 | ||||
| Nickname(s) | Εθνική Ελπίδων ("National team of Hopes") | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Hellenic Football Federation | |||
| Head coach | Giannis Taousianis | |||
| Captain | Konstantinos Tzolakis | |||
| Most caps | Giorgos Karagounis (39) | |||
| Top scorer | Nikos Liberopoulos & Lampros Choutos (15) | |||
| ||||
| Biggest win | ||||
 Greece 6–0 Luxembourg  (Greece; 1993) Greece 6–0 Latvia  (Greece; 1999) | ||||
| Biggest defeat | ||||
 Hungary 7–0 Greece  (Hungary; 1976) | ||||
| UEFA U-21 Championship | ||||
| Appearances | 4 (first in 1988) | |||
| Best result | Runners-up, 1988, 1998 | |||
First 
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The Greece national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Greece and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years.
The under-21 competition rules stipulate that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two-year competition, so technically it is up to an U-23 competition. To be eligible for the Greece National Team, all the football players must hold Hellenic (Greek) nationality and comply with the provisions of Article 15 of the regulations governing the Application of FIFA Statutes. A list of 35 football players must be submitted to the UEFA administration 30 days before the European Under-21 Football Championship opening match. Only 22 of the 35 players listed are authorised to take part in the final tournament and 3 of them must be goalkeepers.
As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to play for the U-21s, senior side and again for the U-21s, as Sotiris Ninis has done recently. It is also possible to play more than one country at youth level or different at youth level and different at senior level (provided the player is eligible). But a football player can represent only the senior national team that capped him first.
Also in existence are national teams for Under-20s (for non-UEFA tournaments), Under-19s and Under-17s. Greece also has a women's national team.
History
The first time that Greece's national team of hopes were formed was in 1968, with the aim of participating in the first Balkan Youth Championship that took place at the Kaftanzoglio Stadium in Thessaloniki.
In their maiden match she played with the corresponding team in Turkey; the match ended in a goalless draw.
The first eleven were the following: Tourkomenis, B. Intzoglou (59' Dimitriou), Chaliambalias, Kyriazis, Athanasopoulos, Karafeskos, Filakouris, Sarafis (46' Stoligas), K. Papaioannou, Koudas, Kritikopoulos (70' Alexiadis).
In the following years, Greece won twice the Balkan Youth Championship (1969 and 1971), and they fought twice (1988 and 1998) in the final of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Competition Record
As of 23 September 2022
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA U-23 Championship | 14 | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| UEFA U-21 Championship | 212 | 100 | 35 | 77 |
UEFA European U23 Championship record
| UEFA European U21 Championship record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1972 | Semi-finals | 3rd/4th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | |
| 1974 | Did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | −3 | |||||||||
| 1976 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | ||||||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 1/3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 16 | −5 | |
UEFA European U21 Championship record
| UEFA European U21 Championship record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | |
| 1978 | Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 13 | −12 | |||||||||
| 1980 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | ||||||||||
| 1982 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | −5 | ||||||||||
| 1984 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | ||||||||||
| 1986 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 | ||||||||||
| 1988 | Final | Runners-up | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 5 | +10 | |
| 1990 | Did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 11 | −8 | |||||||||
| 1992 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 13 | −7 | ||||||||||
 1994
|
Quarter-finals | 6th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 6 | +17 | |
 1996
|
Did not qualify | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 0 | |||||||||
 1998
|
Final | Runners-up | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | +5 | |
 2000
|
Did not qualify | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 13 | +20 | |||||||||
 2002
|
Group stage | 8th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 8 | +10 | |
 2004
|
Did not qualify | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 7 | +3 | |||||||||
 2006
|
12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 9 | +9 | ||||||||||
 2007
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | ||||||||||
 2009
|
10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 13 | +7 | ||||||||||
 2011
|
10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 12 | +1 | ||||||||||
 2013
|
10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 15 | −1 | ||||||||||
 2015
|
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 10 | +10 | ||||||||||
 2017
|
10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 14 | −1 | ||||||||||
  2019
|
12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 7 | +19 | ||||||||||
 2021
|
10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 11 | −1 | ||||||||||
 2023
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 10 | +6 | ||||||||||
| 2025
|
In progress | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 | +3 | |||||||||
| Total | 0 titles | 4/24 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 198 | 97 | 30 | 71 | 319 | 236 | +83 | |
Honours
Winners (2): 1969, 1971
Third place (2):, 2015, 2018
Results and schedule
The following is a list of match results from the previous 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2024
Belarus
v Greece
| 22 March 2024 (2024-03-22) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G | Belarus | 1–0 | Greece | Armavir, Armenia |
| 15:30 (13:30 EEST) | Report | Stadium: Armavir City Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Marian Barbu (Romania) |
57' ( v 
Andorra
| 26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G | Greece | 1–0 | Andorra | Tripoli, Greece |
| 16:00 |
|
Report | Stadium: Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium Attendance: 651 Referee: Luka Bilbija (Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
v Greece
| 10 September 2024 (2024-09-10) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G | Faroe Islands | 0–4 | Greece | Klaksvík, Faroe Islands |
| 17:30 (19:30 EEST) | Report |
|
Stadium: Við Djúpumýrar Attendance: 253 Referee: Jasper Vergoote (Belgium) |
v Greece
| 11 October 2024 (2024-10-11) Friendly | Slovakia | 2–1 | Greece | Nitra, Slovakia |
| 15:30 (16:30 EEST) | Report |
|
Stadium: Štadión pod Zoborom Referee: Balázs Berke (Hungary) |
v Greece
| 15 October 2024 (2024-10-15) 2025 UEFA European U21 Championship Qualification Group G | Croatia | 3–2 | Greece | Koprivnica, Croatia |
| 18:00 (19:00 EEST) | Report | Stadium: Ivan Kušek-Apaš City Stadium Referee: Sandi Putros (Denmark) |
v Hungary
| 19 November 2024 (2024-11-19) Friendly | Greece | 1–1 | Hungary | Serres, Greece |
| 16:00 EEST | Report |
|
Stadium: Serres Municipal Stadium |
Euro 2025 Under-21 Championship qualification
2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification
Main article: 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group G| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portugal
|
10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 6 | +27 | 27 | Final tournament | — | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 3–0 | |
| 2 | Croatia
|
10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 14 | +6 | 22 | Play-offs | 0–2 | — | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | |
| 3 | Greece
|
10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 17 | 2–1 | 2–2 | — | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | ||
| 4 | Faroe Islands
|
10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 24 | −13 | 10 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | — | 1–0 | 2–2 | ||
| 5 | Belarus
|
10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 20 | −14 | 6 | 0–5 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | — | 0–0 | ||
| 6 | Andorra
|
10 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 16 | −12 | 3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | — |
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Coaching staff
Managers
The following table provides a summary of the complete record of each Greece team manager including their results regarding European Under-21 Championship.
- Key: Pld–games played, W–games won, D–games drawn; L–games lost, %–win percentage
| Manager | Greece tenure | Pld | W | D | L | Win % | Major competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stelios Aposporis
|
2004–2007 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 050.0 |  2006 European Championship – Failed to qualify 2007 European Championship – Failed to qualify
|
| Nikos Nioplias
|
2007–2009 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 047.4 | 2009 European Championship – Failed to qualify
|
| Georgios Georgiadis
|
2010–2012 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 7 | 052.6 | 2011 European Championship – Play-offs 2013 European Championship – Failed to qualify
|
| Kostas Tsanas
|
2012–2015 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 050.0 | 2015 European Championship – Failed to qualify
|
| Michalis Iordanidis
|
2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | — |
| Antonis Nikopolidis
|
2015–2019 | 33 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 048.5 | 2017 European Championship – Failed to qualify 2019 European Championship – Play-offs
|
| Giannis Goumas
|
2019–2021 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 033.3 | 2021 European Championship – Failed to qualify
|
| Georgios Simos
|
2021–2022 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 050.0 | 2023 European Championship – Failed to qualify
|
| Nikos Papadopoulos
|
2022–2024 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 050.0 | — |
| Giannis Taousianis
|
2024– | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | — |
| Totals | |||||||
Last updated: 27 August 2024. Statistics include official FIFA-recognised matches only.
Players
Current squad
- As of 19 November 2024
The following 23 players were called for the friendly match against Hungary on 19 November.
Names in italics denote players who have been capped for the senior team.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GK | Dimitrios Monastirlis | (2004-03-22) 22 March 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | PAOK
| |
| 1GK | Nikolaos Botis | (2004-03-31) 31 March 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Olympiacos
| |
| 1GK | Spyros Angelidis | (2005-01-28) 28 January 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Werder Bremen II
| |
| 2DF | Alexis Kalogeropoulos | (2004-07-26) 26 July 2004 (age 20) | 3 | 0 | Volos
| |
| 2DF | Isidoros Koutsidis | (2004-12-23) 23 December 2004 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Olympiacos
| |
| 2DF | Christos Alexiou | (2005-06-30) 30 June 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Inter Milan Primavera
| |
| 2DF | Georgios Katris | (2005-10-14) 14 October 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Levadiakos
| |
| 2DF | Konstantinos Kostoulas | (2005-02-08) 8 February 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Rio Ave U23
| |
| 2DF | Taxiarchis Filon | (2005-03-16) 16 March 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | PAOK B
| |
| 2DF | Athanasios Koutsogoulas | (2004-04-03) 3 April 2004 (age 20) | 5 | 0 | Panserraikos
| |
| 2DF | Marios Sinanai | (2004-01-16) 16 January 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | PAOK B
| |
| 2DF | Nikos Deligiannis | (2005-03-22) 22 March 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | PAOK B
| |
| 3MF | Theofanis Bakoulas | (2005-01-04) 4 January 2005 (age 19) | 5 | 1 | Olympiacos
| |
| 3MF | Giannis Apostolakis | (2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 (age 20) | 4 | 0 | OFI
| |
| 3MF | Dimitris Kaloskamis | (2005-03-01) 1 March 2005 (age 19) | 4 | 0 | Atromitos
| |
| 3MF | Sotiris Kontouris | (2005-02-24) 24 February 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Panetolikos
| |
| 3MF | Vangelis Nikolaou | (2004-06-03) 3 June 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Panetolikos
| |
| 3MF | Viktor Roumiantsev | (2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | PAOK B
| |
| 4FW | Georgios Koutsias | (2004-02-08) 8 February 2004 (age 20) | 17 | 5 | Lugano
| |
| 4FW | Lampros Smyrlis | (2004-07-12) 12 July 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | PAOK B
| |
| 4FW | Antonis Papakanellos | (2005-08-11) 11 August 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 0 | Olympiacos
| |
| 4FW | Christos Papadopoulos | (2004-11-01) 1 November 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Juventus Next Gen
| |
| 4FW | Georgios Kyriopoulos | (2004-08-24) 24 August 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Kifisia
| |
| 4FW | Dimitris Rallis | (2005-03-26) 26 March 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 1 | Heerenveen U21
| |
Recent call-ups
Following are listed players called up in the previous twelve months who are still eligible to represent the under-21 team.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Konstantinos Balomenos | (2002-03-11) 11 March 2002 (age 22) | 6 | 0 | PAOK
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| GK | Nikos Grammatikakis | (2003-05-26) 26 May 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Asteras Tripolis
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| GK | Angelos Angelopoulos | (2003-02-19) 19 February 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | AEK
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| GK | Fotis Sgouris | (2002-04-29) 29 April 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Asteras Tripolis
|
v. Faroe Islands, 10 September 2024
|
| GK | Konstantinos Tzolakis | (2002-11-08) 8 November 2002 (age 22) | 21 | 0 | Olympiacos
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| DF | Lefteris Tasiouras | (2004-03-01) 1 March 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | PAOK B
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| DF | Fotis Kitsos | (2003-03-31) 31 March 2003 (age 21) | 16 | 0 |  Omonia
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| DF | Ilias Kostis | (2003-02-27) 27 February 2003 (age 21) | 8 | 2 | Atlético Madrid B
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| DF | Apostolos Konstantopoulos | (2002-08-02) 2 August 2002 (age 22) | 15 | 0 |  Beerschot
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| DF | Apostolos Apostolopoulos | (2002-12-11) 11 December 2002 (age 22) | 7 | 0 | Olympiacos
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| DF | Panagiotis Panagiotou | (2002-01-16) 16 January 2002 (age 22) | 9 | 0 | Ethnikos Achna
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| DF | Konstantinos Chrysopoulos | (2003-05-21) 21 May 2003 (age 21) | 4 | 0 | Anorthosis
|
v. Faroe Islands, 10 September 2024
|
| DF | Nikolaos Kanellopoulos | (2003-01-10) 10 January 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | AEK B
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| MF | Christos Kourfalidis | (2002-11-11) 11 November 2002 (age 22) | 15 | 2 | Cosenza
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| MF | Dimitrios Metaxas | (2003-12-16) 16 December 2003 (age 21) | 13 | 0 |  AC Oulu
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| MF | Christos Mouzakitis | (2006-12-25) 25 December 2006 (age 17) | 4 | 0 | Olympiacos
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| MF | Argyris Darelas | (2003-10-16) 16 October 2003 (age 21) | 10 | 0 | NEC Nijmegen
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| MF | Christos Kryparakos | (2003-06-12) 12 June 2003 (age 21) | 10 | 0 | Niki Volos
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| MF | Athanasios Karamanis | (2003-10-14) 14 October 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Atromitos
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| MF | Titos Koutentakis | (2003-08-22) 22 August 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | OFI
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| MF | Vasilios Sourlis | (2002-11-16) 16 November 2002 (age 22) | 18 | 3 | Raków Częstochowa
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| FW | Nikos Zouglis | (2003-11-14) 14 November 2003 (age 21) | 11 | 1 | Asteras Tripolis
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| FW | Stefanos Tzimas | (2006-01-06) 6 January 2006 (age 18) | 6 | 0 | 1. FC Nürnberg
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| FW | Giannis Niarchos | (2002-06-26) 26 June 2002 (age 22) | 11 | 2 | Košice
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| FW | Christos Belevonis | (2002-07-29) 29 July 2002 (age 22) | 7 | 0 | Panetolikos
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| FW | Charalampos Kostoulas | (2007-05-30) 30 May 2007 (age 17) | 2 | 2 | Olympiacos
|
v. Croatia, 15 October 2024
|
| FW | Michalis Panagidis | (2004-02-11) 11 February 2004 (age 20) | 4 | 1 | Aris Thessaloniki
|
v. Faroe Islands, 10 September 2024
|
| FW | Michalis Kosidis | (2002-02-09) 9 February 2002 (age 22) | 10 | 2 | Puszcza Niepołomice
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
| FW | Marios Sofianos | (2003-11-24) 24 November 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | Panserraikos
|
v. Andorra, 26 March 2024
|
Withdrew due to injury | ||||||
Player records
Former squads
- 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship squads – Greece
- 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship squads – Greece
- 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Championship squads – Greece
See also
- Greece national football team
- Greece national under-23 football team
- Greece national under-20 football team
- Greece national under-19 football team
- Greece national under-17 football team
References
- "Εθνική Ελπίδων: κλήσεις για φιλικό με την Ουγγαρία". epo.gr. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
External links
- Greece U-21 at HFF (in Greek)
- Greece U-21 at UEFA
- UEFA European U-21 Championship at uefa.com
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