Europe - U-23/U-21 Tournaments


From 1967 to 1970 a Challenge Cup for U-23 teams existed, the winners of each match having to defend it in their next.

Between 1970 and 1976 a competition for U-23 selections existed, changed to one for U-21 team between 1976 and 1984.

Since 1984 it is an official U-21 European championship. Since 1992, the tournament doubles as qualifying competition for the Olympic Games every four years.


Challenge Cup U-23

Date     Venue         Hosts        Score Visitors           Winners

 7- 6-67 Stara Zagora  Bulgaria       3-2 East Germany       Bulgaria
 6- 9-67 Burgas        Bulgaria       6-0 Finland            Bulgaria
15-11-67 Pleven        Bulgaria       2-1 Czechoslovakia     Bulgaria
17- 4-68 Sofia         Bulgaria       3-1 Netherlands        Bulgaria
26-10-68 Ruse          Bulgaria       1-2 Yugoslavia         Yugoslavia
18- 6-69 Novi Sad      Yugoslavia     3-0 Spain              Yugoslavia
 6-11-69 Zrenjanin     Yugoslavia     2-0 Sweden             Yugoslavia
24- 3-70 Athinai       Greece         1-5 Yugoslavia         Yugoslavia


U-23 Competition

List of Finals

Date     Venue         Hosts        Score Visitors           Winners

22- 6-72 Moskva        Soviet Union   2-2 Czechoslovakia
30- 6-72 Ostrava       Czechoslovakia 3-1 Soviet Union       Czechoslovakia

15- 5-74 Dresden       East Germany   3-2 Hungary
28- 5-74 Budapest      Hungary        4-0 East Germany       Hungary

19- 6-76 Budapest      Hungary        1-1 Soviet Union  
23- 6-76 Moskva        Soviet Union   2-1 Hungary            Soviet Union  

U-23 Competition Winners 1972-1976

Czechoslovakia        1
Hungary               1
Soviet Union          1


U-21 Competition

List of Finals

Date     Venue         Hosts        Score Visitors           Winners

17- 5-78 Halle         East Germany   0-1 Yugoslavia
31- 5-78 Mostar        Yugoslavia     4-4 East Germany       Yugoslavia

 7- 5-80 Rostock       East Germany   0-0 Soviet Union
21- 5-80 Moskva        Soviet Union   1-0 East Germany       Soviet Union  

21- 9-82 Sheffield     England        3-1 West Germany
12-10-82 Bremen        West Germany   3-2 England            England

17- 5-84 Sevilla       Spain          0-1 England
24- 5-84 Sheffield     England        2-0 Spain              England

U-21 Competition Winners 1978-1984

England               2

Soviet Union          1
Yugoslavia            1


U-21 Championship

List of Finals

Date     Venue         Hosts        Score Visitors           Winners

15-10-86 Roma          Italy          2-1 Spain
29-10-86 Valladolid    Spain          2-1 Italy    [3-0 pen] Spain

24- 5-88 Athinai       Greece         0-0 France 
12-10-88 Besançon      France         3-0 Greece             France

 5- 9-90 Sarajevo      Yugoslavia     2-4 Soviet Union
17-10-90 Simferopol    Soviet Union   3-1 Yugoslavia         Soviet Union

28- 5-92 Ferrara       Italy          2-0 Sweden
 3- 6-92 Växjö         Sweden         1-0 Italy              Italy

Date     Venue                      Score                   Winners

20- 4-94 Montpellier   Italy          1-0 Portugal           Italy

31- 5-96 Barcelona     Italy          1-1 Spain    [4-2 pen] Italy

31- 5-98 Bucuresti     Spain          1-0 Greece             Spain

 4- 6-00 Bratislava    Italy          2-1 Czech Republic     Italy

28- 5-02 Basel         Czech Republic 0-0 France   [3-1 pen] Czech Republic

 8- 6-04 Bochum        Italy          3-0 Serbia-Montenegro  Italy

 4- 6-06 Oporto        Netherlands    3-0 Ukraine            Netherlands

23- 6-07 Groningen     Netherlands    4-1 Serbia             Netherlands

29- 6-09 Malmö         Germany        4-0 England            Germany

25- 6-11 Aarhus        Spain          2-0 Switzerland        Spain

18- 6-13 Jerusalem     Spain          4-2 Italy              Spain

30- 6-15 Praha         Sweden         0-0 Portugal [4-3 pen] Sweden

30- 6-17 Kraków        Germany        1-0 Spain              Germany

30- 6-19 Udine         Spain          2-1 Germany            Spain

 6- 6-21 Ljubljana     Germany        1-0 Portugal           Germany

 8- 7-23 Batumi        England        1-0 Spain              England

U-21 Championship Winners 1986-2023

Italy                 5
Spain                 5

Germany               3

Netherlands           2

Czech Republic        1
England               1
France                1
Soviet Union          1
Sweden                1

All-Time Tables


About this document

Prepared and maintained by Erik Garin for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Erik Garin
Last updated: 9 Jul 2023

(C) Copyright Erik Garin and RSSSF 2000/23
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.