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The Italy national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.
Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the Italian Under-21 team was formed. Until 1990, the team had a very good record - reaching the last eight of each of the first seven UEFA U-21 Chammpionships. Since 1990, the team has established near-total dominance of European Under-21 football, winning five of the next seven tournaments. It is the most successful nation in the history of the competition.
The lowest point for the team came in 1997, when it failed to qualify for the 1998 finals. The team won the 2004 tournament finals in Germany. In the 2006 tournament finals in Portugal the team failed to advance to second round. This was Italy's 14th U-21 finals tournament.
UEFA U-23 Championship Record
Since the under-21 competition rules insist that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two year competition, technically it is an U-23 competition. For this reason, Italy's record in the preceding U-23 competitions is also shown.
- 1972: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.
- 1974: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1976: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.
UEFA U-21 Championship Record
- 1977-1978: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1979-1980: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 19811982: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 19831984: Losing semi-finalists.
- 1985-1986: Runners-up.
- 1987-1988: Losing quarter-finalists.
- 1989-1990: Losing semi-finalists.
- 1991-1992: Winners.
- 1993-1994: Winners.
- 1995-1996: Winners.
- 1997-1998: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 5 in qualification group.
- 1999-2000: Winners.
- 2001-2002: Losing semi-finalists.
- 2003-2004: Winners.
- 2005-2006: Finished 3rd of 4 in finals group.
See also
Sources/External links
- UEFA Under-21 website Contains full results archive
- The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U-21/U-23 Championships.
Football in Italy | European national under-21 football teams
"Italy national under-21 football team"