Wales national under-21 football team

Wales Under-21

Nickname(s)	Young Dragons (Welsh: Dreigiau Ifanc)
Association	Football Association of Wales (FAW)
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Matt Jones
Most caps	Shaun MacDonald (25)
Top scorer	Ched Evans (13)
FIFA code	WAL
First colours Second colours
First international
England 0–0 Wales  (Wolverhampton, England; 15 December 1976)
Biggest win
Gibraltar 0–7 Wales  (Gibraltar; 12 November 2021)
Biggest defeat
Italy 8–1 Wales  (Pavia, Italy; 5 September 2003)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	None (first in n/a)
Best result	1st of 5 in qual. group, 2009. Lost in play off.

The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years. To date Wales haven't yet qualified for the finals tournament but in recent years have shown good form, losing in a playoff (5–4) to England in the 2009 qualifying campaign and finishing second in their group two years later, after leading their group until their last game Wales only needed a draw to qualify for the play-offs but lost 1–0 away to Italy.

The under-21 team came into existence following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976. A goalless draw in a friendly against England at Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molineux Stadium was Wales U21s' first result.

The national under-21 team is the highest level of youth football in Wales, and is open to any players who were born in Wales or whose parents or grandparents were born in Wales. This team is for Welsh players aged 21 or under at the start of a two-year European Under-21 Football Championship campaign, so players can be, and often are, up to 23 years old. Also in existence are teams for Under-20s (for non-UEFA tournaments), Under-19s and Under 17s. As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to play for the U21s, senior side and again for the U21s.

Recent history

Historically the team was viewed by the Welsh national management as a hole to be filled rather than a team to be used to nurture young international players. Many of the great Welsh players spent little time at the under-21 team level. Ryan Giggs only made one appearance for the under-21 team before making his senior debut against Germany the next day.

From 2004 onward however, the former Wales national football team manager John Toshack and former Wales Under 21 manager Brian Flynn used the under-21 team to create a pool of youthful Welsh talent. The team now has a much better tracking system of young Welsh players, and has seen a marked improvement in players and team results. Recent results have seen them achieve big wins against Estonia (5–1), Northern Ireland (4–0) and France (4–2).

Players who have made the step from the U21s to attain over 50 caps for the senior squad are Gary Speed, Simon Davies, Carl Robinson, Craig Bellamy, Robert Earnshaw, James Collins, John Hartson, Andy King, Joe Ledley, Sam Vokes, Wayne Hennessey, Chris Gunter, Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Connor Roberts, Harry Wilson and Daniel James.

On 15 May 2008, they played a friendly against England U21s to mark the 100th match in the history of the side, losing 2–0.

A 3–0 victory against Romania in September 2008 meant that the Under-21 side finished top of their qualifying group for the first time in their history. It meant Wales would go into a two-legged play-off against England in October 2008 for a place in the finals of the 2009 UEFA Under-21 Championship to be played in Sweden. Wales lost the playoff 5–4 over the course of two legs. Losing 3–2 at home in the first leg and drawing 2–2 away in the second.

Wales started their qualifying campaign for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with a 1–0 away win against Andorra, a 3–1 away loss against Montenegro, a 1–0 home win against Montenegro, a 1–0 home defeat against Czech Republic and a 0–0 away draw against Armenia.

In May 2012 Brian Flynn vacated his position as Wales under-21 manager at the end of his contract and in July 2012 Geraint Williams was appointed team manager ^[1] Williams resigned as team manager on 5 December 2016. On 15 March 2017 it was announced that former Port Vale and Northampton Town manager Rob Page had left his position on the coaching staff at Nottingham Forest to become Wales under-21 manager. In August 2019 Page was appointed assistant coach to the senior Wales squad under Ryan Giggs with Paul Bodin stepping up from the Under 19's to manage the Under 21 team.^[2]

In November 2021, Wales picked up their biggest ever win at under-21 level when they beat Gibraltar 7–0 in a qualifier for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.^[3] In July 2022 Bodin's contract with Wales Under-21 was terminated by mutual consent.^[4] In September 2022, Matt Jones was appointed as manager.^[5]

Players

Latest squad

Players born on or after 1 January 2002 are eligible for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Wales squad for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying match against Lithuania in Newport and the friendly match against Morocco in Turkey on 22 and 26 March 2024 respectively.^[6]

Caps and goals as of 22 March 2024. Players in bold have attained full international caps. Clubs as of the date of the announcement.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Eddie Beach	(2003-11-14) 14 November 2003 (age 20)	6	0	Gateshead (on loan from Chelsea)
12	1GK	Evan Watts	(2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 19)	1	0	Swansea City
2	2DF	Fin Stevens	(2003-04-10) 10 April 2003 (age 21)	17	1	Oxford United (on loan from Brentford)
5	2DF	Luca Hoole	(2002-06-02) 2 June 2002 (age 21)	8	0	Bristol Rovers
20	2DF	Zac Ashworth	(2002-09-06) 6 September 2002 (age 21)	6	0	Bolton Wanderers (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)
6	2DF	Matt Baker	(2003-02-06) 6 February 2003 (age 21)	5	0	Newport County (on loan from Stoke City)
19	2DF	Tom Davies	(2003-11-11) 11 November 2003 (age 20)	2	0	Kilmarnock (on loan from Cardiff City)
4	2DF	Jay Williams	(2003-02-26) 26 February 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Sutton United
3	2DF	Terence Miles	(2004-09-12) 12 September 2004 (age 19)	0	0	Liverpool
15	2DF	Alex Williams	(2005-01-02) 2 January 2005 (age 19)	0	0	West Bromwich Albion
	2DF	James Sweet	(2003-09-06) 6 September 2003 (age 20)	0	0	Arsenal
	2DF	Luey Giles	(2006-08-04) 4 August 2006 (age 17)	0	0	Cardiff City
	3MF	Eli King	(2002-12-23) 23 December 2002 (age 21)	11	0	Ross County (on loan from Cardiff City)
8	3MF	Oli Hammond	(2002-11-13) 13 November 2002 (age 21)	10	1	Oldham Athletic
10	3MF	Rubin Colwill	(2002-04-27) 27 April 2002 (age 21)	9	5	Cardiff City
14	3MF	Joel Cotterill	(2004-10-10) 10 October 2004 (age 19)	6	1	Swansea City
13	3MF	Luke Harris	(2005-03-04) 4 March 2005 (age 19)	6	1	Exeter City (on loan from Fulham)
22	3MF	Cameron Congreve	(2004-01-24) 24 January 2004 (age 20)	2	0	Swansea City
23	3MF	Joel Colwill	(2004-10-27) 27 October 2004 (age 19)	1	0	Cardiff City
18	3MF	Oliver Ewing	(2003-01-03) 3 January 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Leicester City
7	3MF	Ben Lloyd	(2005-03-14) 14 March 2005 (age 19)	0	0	Swansea City
11	4FW	Pat Jones	(2003-06-09) 9 June 2003 (age 20)	7	0	Huddersfield Town
17	4FW	Chris Popov	(2004-10-26) 26 October 2004 (age 19)	6	0	Leicester City
9	4FW	Lewis Koumas	(2005-09-19) 19 September 2005 (age 18)	1	1	Liverpool

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Wales under-21 squad and remain eligible. Players in bold have caps for the senior team.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Ronnie Hollingshead	(2004-09-09) 9 September 2004 (age 19)	1	0	West Bromwich Albion	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023
GK	Ben Hughes	(2003-11-15) 15 November 2003 (age 20)	1	0	Swansea City	v.  Lithuania, 12 September 2023
DF	Owen Beck	(2002-08-09) 9 August 2002 (age 21)	14	1	Dundee (on loan from Liverpool)	v.  Lithuania, 22 March 2024INJ
DF	Owen Bevan	(2003-10-26) 26 October 2003 (age 20)	5	0	Hibernian (on loan from Bournemouth)	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023
DF	Joe Low	(2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 (age 22)	5	3	Wycombe Wanderers	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023
DF	Harry Leeson	(2003-09-02) 2 September 2003 (age 20)	1	0	Gloucester City (on loan from Bristol City)	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023
DF	Ed Turns	(2002-10-18) 18 October 2002 (age 21)	3	0	Crewe Alexandra (on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)	v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023INJ
DF	Oliver Denham	(2002-05-04) 4 May 2002 (age 21)	0	0	Sligo Rovers (on loan from Cardiff City))	v.  Scotland, 26 March 2023
MF	Charlie Crew	(2006-06-15) 15 June 2006 (age 17)	3	0	Leeds United	v.  Lithuania, 22 March 2024INJ
MF	Charlie Savage	(2003-05-02) 2 May 2003 (age 20)	6	0	Reading	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023
MF	Tom Hill	(2002-10-13) 13 October 2002 (age 21)	1	0	Liverpool	v.  Iceland, 16 November 2023INJ
MF	Jadan Raymond	(2003-10-15) 15 October 2003 (age 20)	2	0	Crystal Palace	v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023
MF	Ryan Howley	(2003-11-23) 23 November 2003 (age 20)	1	0	Dundee (on loan from Coventry City)	v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023
FW	Cian Ashford	(2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 (age 19)	3	2	Cardiff City	v.  Lithuania, 22 March 2024INJ
FW	Josh Thomas	(2002-09-24) 24 September 2002 (age 21)	7	2	Swansea City	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023
FW	Joe Taylor	(2002-11-18) 18 November 2002 (age 21)	3	0	Lincoln City (on loan from Luton Town)	v.  Denmark, 20 November 2023

Key

• ^SUS = Suspended for next match.
• ^SEN = Called up to senior squad.
• ^INJ = Withdrew from the squad due to injury.
• ^WD = Withdrew from the squad for non injury issue.

See also

• UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
• Football Association of Wales
• Wales national football team
• Wales national under-20 football team
• Wales national under-19 football team
• Wales national under-18 football team
• Wales national under-17 football team

References

External links

• UEFA Under-21 website Contains full results archive.
• The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U21/U23 Championships.
• FAW official site Contains fixtures/results and news for every Wales national football team.

This page was last edited on 14 April 2024, at 12:40