2021 Under-21 EURO: Meet the finalists

For the first time 16 teams will compete at a UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament: our guide to the contenders.

GROUP A

Hungary (hosts)

Friendlies since June 2019: P7 W1 D2 L4 F6 A12
U21 EURO best: semi-finals (1986)
Last U21 EURO: 1996 (quarter-finals)

Coach: Zoltán Gera
Hungary's fourth most capped player with 97 senior appearances, he was appointed in 2019.

One to watch: Bence Bíró
MTK Budapest poacher scored a hat-trick in friendly against fellow finalists Slovenia.

Did you know?
Hungary crashed out to Spain in the 1986 semis despite winning five group games and beating Poland 5-1 in the quarter-finals.

Germany

Qualifying group 9 record: P8 W6 D0 L2 F22 A10
Qualifying top scorer: Lukas Nmecha (7)
U21 EURO best: winners (2009, 2017)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (runners-up)

Coach: Stefan Kuntz
Member of Germany's EURO '96-winning squad at the helm of the U21s since 2016.

One to watch: Ridle Baku
Midfielder named after Karl-Heinz Riedle who is already capped at senior level after impressing for Mainz.

Did you know?
Five of the victorious 2009 side started Germany's FIFA World Cup final win against Argentina five years later.

Romania

Qualifying Group 8 record: P10 W6 D2 L2 F22 A7
Qualifying top scorer: Valentin Mihăilă (5)
U21 EURO best: semi-finals (2019)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (semi-finals)

Adrian Mutu leads Romania's celebrations after qualifyingGetty Images

Coach: Adrian Mutu
Romania's joint all-time leading scorer, best associated with his spells in Italy; U21 coach since January 2020.

One to watch: Ianis Hagi
Another famous name from Romanian football, the son of Gheorghe plays for Rangers in Scotland.

Did you know?
The 2019 group game against England was goalless after 75 minutes; it ended 4-2 to Romania!

Netherlands

Group 7 record: P10 W9 D0 L1 F46 A5
Qualifying top scorer: Dani de Wit (10)
U21 EURO best: winners (2006, 2007)
Last U21 EURO: 2013 (semi-finals)

Coach: Erwin van de Looi
Former Groningen and Willem II coach who replaced Art Langeler in 2018.

One to watch: Cody Gakpo
Already a regular at PSV Eindhoven; a regular scorer and provider of goals.

Did you know?
The Netherlands reached the 2007 final after knocking out England in a 32-kick penalty shoot-out.

GROUP B

Slovenia (hosts)

Friendlies since June 2019: P10 W2 D7 L1 F15 A14
U21 EURO best: debut
Last U21 EURO: N/A

Coach: Milenko Ačimovič
Former Olimpija Ljubljana director of football took on first coaching role with the U21s in 2020.

One to watch: Dejan Petrovič
The midfielder, capped at senior level, has featured in Rapid Wien's 2020/21 UEFA Europa League campaign.

Did you know?
Slovenia recorded their biggest win in a 7-1 victory over Estonia in the 2015 qualifiers.

Spain (holders)

Group 6 record: P10 W9 D1 L0 F20 A1
Qualifying top scorer: Dani Olmo (3)
U21 EURO best: winners (1986, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2019)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (winners)

Coach: Luis de la Fuente
Took charge of La Rojita in 2018 and guided them to glory in 2019.

One to watch: Brahim Díaz
The Real Madrid striker is on loan at AC Milan this season and already among the goals.

Did you know?
Spain's 4-2 victory against Italy in 2013 is the tournament's highest-scoring single-legged final.

Czech Republic

Group 4 record: P10 W6 D3 L1 F20 A4
Qualifying top scorer: Ladislav Krejčí (5)
U21 EURO best: winners (2002)
Last U21 EURO: 2017 (group stage)

Coach: Karel Krejčí
Long-time assistant to Pavel Vrba who guided Plzeň to the 2015/16 title and became U21 boss in 2018.

One to watch: Michal Sadílek
Diminutive midfielder on the books of PSV Eindhoven but spending 2020/21 on loan at Slovan Liberec.

Did you know?
Petr Čech was the hero in the 2002 final, keeping a clean sheet before saving two spot kicks in the final against France.

Italy

Group 1 record: P9 W8 D1 L1 F27 A5
Qualifying top scorer: Gianluca Scamacca (6)
U21 EURO best: winners (1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2004)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (group stage)

Coach: Paolo Nicolato
An experienced trainer most associated with Chievo who led Italy to runners-up at the 2018 U19 EURO.

One to watch: Patrick Cutrone
A powerful forward capped at senior level in 2018; currently on loan at Fiorentina from Wolves.

Did you know?
Italy and Spain are the most successful sides in the competition's history, with the Azzurrini's five titles coming in the space of just seven tournaments.

GROUP C

Russia

Group 5 record: P10 W7 D2 L1 F22 A4
Qualifying top scorer: Fedor Chalov (4)
U21 EURO best: winners (1980, 1990)
Last U21 EURO: 2013 (group stage)

Coach: Mikhail Galaktionov 
Became U21 boss in 2018 having extensively coached in Russia's youth system.

One to watch: Matvei Safonov
The Krasnodar shot-stopper conceded one goal in seven outings in qualifying.

Did you know?
The USSR beat Yugoslavia 7-3 on aggregate in the two-legged final in 1990.

Iceland

Group 1 record: P10 W7 D0 L3 F19 A12
Qualifying top scorers: Sveinn Aron Gudjohnsen (5)
U21 EURO best: group stage (2011)
Last U21 EURO: 2011 (group stage)

Coach: Davíd Snorri Jónasson
Succeeded Arnar Thór Vidarsson – who took over the senior team – in early 2021. Previously coached Iceland to the 2019 Under-17 EURO final tournament.

One to watch: Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson
Former Fulham winger now at AGF in Denmark and already on the fringes of Iceland's senior set-up.

Did you know?
Iceland's 2011 squad included Gylfi Sigurdsson, Birkir Bjarnason, Kolbeinn Sigthórsson and Alfred Finnbogason.

France

Group 2 record: P10 W9 D0 L1 F32 A10
Qualifying top scorer: Odsonne Édouard (11)
U21 EURO best: winners (1988)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (semi-finals)

Odsonne Édouard was prolific for France in qualifyingGetty Images

Coach: Sylvain Ripoll
Long-time Lorient player and then coach, Ripoll took his current role on in 2017.

One to watch: Odsonne Édouard
A Paris academy graduate, the Celtic forward was top scorer in the 2019/20 Scottish top flight.

Did you know?
France's 2019 final tournament appearance was their first since 2006.

Denmark

Group 8 record: P10 W8 D2 L0 F21 A9
Qualifying top scorer: Andreas Olsen (7)
U21 EURO best: semi-finals (1992, 2015)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (group stage)

Coach: Albert Capellas
The former coordinator of Barcelona's academy at La Masia was appointed in 2019.

One to watch: Jacob Bruun Larsen
Hoffenheim winger capped at senior level; leading assist provider in qualifying.

Did you know?
Denmark bowed out after the group stage in 2019 despite winning two of their three games.

GROUP D

Portugal

Group 7 record: P10 W9 D0 L1 F29 A9
Qualifying top scorer: Fábio Vieira (5)
U21 EURO best: runners-up (1994, 2015)
Last U21 EURO: 2017 (group stage)

Coach: Rui Jorge
Former left-back and seven-time Portuguese champion who has been U21 boss since 2010.

One to watch: Rafael Leão
Jet-heeled forward already in his second season in and around the AC Milan first team.

Did you know?
Three of the side beaten on penalties by Sweden in the 2015 final started the UEFA EURO 2016 decider 12 months later: Raphaël Guerreiro, João Mário and William Carvalho.

Croatia

Group 4 record: P10 W6 D2 L2 F37 A7
Qualifying top scorer: Luka Ivanušec (7)
U21 EURO best: group stage (2000, 2004, 2019)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (group stage)

Coach: Igor Bišćan
Former Liverpool and Dinamo Zagreb defensive player who took the reins in 2019 after success in club management.

One to watch: Luka Ivanušec
Dinamo Zagreb midfielder who was just 18 when he won his first senior cap.

Did you know?
Croatia are yet to record a finals win, managing a draw and two defeats in each of their three previous tournaments.

England

Group 3 record: P10 W9 D1 L0 F34 A9
Qualifying top scorer: Eddie Nketiah (13)
U21 EURO best: winners (1982, 1984)
Last U21 EURO: 2019 (group stage)

Coach: Aidy Boothroyd
Former Watford manager who replaced Gareth Southgate as U21 boss in 2016.

One to watch: Eddie Nketiah
Arsenal forward in the Ian Wright mould; England's all-time top scorer at U21 level.

Did you know?
This will be England's 16th finals appearance, a record bettered only by Italy (21).

Switzerland

Group 2 record: P10 W9 D0 L1 F26 A8
Qualifying top scorer: Andi Zeqiri (9)
U21 EURO best: runners-up (2011)
Last U21 EURO: 2011 (runners-up)

Coach: Mauro Lustrinelli
Former Switzerland striker and coach of Thun who replaced Heinz Moser in 2018.

One to watch: Andi Zeqiri
Lausanne-born forward who had a spell on Juventus's books and is now at Brighton.

Did you know?
In 2011, with Yann Sommer in goal, the Swiss did not concede until their 2-0 loss to Spain in the final.