France vs Italy facts

Group D of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship kicks off with a meeting of two former champions as France face Italy at the Cluj Arena, their first competitive meeting for almost 25 years.

While France have qualified for a third successive finals for the first time, and have reached the knockout rounds in all four of their previous tournament appearances, they are still to add to their sole U21 triumph, in 1988. Italy, meanwhile, have failed to qualify only once since a final tournament was introduced in 2000, but have not lifted the trophy since the most recent of their five triumphs in 2004.

Group D is completed by Norway and Switzerland with all six games being played in the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, at either the Cluj Arena or the CFR Cluj Stadium.

Previous meetings

The sides have played in six previous European U21 Championship fixtures, although this is their first competitive meeting since November 1999.

Italy were 2-1 winners in that fixture in Taranto on 17 November 1999, Andrea Pirlo's 110th-minute goal give the home side a 2-1 victory in the play-off second leg and a place in the 2000 finals. Thierry Henry had given the visitors a first-minute lead, Italy progressing 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw in Créteil three days earlier.

Their previous fixtures had been equally tight. Francesco Totti's 50th-minute goal was the only one of the 1996 semi-final in Barcelona, Italy having also prevailed at the same stage two years earlier. The Azzurrini won 5-3 on spot kicks after a 0-0 draw in Nîmes, Claude Makélélé missing the decisive kick for the hosts. Zinédine Zidane also converted in the shoot-out for France, while Christian Panucci and Christian Vieri were among Italy's successful takers.

France have won only one of their competitive fixtures against Italy – the first, in the 1988 quarter-final first leg. Paolo Maldini gave the visitors a 49th-minute lead in Tomblaine but a late turnaround, involving goals from Stéphane Paille (80) and Franck Sauzée (90), earned France a 2-1 victory. That proved crucial as the second leg finished 2-2, although it took two more late Paille goals (85, 90+2) to deny Italy.

The teams have met in seven friendly matches since that 1999 play-off, most recently on 29 May 2018 when they drew 1-1 in Besançon with Moussa Dembélé's 12th-minute opener for the home side cancelled out by Christian Capone's 77th-minute equaliser.

That stretched France's unbeaten record against Italy to four games – three of which ended in 1-1 draws – since a 2-1 loss in Spezia in August 2007. That is the Azzurrini's only success against France since that 1999 play-off win; their record since is D4 L2.

Marco Carnesecchi and Raoul Bellanova featured for Italy in a 2-1 Under-19 friendly win on 13 February 2019 at home to a France side including Maxence Caqueret and substitute Pierre Kalulu.

Sandro Tonali and Bellanova were part of the Italy side that beat France 2-0 in the 2018 European U19 Championship semi-final in Vaasa, Finland. Amine Gouiri was in the France line-up.

Destiny Iyenoma Udogie scored as Italy came from behind to beat France 2-1 in the semi-finals at U17 EURO in 2019. Lorenzo Pirola also featured for Italy.

Form guide

France

Champions in 1988 with a squad including Laurent Blanc, Eric Cantona, Franck Sauzée and Jocelyn Angloma, this is France's seventh appearance in the final tournament and third in a row.

Having missed out for six successive tournaments from 2007 onwards, France got to the semi-finals on their return in 2019 and the quarter-finals two years ago. France have qualified four times since a group stage was introduced in 2000, and have reached the knockout rounds on each occasion.

In 2021 Sylvain Ripoll's squad finished second in Group C behind Denmark before losing 2-1 to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, the decisive goal coming three minutes into added time.

This time round France remained unbeaten to qualify as Group H winners, winning eight of their team games and scoring 31 goals while conceding only five, three of them in their final fixture, a 3-3 draw away to runners-up Ukraine.

Gouiri was Les Bleuets' top scorer in qualifying with five goals. Benoît Badiashile, who is not in the final tournament squad, started all ten matches, while four other players – Kalulu, Caqueret, Sofiane Diop (another finals absentee) and Arnaud Kalimuendo – also featured in every game.

Italy

The joint most successful side in European U21 Championship history with five titles, a record they share with Spain, Italy are in the final tournament for the 14th time. They have qualified for all but one of the 13 editions since 2000, missing out only in 2011.

The Azzurrini are the only side to win three successive titles, between 1992 and 1996, and lifted the trophy five times in seven editions between 1992 and 2004 – although they have reached only one final since, losing to Spain in 2013.

In 2021 Paolo Nicolato's side finished second behind Spain in Group B, winning one of their three games and drawing the other two, before going down 5-3 after extra time to Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Italy qualified unbeaten for the 2023 tournament, winning seven of their ten matches to finish five points clear of runners-up the Republic of Ireland in Group F.

Nicolò Rovella was Italy's top scorer in qualifying with three goals.

Links and trivia

Has played in Italy:
Pierre Kalulu (AC Milan 2020–)

Khéphren Thuram was born in Reggio Emilia in Italy when his father Lilian was playing for Parma.

Have played in France:
Pietro Pellegri (Monaco 2018–21)
Raoul Bellanova (Bordeaux 2019/20)

Have played together:
Illan Meslier & Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United 2022–)
Pierre Kalulu & Sandro Tonali (AC Milan 2020–)
Pierre Kalulu & Lorenzo Colombo (AC Milan 2020/21)
Képhren Thuram & Pietro Pellegri (Monaco 2018/19)

Gouiri converted the decisive penalty as Lyon beat Atalanta 5-3 on spot kicks after a 3-3 draw in the UEFA Youth League round of 16 on 10 March 2020. Gouiri had also scored OL's first goal in normal time.