ^ "Pablo Torre sustituye por lesión a Nico González para los partidos frente a Eslovaquia y Bélgica" (in Spanish). Real Federación Española de Fútbol. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.

External links edit

  • Official website by RFEF
  • Tournament archive at UEFA
  • Europe – U-23/U-21 Tournaments at RSSSF