ITALY NATIONAL UNDER-21 FOOTBALL 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 Football Championship, held every two years.
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. It is the most successful nation in the history of the competition.
The lowest point for the team came in 1997, when it failed to qualify for the 1998 finals. The team won 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.
In the 2007 U21 Championships Italy finished a disappointing third in their finals group, their worst finish since 1988. However, the team managed to gain qualification for the football at the 2008 Summer Olympics, beating Portugal on penalties in a playoff.

Contents

UEFA U-23 Championship Record

UEFA U-21 Championship Record

Olympics football Record

Mediterranean Games Record

Coaches

Current players

See also

Sources/External links

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.''

UEFA U-21 Championship Record

★ 1977-1978: Losing quarter-finalists.

★ 1979-1980: Losing quarter-finalists.

★ 1981-1982: Losing quarter-finalists.

★ 1983-1984: Losing semi-finalists.

★ 1985-1986: Runners-up.

★ 1987-1988: Losing quarter-finalists.

★ 1989-1990: Losing semi-finalists.

★ 1990-1992: 'Winners.'

★ 1992-1994: 'Winners.'

★ 1994-1996: 'Winners.'

★ 1996-1998: ''Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 5 in qualification group.''

★ 1998-2000: 'Winners.'

★ 2000-2002: Losing semi-finalists.

★ 2002-2004: 'Winners.'

★ 2004-2006: Finished 3rd of 4 in finals group.

★ 2006-2007: Finished 5th by winning Olympic qualification play-off.

★ 2007-2009: ''ongoing''

Olympics football Record

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: ''Qualified''

Mediterranean Games Record

Mediterranean Games Football tournament was U-23 event in 1993 and 1997.

★ 1993: 4th place

★ 1997: 'Winners'

★ 2001 and 2005: a U-20 and U-18 event

Coaches

★ 1976-1986: Azeglio Vicini

★ 1986-1996: Cesare Maldini

★ 1996-1998: Rossano Giampaglia

★ 1998-2000: Marco Tardelli

★ 2000-2006: Claudio Gentile

★ 2006-present: Pierluigi Casiraghi

Current players

Players born in 1986 or later are eligible for the 2007-09 UEFA European U-21 Championship. Full list of players selected for 2007-09 UEFA European U-21 Championship qualifying match against Albania on June 1, 2007 are available here.

'1985-born' (eligible to 2008 Summer Olympics) ★ Gianluca Curci ★ Emiliano Viviano ★ Michele Canini ★ Andrea Coda ★ Riccardo Montolivo ★ Antonio Nocerino ★ Graziano Pellè

'1986-born' (eligible to 2009 UEFA U21 Champ) ★ Ignazio Abate ★ Marco Andreolli ★ Luca Cigarini ★ Domenico Criscito ★ Paolo De Ceglie ★ Raffaele De Martino ★ Claudio Marchisio ★ Lino Marzoratti ★ Piermario Morosini ★ Marco Motta ★ Michele Paolucci ★ Francesco Pisano ★ Nicola Pozzi ★ Fabiano Santacroce

'1987-born' (eligible to 2009 UEFA U21 Champ) ★ Robert Acquafresca ★ Nicola Belmonte ★ Antonio Candreva ★ Andrea Consigli ★ Daniele Dessena ★ Sebastian Giovinco ★ Arturo Lupoli ★ Gabriele Paonessa ★ Cesare Rickler ★ Aleandro Rosi ★ Giuseppe Rossi ★ Marco Rossi ★ Salvatore Sirigu

'1988-born' (eligible to 2011 UEFA U21 Champ) ★ Lorenzo De Silvestri ★ Andrea Ranocchia ★ Andrea Russotto

Players in ''italics'' have caps for the senior team.

See also

★ Italy national football team

★ UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

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.