Romania national under-21 football team
Alexandru Pașcanu (29) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Top scorer | George Pușcaș (18) | |||
Home stadium | Ilie Oană | |||
| ||||
Biggest win | ||||
1998) | ||||
Best result | Semi-finals (2019) |
The Romania national under-21 football team, also known as Romania under-21s or Romania U21(s), is considered to be the feeder team for the Romania national football team.
This team is for Romanian players aged under 21 at the start of the calendar year in which a two-year
History
The U-21 team came into existence, following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions, in 1976. Romania qualified for the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, and under Victor Pițurcă reached the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by the Netherlands. Romania had been 1–0 up, but were eventually beaten 2–1. The Romanian lineup included players like: Cosmin Contra, Bogdan Lobonț, Cătălin Munteanu, Ionel Dănciulescu and Ion Luțu.
Romania once again qualified unbeaten for the finals after topping their group in the qualifying series. The Romanians reached semi-final of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship for the first time in their history in the 2019 UEFA Under-21 Euro but eventually lost 4–2 to defending champions Germany who scored twice in the dying moments. Romania qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics for their first Olympics since 1964. Overall, Romania was a revelation at the tournament, beating both England and Croatia (4-2 and 4–1), and looked on course for a shock before Germany fought back to make the final.
Romania U21s do not have a permanent home. They play in stadia dotted all around Romania, in an attempt to encourage younger fans in all areas of the country to get behind Romania. Because of the lower demand compared to the senior national team, smaller grounds can be used.
Competitive record
UEFA U-21 Championship Record
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship record
|
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification record | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1978
|
did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | |||||||
1980
|
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 3 | ||||||||
1982
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 12 | ||||||||
1984
|
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 12 | ||||||||
1986
|
6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||
1988
|
6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | ||||||||
1990
|
6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | ||||||||
1992
|
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | ||||||||
1994
|
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 10 | ||||||||
1996
|
10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 10 | ||||||||
1998
|
Quarter-finals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | |
2000
|
did not qualify | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | |||||||
2002
|
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | ||||||||
2004
|
8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||||||
2006
|
10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 8 | ||||||||
2007
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||
2009
|
8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 3 | ||||||||
2011
|
10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 6 | ||||||||
2013
|
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 6 | ||||||||
2015
|
8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 19 | ||||||||
2017 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 14 | ||||||||
2019 | Semi-finals | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 4 | |
2021 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 7 | |
2023 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
Total | 4/24 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 18 | 160 | 87 | 31 | 52 | 268 | 181 |
Olympic Games
Olympic Games record | Olympic Games Qualification record ** | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1992 | did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | ||||||||
1996 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 10 | |||||||||
2000 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 8 | |||||||||
2004 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||||||||
2008 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||
2012 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 6 | |||||||||
2016 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 19 | |||||||||
2020 | qualified | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 11 | ||||||||
2024 | did not qualify | ||||||||||||||
2028 | to be determined | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- *Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
- **Includes both qualification phase and final tournament of UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
- ***Gold background color indicates that the tournament was won. Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.
EURO 2025
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Switzerland | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 6 | +10 | 14 | Final tournament | — | 2–2 | 11 Oct '24 | 6 Sep '24 | 4–2 | 5–0 | |
2 | Romania | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 13 | Play-offs | 15 Oct '24 | — | 1–0 | 5–0 | 6 Sep '24 | 2–0 | |
3 | Finland | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 10 | 1–2 | 10 Sep '24 | — | 4–1 | 15 Oct '24 | 6–0 | ||
4 | Albania | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 15 | −6 | 10 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–0 | — | 2–0 | 15 Oct '24 | ||
5 | Montenegro | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 4 | 10 Sep '24 | 11 Oct '24 | 1–2 | 21 Nov | — | 0–0 | ||
6 | Armenia (E) | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 17 | −16 | 2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 6 Sep '24 | 1–2 | 0–1 | — |
Results and fixtures
Win Draw Loss
2023
21 June 2023 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | Romania | 0–3 | Spain | Bucharest, Romania |
21:45 | Report | Stadium: ) |
24 June 2023 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | Romania | 0–1 | Ukraine | Bucharest, Romania |
19:00 | Report | Dican 89' (o.g.) | Stadium: ) |
27 June 2023 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | Croatia | 0–0 | Romania | Bucharest, Romania |
21:45 | Report | Stadium: ) |
12 September 2023 2025 UEFA Q | Albania | 3–2 | Romania | Elbasan, Albania |
18:30 | C. Shpendi 63' Berisha 71' Pajaziti 88' |
Report | Grameni 47' Borza 58' |
Stadium: Elbasan Arena Attendance: 713 Referee: Bulat Saryev (Kazakhstan) |
13 October 2023 2025 UEFA Q | Romania | 2–0 | Armenia | Bucharest, Romania |
20:30 | Vulturar 37' Baiaram 80' |
Report | Stadium: ) |
17 October 2023 2025 UEFA Q | Romania | 1–0 | Finland | Sibiu, Romania |
18:00 | M. Ilie 90+8' | Report | Stadium: Municipal Attendance: 7,654 Referee: Luka Bilbija (Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
17 November 2023 2025 UEFA Q | Romania | 5–0 | Albania | Bucharest, Romania |
19:30 | Munteanu 7' (pen.) M. Ilie 15' R. Ilie 37' Grameni 55' Danciu 86' |
Report | Stadium: ) |
21 November 2023 2025 UEFA Q | Switzerland | 2–2 | Romania | Neuchâtel, Switzerland |
18:30 | Sanches 23' Dos Santos Correia 88' |
Report | R. Ilie 11' Grameni 32' |
Stadium: Maladière Attendance: 5,359 Referee: Dominik Stary (Czech Republic) |
2024
26 March 2024 2025 UEFA Q | Armenia | 0–1 | Romania | Armavir, Armenia |
15:00 | Report | C. Mihai 89' | Stadium: Armavir Referee: Damian Sylwestrzak (Poland) |
6 September 2024 2025 UEFA Q | Romania | – | Montenegro | TBA, Romania |
TBA | Stadium: TBA |
Players
Current squad
The following players were called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group E match against Armenia on March 26, 2024.[1]
Note: Names in italics denote players that have been called up to the senior team.
Caps and goals are correct as of 26 March 2024, after the match against Armenia
Recent call-ups
Players born in or after 2002 are eligible for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
The following players have also been called up in the past to the Romania under-21 squad and remain eligible to play in the qualification matches for 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship:
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GK | Alexandru Borbei | 27 June 2003 | 0 | 0 | Lecce
|
v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
GK | Robert Popa | 5 March 2003 | 1 | 0 | FC U Craiova | v. Netherlands, 27 September 2022 |
DF | Alexandru Pantea | 11 September 2003 | 10 | 0 | FCSB | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
DF | Gabriel Buta | 29 January 2002 | 0 | 0 | FC U Craiova | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
DF | Răzvan Pașcalău | 5 May 2004 | 0 | 0 | Lecce
|
v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
DF | Andrei Borza | 12 November 2005 | 4 | 1 | Rapid București | v. Armenia, 13 October 2023 |
DF | Dan Sîrbu | 22 April 2003 | 1 | 0 | Farul Constanța | v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
DF | Andrei Coubiș | 29 September 2003 | 1 | 0 | AC Milan | v. Netherlands, 27 September 2022 |
DF | Radu Drăgușin | 3 February 2002 | 9 | 0 | Tottenham Hotspur | v. Netherlands, 27 September 2022 |
DF | Daniel Bîrzu | 28 May 2002 | 1 | 0 | Viitorul Târgu Jiu | v. Slovakia, 7 June 2022 |
MF | Octavian Popescu | 27 December 2002 | 13 | 1 | FCSB | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
MF | Ștefan Pănoiu | 23 September 2002 | 1 | 0 | Universitatea Cluj | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
MF | Aurelian Ciuciulete | 4 April 2003 | 0 | 0 | Unirea Dej | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
MF | Cătălin Cîrjan | 1 December 2002 | 1 | 0 | Rapid București | v. Armenia, 13 October 2023 |
MF | Ovidiu Perianu | 16 April 2002 | 1 | 0 | Gloria Buzău | v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
MF | Rareș Pop | 14 June 2005 | 1 | 0 | UTA Arad | v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
MF | Robert Filip | 2 March 2002 | 1 | 0 | CFR Cluj | v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
MF | Marian Danciu | 24 April 2002 | 1 | 1 | Universitatea Craiova | v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
MF | Alexi Pitu | 5 June 2002 | 8 | 0 | Bordeaux | v. Albania, 12 September 2023 |
FW | Adrian Mazilu | 13 September 2005 | 7 | 0 | Vitesse Arnhem | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
FW | Filip Ilie | 5 July 2002 | 1 | 0 | Universitatea Cluj | v. Switzerland, November 21, 2023 |
- Notes
- INJ = Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury
- SUS = Player is serving suspension
- WD = Player withdrew from the squad
- COV = Player withdrawn from the squad due to positive COVID-19 test
- Names in italics denote players that have been capped for the Senior team.
Coaching staff
- As of September 2022.[2]
Role | Name |
---|---|
Head Coach | Daniel Pancu |
Assistant Coaches | Nicolae Grigore Adrian Boingiu |
Goalkeeping Coach | Eugen Anghel |
Fitness Coach | Silviu Ioniță |
Video Analyst | Vlad Munteanu |
Physioterapists | Adrian Mîrza Andrei Bogatan Mădălin Talpalaru Valentin Șerban Dragoș Paraschiv |
See also
Footnotes
References
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.
- FRF.ro