Spain national under-21 football team

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 coachLuis de la Fuente
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
Appearances13 (first in 1982)
Best resultWinners (1986, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2019)
Medal record
Spain national under-21 football team
Medal record
U-21 European Championship
1986 Team
1998 Romania Team
2011 Denmark Team
2013 Israel Team
2019 Italy Team
1984 Team
1996 Spain Team
2017 Poland Team
1994 France Team
2000 Slovakia Team
The 2011 winning team

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the Spanish 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

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Record
Year Round GP W D* L GS GA
1978Qualifying Stage420258
1980Qualifying Stage412142
1982Quarter-Finals6501145
1984Runners-up105231111
1986Champions10712189
1988Quarter-Finals8422104
1990Quarter-Finals640254
1992Qualifying Stage732265
1994Third Place12921219
1996Runners-up1410313414
1998Champions111010216
2000Third Place141130317
2002Qualification Playoffs10613159
2004Qualification Playoffs10622175
2006Qualifying Stage10622378
2007Qualification Playoffs421184
2009Group Stage131012277
2011Champions151221318
2013Champions151410475
2015Qualification Playoffs10721258
2017Runners-up1511224312
2019Champions1513024516
2021Semifinals151221273
2023
Total15/232381703434502169

*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

In addition to team victories, 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

Top appearances
Rank Player Club(s) Year(s) U-21 Caps
1Gerard DeulofeuBarcelona, Everton, Sevilla, Milan2012–201736
2Borja MayoralReal Madrid, VfL Wolfsburg, Levante2015–201931
 Jorge MeréSporting Gijón, FC Köln2015–201931
 Iker MuniainAthletic Bilbao2011–201431
5Dani CeballosBetis, Real Madrid2015–201929
6Santi DeniaAlbacete, Atlético Madrid1992–199627
 David de GeaAtlético Madrid, Manchester United2009–201327
8Diego CapelSevilla2007–201125
 Mikel OyarzabalReal Sociedad2017–201925
 SaúlAtlético Madrid, Rayo Vallecano2013–201725
 XaviBarcelona1998–200125

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

Top goalscorers
Rank Player Club(s) Year(s) U-21 Goals
1Gerard DeulofeuBarcelona, Everton, Sevilla, Milan2012–201717
2Borja MayoralReal Madrid, VfL Wolfsburg, Levante2015–201916
3RodrigoBenfica2011–201315
4IscoMálaga, Real Madrid2011–201414
5Álvaro MorataReal Madrid, Juventus2013–201413
6ÓscarBarcelona, Albacete1992–199612
7MunirBarcelona2014–201610
8Pablo CouñagoCelta, Recreativo, Ipswich Town1999–20019
 AdriánDeportivo, Alavés, Málaga, Atlético Madrid2007–20119
 SaúlAtlético Madrid, Rayo Vallecano2013–20179

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
Date Competition Location Opponent Result Scorers
10 October 2019 Friendly Córdoba, Spain  Germany 1–1 Manu García 10'
15 October 2019 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Podgorica, Montenegro  Montenegro 2–0 Buñuel 34', Cucurella 62'
14 November 2019 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Alcorcón, Spain  North Macedonia 3–0 Manu García 7', Serafimov 47' (o.g.), Pedrosa 87'
19 November 2019 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Ramat Gan, Israel  Israel 1–1 Óscar 50'
3 September 2020 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Skopje, North Macedonia  North Macedonia 1–0 Hugo Duro 84' (pen.)
8 October 2020 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Tórsvøllur, Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands 2–0 Brahim Díaz 51', 90+1'
13 October 2020 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Alcorcón, Spain  Kazakhstan 3–0 Guillamón 65', Dani Gómez 71', 85'
12 November 2020 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Marbella, Spain  Faroe Islands 2–0 Pedrosa 67', Roberto López 87'
17 November 2020 2021 UEFA U-21 qualification Marbella, Spain  Israel 3–0 Roberto López 65' (pen.), Barrenetxea 75', Moncayola 89'
24 March 2021 2021 UEFA U-21 group stage Maribor, Slovenia  Slovenia 3–0 Puado 53', Gonzalo Villar 54', Miranda 89'
27 March 2021 2021 UEFA U-21 group stage Maribor, Slovenia  Italy 0–0
30 March 2021 2021 UEFA U-21 group stage Celje, Slovenia  Czech Republic 2–0 Dani Gómez 69', 78'
31 May 2021 2021 UEFA U-21 quarter-finals Maribor, Slovenia  Croatia 2–1 Puado 66', 110'
3 June 2021 2021 UEFA U-21 semi-finals Maribor, Slovenia  Portugal 0–1
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'

Forthcoming fixtures
Date Competition Location Opponent
3 June 2022 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification TBD, Northern Ireland  Northern Ireland
7 June 2022 2023 UEFA U-21 qualification TBD, Spain  Malta

2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Group phase
Main article: 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group C
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 8 7 0 1 28 6 +22 21 Final tournament — 4–1 3–2 3–0 7 Jun 8–0
2  Russia[lower-alpha 1] 6 5 0 1 15 4 +11 15 Play-offs 1–0 — 3–0 1–0 6–0 3 Jun
3  Slovakia (Y) 8 4 0 4 15 12 +3 12 2–3 7 Jun — 2–1 4–0 3–1
4  Northern Ireland (Y) 7 2 0 5 7 12 −5 6 3 Jun Canc. 1–0 — 0–2 4–0
5  Malta (Y) 7 2 0 5 8 21 −13 6 0–5 Canc. 3 Jun 4–1 — 1–3
6  Lithuania (E) 8 2 0 6 6 24 −18 6 0–2 0–3 0–2 7 Jun 2–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 29 March 2022. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated; (Y) Cannot qualify directly, may only advance to play-offs
Notes:
  1. On 28 February 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian national teams from all competitions due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[2]

Players

The following players were called up for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying matches against Lithuania and Slovakia, from 25 to 29 March 2022.[3]

Caps and goals correct as of 29 March 2022, after the match against Slovakia.
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
13 1GK Joan García (2001-05-04) 4 May 2001 2 0 Espanyol B
23 1GK Miguel Morro (2000-09-11) 11 September 2000 0 0 Fuenlabrada
1GK Leo Román (2000-07-06) 6 July 2000 0 0 Mallorca
2 2DF Víctor Gómez (2000-04-01) 1 April 2000 3 0 Málaga
3 2DF Juan Miranda (2000-01-19) 19 January 2000 13 2 Betis
5 2DF Alejandro Francés (2002-08-01) 1 August 2002 7 1 Zaragoza
12 2DF Sergio Carreira (2000-10-13) 13 October 2000 4 0 Mirandés
14 2DF Jon Pacheco (2001-01-09) 9 January 2001 2 0 Real Sociedad B
15 2DF Víctor Chust (2000-03-05) 5 March 2000 3 0 Cádiz
20 2DF Manu Sánchez (2000-08-24) 24 August 2000 4 1 Osasuna
2DF Raúl Torrente (2001-03-01) 1 March 2001 1 0 Granada B
7 3MF Julen Lobete (2000-09-18) 18 September 2000 3 1 Real Sociedad B
8 3MF Beñat Turrientes (2002-01-31) 31 January 2002 8 1 Real Sociedad B
10 3MF Rodri Sánchez (2000-05-16) 16 May 2000 4 2 Betis
16 3MF Antonio Blanco (2000-07-23) 23 July 2000 4 0 Real Madrid B
18 3MF Robert Navarro (2002-04-12) 12 April 2002 1 1 Real Sociedad B
21 3MF Nico González (2002-01-03) 3 January 2002 3 0 Barcelona
3MF Unai Vencedor (2000-11-15) 15 November 2000 7 0 Athletic Bilbao
9 4FW Abel Ruiz (2000-01-28) 28 January 2000 13 4 Braga
11 4FW Bryan Gil (2001-02-11) 11 February 2001 9 2 Valencia
17 4FW Sergio Gómez (2000-09-04) 4 September 2000 8 6 Anderlecht
19 4FW Jon Karrikaburu (2002-09-19) 19 September 2002 2 0 Real Sociedad B
22 4FW Rodrigo Riquelme (2000-04-02) 2 April 2000 2 0 Mirandés

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team within the last twelve months and are still eligible to represent.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Arnau Tenas (2001-05-30) 30 May 2001 3 0 Barcelona B v.  Slovakia, 29 March 2022
GK Julen Agirrezabala (2000-12-26) 26 December 2000 4 0 Athletic Bilbao v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
GK Gaizka Ayesa (2001-04-02) 2 April 2001 0 0 Real Sociedad B v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
DF Hugo Guillamón (captain) (2000-01-31) 31 January 2000 13 3 Valencia v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
DF José Fontán (2000-02-11) 11 February 2000 3 0 Celta Vigo v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
DF Urko González de Zárate (2001-03-20) 20 March 2001 0 0 Real Sociedad B v.  Malta, 12 November 2021INJ
DF Miguel Gutiérrez (2001-07-27) 27 July 2001 1 0 Real Madrid B v.  Northern Ireland, 12 October 2021
DF Guille Rosas (2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 1 0 Sporting Gijón v.  Lithuania, 7 September 2021
MF Álex Baena (2001-07-20) 20 July 2001 1 1 Girona v.  Slovakia, 29 March 2022 INJ
MF Oihan Sancet (2000-04-25) 25 April 2000 4 0 Athletic Bilbao v.  Lithuania, 25 March 2022 INJ
MF Gaspar Campos (2000-03-27) 27 March 2000 3 0 Sporting Gijón v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
MF José Gragera (2000-11-30) 30 November 2000 2 0 Sporting Gijón v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
MF Francho Serrano (2001-10-17) 17 October 2001 2 0 Zaragoza v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
MF Nico Melamed (2001-04-11) 11 April 2001 1 0 Espanyol v.  Northern Ireland, 12 October 2021
MF Raúl Moro (2002-12-05) 5 December 2002 1 0 Lazio v.  Northern Ireland, 12 October 2021
MF Roberto López (2000-04-24) 24 April 2000 3 2 Real Sociedad B v.  Lithuania, 7 September 2021
FW Nico Williams (2002-07-12) 12 July 2002 5 0 Athletic Bilbao v.  Lithuania, 25 March 2022 INJ
FW Sergio Camello (2001-02-10) 10 February 2001 2 0 Mirandés v.  Russia, 16 November 2021
FW Fer Niño (2000-10-24) 24 October 2000 5 2 Mallorca v.  Northern Ireland, 12 October 2021
FW Yeremi Pino (2002-10-20) 20 October 2002 6 3 Villarreal v.  Lithuania, 7 September 2021
FW Ander Barrenetxea (2001-12-27) 27 December 2001 5 1 Real Sociedad v.  Lithuania, 7 September 2021
FW Iván Azón (2002-12-24) 24 December 2002 1 0 Zaragoza v.  Lithuania, 7 September 2021
FW Rober (2001-01-06) 6 January 2001 0 0 Betis v.  Russia, 3 September 2021 INJ
Notes

Former squads

See also

Notes

    References
    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. 2011-06-09.
    2. "FIFA/UEFA suspend Russian clubs and national teams from all competitions". fifa.com. FIFA. 28 February 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
    3. | Lista de convocados de la Selección española Sub-21 para la Fase de Clasificación para la EURO 2023. SEFútbol (in Spanish). 30 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
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