Italy national under-21 football team

Italy Under-21

Nickname(s)	Gli Azzurrini (The Little Blues)
Association	Italian Football Federation (Federazion Italia Giuoco Calcio – FIGC)
Head coach	Carmine Nunziata
Captain	Lorenzo Pirola
Most caps	Andrea Pirlo (46)
Top scorer	Alberto Gilardino (19)
First colours Second 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) San Marino 0–7 Italy (Serravale, San Marino; 16 November 2023) Italy 7–0 San Marino (Latina, Italy; 5 September 2024)
Biggest defeat
Norway 6–0 Italy (Stavanger, Norway; 5 June 1991) Records for competitive matches only.
Olympic Games
Appearances	5 (first in 1992)
Best result	Bronze medallist (2004)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	22 (first in 1978)
Best result	Champions (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

• Winner: 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004
• Runner-up: 1986, 2013

• Summer Olympics

• Third place: 2004

• Mediterranean Games

• Winner: 1997

• Maurice Revello Tournament

• Winner: 2008
• Third place: 2011, 2024

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.

Year	Round
1978	Quarter-finals
1980
1982
1984	Semi-finals
1986	Runners-up
1988	Quarter-finals
1990	Semi-finals
1992	Champions
1994
1996
1998	Did not qualify
2000	Champions
2002	Semi-finals
2004	Champions
2006	Group stage
2007
2009	Semi-finals
2011	Did not qualify
2013	Runners-up
2015	Group stage
2017	Semi-finals
2019	Group stage
2021	Quarter-finals
2023	Group stage
2025	Qualified
2027	TBD
Total	22/24

*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

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.

• Before 1992: See Italy national football team
• 1992: Quarter-finals
• 1996: Group stage
• 2000: Quarter-finals
• 2004: Bronze medal
• 2008: Quarter-finals
• 2012: Did not qualify
• 2016: Did not qualify
• 2020: Did not qualify
• 2024: Did not qualify

Tournament	Player 1	Player 2	Player 3
1996	Gianluca Pagliuca (GK)	Massimo Crippa (MF)	Marco Branca (FW)
2000	Did not select
2004	Matteo Ferrari (DF)	Andrea Pirlo (MF)	Did not select
2008	Tommaso Rocchi (FW)	Did not select

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

• 1976–1986: Azeglio Vicini
• 1986–1996: Cesare Maldini
• 1996–1997: Rossano Giampaglia
• 1997–2000: Marco Tardelli
• 2000–2006: Claudio Gentile
• 2006–2010: Pierluigi Casiraghi
• 2010–2012: Ciro Ferrara
• 2012–2013: Devis Mangia
• 2013–2019: Luigi Di Biagio
• 2019–2023: Paolo Nicolato
• 2023–present: Carmine Nunziata

Current technical staff:^[2]

Position	Name
Head coach	Carmine Nunziata
Assistant coaches	Emanuele Filippini Matteo Brighi
Goalkeeping coach	Fabrizio Ferron
Athletic trainer	Vito Azzone
Match analyst	Marco Mannucci
Doctors	Daniele Mazza Vincenzo Santoriello
Physiotherapists	Nicola Sanna Emiliano Bozzetti
Osteopath	Cristiano Pompili
Head of Delegation	Mauro Balata
Secretary	Manfredi Martino

The following is a list of matches played in the past 12 months and future matches that have been scheduled. Only official matches are listed.^[3]

Players born in 2002 or later are eligible for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Players in bold have been already capped with the senior team.

The following players were called up for the friendlies against Netherlands and Denmark on 21 and 24 March 2025.^[4]

Caps and goals as of 24 March 2025, after the match against Denmark.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Sebastiano Desplanches	(2003-03-11) 11 March 2003 (age 22)	13	0	Palermo
	1GK	Gioele Zacchi	(2003-07-10) 10 July 2003 (age 21)	6	0	Latina
	1GK	Jacopo Sassi	(2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 (age 21)	3	0	Modena
	2DF	Lorenzo Pirola (captain)	(2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 23)	22	3	Olympiacos
	2DF	Mattia Zanotti	(2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 (age 22)	15	0	Lugano
	2DF	Daniele Ghilardi	(2003-01-06) 6 January 2003 (age 22)	12	1	Hellas Verona
	2DF	Riccardo Turicchia	(2003-02-05) 5 February 2003 (age 22)	9	0	Juventus Next Gen
	2DF	Diego Coppola	(2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 21)	8	0	Hellas Verona
	2DF	Nicolò Bertola	(2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 22)	7	0	Spezia
	2DF	Marco Palestra	(2005-03-03) 3 March 2005 (age 20)	3	0	Atalanta
	2DF	Samuele Angori	(2003-10-07) 7 October 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Pisa
	3MF	Cher Ndour	(2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 (age 20)	17	2	Fiorentina
	3MF	Giovanni Fabbian	(2003-01-14) 14 January 2003 (age 22)	14	4	Bologna
	3MF	Matteo Prati	(2003-12-28) 28 December 2003 (age 21)	11	1	Cagliari
	3MF	Niccolò Pisilli	(2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 20)	9	0	Roma
	3MF	Cristian Volpato	(2003-11-15) 15 November 2003 (age 21)	9	1	Sassuolo
	3MF	Tommaso Baldanzi	(2003-03-23) 23 March 2003 (age 22)	8	4	Roma
	3MF	Alessandro Bianco	(2002-10-01) 1 October 2002 (age 22)	6	1	Monza
	3MF	Issa Doumbia	(2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Venezia
	3MF	Simone Pafundi	(2006-03-14) 14 March 2006 (age 19)	2	0	Udinese
	4FW	Sebastiano Esposito	(2002-07-02) 2 July 2002 (age 22)	13	1	Empoli
	4FW	Giuseppe Ambrosino	(2003-09-10) 10 September 2003 (age 21)	7	1	Frosinone
	4FW	Luca Koleosho	(2004-09-15) 15 September 2004 (age 20)	4	0	Burnley

Following are listed players called up in the previous twelve months who are still eligible to represent the under-21 team.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Filippo Rinaldi	(2002-12-04) 4 December 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Feralpisalò	2024 Toulon Tournament
DF	Matteo Ruggeri	(2002-07-11) 11 July 2002 (age 22)	12	0	Atalanta	v. Ukraine, 19 November 2024
DF	Giovanni Bonfanti	(2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 22)	4	0	Pisa	v. Ukraine, 19 November 2024
DF	Michael Kayode	(2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 20)	4	0	Brentford	v. Ukraine, 19 November 2024
DF	Gabriele Guarino	(2004-04-14) 14 April 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Carrarese	v. Ukraine, 19 November 2024
DF	Nicolò Savona	(2003-03-19) 19 March 2003 (age 22)	3	0	Juventus	v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
DF	Pietro Comuzzo	(2005-02-20) 20 February 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Fiorentina	v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
DF	Mattia Viti	(2002-01-24) 24 January 2002 (age 23)	6	0	Empoli	v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2023 PRE
DF	Davide Veroli	(2003-01-29) 29 January 2003 (age 22)	4	0	Sampdoria	v. Norway, 10 September 2024
DF	Christian Dalle Mura	(2002-02-02) 2 February 2002 (age 23)	3	0	Cosenza	2024 Toulon Tournament
DF	Edoardo Pieragnolo	(2003-01-03) 3 January 2003 (age 22)	3	0	Sassuolo	2024 Toulon Tournament
DF	Alessandro Fontanarosa	(2003-02-07) 7 February 2003 (age 22)	1	0	Reggiana	2024 Toulon Tournament
MF	Fabio Miretti	(2003-08-03) 3 August 2003 (age 21)	12	1	Genoa	v. Netherlands, 21 March 2025
MF	Cesare Casadei	(2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 22)	12	3	Torino	v. Ukraine, 19 November 2024
MF	Edoardo Bove	(2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22)	14	1	Fiorentina	v. France, 15 November 2024 PRE
MF	Jacopo Fazzini	(2003-03-16) 16 March 2003 (age 22)	3	0	Empoli	v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
MF	Franco Tongya	(2002-03-13) 13 March 2002 (age 23)	5	0	Salernitana	v. Norway, 10 September 2024
MF	Luis Hasa	(2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 (age 21)	3	0	Napoli	2024 Toulon Tournament
MF	Federico Zuccon	(2003-04-01) 1 April 2003 (age 21)	3	0	Salernitana	2024 Toulon Tournament
MF	Giacomo Faticanti	(2004-07-31) 31 July 2004 (age 20)	2	0	Juventus Next Gen	2024 Toulon Tournament
FW	Wilfried Gnonto	(2003-11-05) 5 November 2003 (age 21)	13	5	Leeds United	v. Netherlands, 21 March 2025
FW	Francesco Pio Esposito	(2005-06-28) 28 June 2005 (age 19)	11	7	Spezia	v. Netherlands, 21 March 2025 INJ
FW	Antonio Raimondo	(2004-03-18) 18 March 2004 (age 21)	7	4	Salernitana	v. Republic of Ireland, 15 October 2024
FW	Leonardo Cerri	(2003-03-04) 4 March 2003 (age 22)	4	1	Carrarese	2024 Toulon Tournament
FW	Seydou Fini	(2006-06-02) 2 June 2006 (age 18)	4	1	Excelsior	2024 Toulon Tournament
FW	Rachid Kouda	(2002-07-25) 25 July 2002 (age 22)	1	0	Spezia	2024 Toulon Tournament
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad

Players in bold are still eligible to represent the Under-21 team. Caps and goals with the Olympic team are included.

The following is the top 10 most capped under-21 players:^[5]

Rank	Player	Period	Caps	Goals
1	Andrea Pirlo	1998–2002	46	16
2	Marco Motta	2005–2009	42	1
3	Francesco Bardi	2011–2015	37	0
4	Matteo Brighi	2000–2004	35	2
5	Daniele Bonera	2001–2004	34	0
6	Matteo Ferrari	1999–2002	33	3
7	Luca Marrone	2009–2013	32	1
	Alessandro Rosina	2004–2007	32	4
9	Luca Caldirola	2010–2013	31	1
	Marco Donadel	2004–2006	31	1

The following is the top 10 under-21 goalscorers:^[6]

Rank	Player	Period	Goals	Caps	Ratio
1	Alberto Gilardino	2000–2004	19	30	0.63
2	Andrea Pirlo	1998–2002	16	46	0.34
3	Manolo Gabbiadini	2010–2013	12	24	0.5
4	Massimo Maccarone	2000–2002	11	15	0.73
	Gianluca Vialli	1983–1986	11	20	0.55
	Patrick Cutrone	2017–2021	11	25	0.44
7	Cristiano Lucarelli	1996–1997	10	10	1
	Robert Acquafresca	2007–2009	10	16	0.62
	Christian Vieri	1992–1996	10	19	0.52
10	Gianluca Scamacca	2018–2021	9	15	0.6
	Ciro Immobile	2009–2013	9	16	0.56
	Andrea Belotti	2013–2015	9	18	0.5
	Roberto Mancini	1982–1986	9	26	0.34
	Alberto Paloschi	2008–2013	9	29	0.31

• Italy national football team
• Italy national under-20 football team
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship
• Football at the Summer Olympics

• Official website, Italian language
• Official website, English language
• The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U-21/U-23 Championships.