Under-21 Group B: England vs Slovenia facts

England and Slovenia are reunited at the Nitra Stadium in the second round of Group B games at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Holders England kicked off their defence of the trophy with a 3-1 win against Czechia in Dunajska Streda on Matchday 1 thanks to goals from Harvey Elliott (39), Jonathan Rowe (48) and Charlie Cresswell (76).

Slovenia, meanwhile, went down 0-3 to Germany in Nitra and are still looking for their first finals win (D1 L3).

Previous European U21 Championship meetings

Matches 2
England wins 0
Slovenia wins 1
Draws 1
England goals 3
Slovenia goals 4

The teams were paired together in the 2023 qualifying competition. Goals from Conor Gallagher (5) and Cole Palmer (14) gave visitors England an early 2-0 lead in Celje on 7 October 2021 but second-half strikes by Mark Španring (49) and Dušan Stojinović (66) rescued a 2-2 draw for the home side.

A 91st-minute goal from substitute Cameron Archer was not enough to prevent England losing 1-2 in the home return in Huddersfield on 13 June 2022, Djed Spence's first-minute own goal added to by Mark Zabukovnik four minutes past the hour.

The teams' previous fixture had been a 2-2 draw in a Maribor friendly on 11 October 2019, goals in the final ten minutes from Dejan Petrovič and Janez Pišek ensuring the home side avoided defeat despite Eddie Nketiah and Sam Surridge having given England a two-goal cushion.

England had won the sides' two previous friendly meetings, Shola Ameobi earning a 1-0 away win in February 2002 and Micah Richards and James Milner getting the goals in a 2-1 home success in August 2008.

Form guide

England

This is England's tenth successive final tournament campaign – the longest ongoing sequence in the competition – and a 12th overall; they last missed out in 2006.

A team coached by Lee Carsley claimed England's first U21 title in 39 years in 2023, finishing first in Group C on a maximum nine points before beating Portugal (1-0), Israel (3-0) and, in the final, Spain (1-0), the latter through a Curtis Jones goal with James Trafford saving a late penalty.

Carsley's side qualified for these finals as Group F winners (W8 D1 L1), their 41 goals more than any other side. A 3-2 loss against runners-up Ukraine was their first away qualifying defeat in 12 years.

Harvey Elliott – another member of the victorious 2023 squad – was England's top scorer in qualifying on seven goals.

Champions in 1982 and 1984, England also reached four further semi-finals in the first six editions of the European U21 Championship.

Slovenia

This is the first time Slovenia have got through qualifying having played in the 2021 finals as co-hosts.

Four years ago a team coached by Milenko Ačimovič finished bottom of Group B behind Spain, Italy and Czechia, collecting one point from their three games (D1 L2), scoring one goal and conceding eight.

Third in their 2023 qualifying section behind England and Czechia, this time round Slovenia reached the finals as Group H winners, recording five victories in eight games (D2 L1) to finish a point ahead of France.

Tio Cipot was Slovenia's top scorer in qualifying with six goals.

In charge since 2020, Aćimović became Slovenia's director of national teams after qualifying had been completed; Andrej Razdrh, one of his assistants, was named as his replacement with the U21 side on 11 February.

Links and trivia

Has played in England:
Žan-Luk Leban (Everton 2019–, Farsley Celtic 2023/24 loan)