Scotland national under-21 football team

The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team.

Scotland under-21
AssociationScottish Football Association
Head coachScot Gemmill[1]
Most capsChristian Dailly (35)[2]
Top scorerFraser Hornby (10)[3]
First colours
Second colours
First international
Czech Republic Czechoslovakia 0 – 0 Scotland Scotland
12 October 1976
Biggest win
San Marino San Marino 0 – 7 Scotland Scotland
13 October 2020[3]
Biggest defeat
England England 6 – 0 Scotland Scotland
13 August 2013
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances6 (first in 1980)
Best resultSemi-finalists (1982, 1992, 1996)

As a European under-21 team, Scotland compete in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which is usually held every other year. The team has qualified for the final stages of these Championships on six occasions, although not since 1996. There is no global tournament for under-21 national teams. Performance in the European Championship determines qualification for football at the Summer Olympics, which Scotland is unable to compete in.

History

Scotland played under-23 international matches, mainly friendlies against England and Wales, from 1955 until 1975.[4] Scotland first entered the UEFA competition for under-23 national teams in 1975–76. Scotland reached the quarter-finals, but were eliminated on a penalty shootout by the Netherlands. An under-21 team then came into existence, replacing the under-23 team, when UEFA reduced the age limit.[5]

Scotland under-21s have reached the last four of the European tournament three times (1982, 1992 and 1996), while appearing in the quarter-finals on three other occasions (1980, 1984 and 1988). The team qualified for the 1992 Summer Olympics and 1996 Summer Olympics, but were unable to compete due to Scotland not being independently represented in the International Olympic Committee.[6] The under-21 team has not qualified for a finals tournament since the late 1990s. They reached the playoff round for the 2004 and 2011 tournaments, but lost to Croatia[7] and Iceland[8] respectively.

In 2018, an under-21 squad returned to the Toulon Tournament.[9] Despite the loss to Turkey in a penalty-out for third-place.[10] Scotland did receive the tournament Fair Play Award.[11]

Competitive record

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place  0000 Tournament held on home soil  

UEFA European U-21 Championship Record
Year Result GP W D* L GS GA
Europe 1976[lower-alpha 1]Quarter-finals6501134
Europe 1978did not qualify421154
Europe 1980Quarter-finals7331147
Europe 1982Semi-finals833296
Europe 1984Quarter-finals85211410
Europe 1986did not qualify411214
Europe 1988Quarter-finals631274
Europe 1990did not qualify6114713
Europe 1992Semi-finals106221810
France 1994did not qualify8224811
Spain 1996Fourth-place128042110
Romania 1998did not qualify102171020
Slovenia 2000104241812
Switzerland 2002622266
Germany 20048512118
Portugal 200610136617
Netherlands 2007200214
Sweden 20098512176
Denmark 2011105231811
Israel 20138341169
Czech Republic 201583231215
Poland 201710226817
ItalySan Marino 2019104241313
HungarySlovenia 202110532165
RomaniaGeorgia (country) 20238143610

*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided by a penalty shootout.

Other tournaments
Year Competition Result GP W D* L GS GA Ref
France 1977Toulon Tournament6th place411267[12]
France 1991Toulon TournamentGroup Stage321053[13]
France 1992Toulon TournamentGroup Stage300307[14]
France 1993Toulon TournamentSemi-finals420232[15]
France 1994Toulon TournamentGroup Stage311133[16]
France 1995Toulon TournamentSemi-finals420247[17]
France 1997Toulon TournamentGroup Stage403124[18]
Northern Ireland 2000Three Nations Tournament1st place211021[19][20]
France 2018Toulon Tournament4th place522155[21]

*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided by a penalty shootout.


Head coaches
Billy Stark, head coach of the team from 2008 to 2014.

Archie Knox left his post as Scotland's National Youth Teams Coach on 30 August 2007 to take up a full-time with Bolton Wanderers as coaching co-ordinator, Maurice Malpas took temporary charge. In January 2008 the SFA appointed a new full-time coach in Billy Stark, who left his job as manager of Second Division side Queen's Park to take the position.[22] Stark resigned from the position in November 2014.[23]

TenureHead Coach/Manager
1975–1982Andy Roxburgh
1982–1986Walter Smith
1986–1993Craig Brown
1993–1998Tommy Craig[24]
1998–2002Alex Smith[24][25]
2002–2005Rainer Bonhof[25][26]
2005–2006Maurice Malpas (caretaker)[27]
2006–2007Archie Knox[28]
2007–2008Maurice Malpas (caretaker)[29]
2008–2014Billy Stark[22][23]
2014–2015Ricky Sbragia (caretaker)[23]
2015Danny Lennon (caretaker)[30]
2015–2016Ricky Sbragia[31]
2016–presentScot Gemmill[1]

Players

Leading appearances
As of match played 5 June 2022[32]
Rank Name Years Clubs Appearances Goals GPG Ratio.
1Christian Dailly1990–1996Dundee United3550.14
2Steven Pressley1993–1996Rangers, Coventry City, Dundee United2710.04
3Allan Campbell2017–2020Motherwell2410.04
4Paul Hanlon2009–2012Hibernian2330.13
5Craig Easton1997–2001Dundee United2220.09
5Gary Naysmith1996–1999Heart of Midlothian2200
5Glenn Middleton2018–2022Rangers2250.23
8Shaun Maloney2001–2005Celtic2150.24
9Stuart Armstrong2010–2014Dundee United2040.2
9Jamie McCunnie2001–2005Dundee United, Ross County, Dunfermline Athletic2010.05
9Jordan McGhee2001–2005Heart of Midlothian2000
9Ross McCrorie2016–2020Rangers, Portsmouth, Aberdeen2010.05

Note: Club(s) represents the clubs the player was with while he played for the Scotland under-21 team. Those players in bold are eligible to play for the team now.

Leading goalscorers
As of match played 5 June 2022[32]
Rank Name Years Clubs Appearances Goals GPG Ratio.
1Fraser Hornby2018–2020Everton, Kortrijk, Reims18100.56
2Jordan Rhodes2011–2012Huddersfield Town881
2Scott Booth1990–1993Aberdeen1580.53
4Chris Maguire2008–2010Aberdeen1260.5
4Jamie Murphy2008–2010Motherwell1360.46
4Jim Hamilton1995–1997Dundee, Heart of Midlothian1460.43
4Mark Burchill1998–2001Celtic1560.4
8Steven Fletcher2006–2008Hibernian750.71
8Tony Watt2012–2013Celtic950.56
8Gerry Creaney1990–1992Celtic1250.42
8Steven Thompson1997–1999Dundee United1250.42
8Simon Lynch2002–2003Celtic1350.38
8Steven Naismith2005–2008Kilmarnock, Rangers1650.31
8Shaun Maloney2001–2005Celtic2150.24
8Christian Dailly1990–1996Dundee United3550.14
8Glenn Middleton2018–2022Rangers2250.23

Note: Club(s) represents the clubs the player was with while he played for the Scotland under-21 team. Those players in bold are eligible to play for the team now.

Eligibility

The team is for players born in the year 21 years before the starting year of each tournament. As each tournament normally takes two years to complete, players can continue to play for the under-21 team after their 22nd birthday. As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to play for the under-21s, senior side and then return to the under-21 side. It is now also possible to play for one country at youth level and another country at senior level (providing the player is eligible).[5] For instance, Nigel Quashie played for England under-21s and Scotland.[5] Until the late 1980s, teams were allowed to select some over-age players in the under-21 team,[33][34][35] similar to the present arrangement in football at the Summer Olympics.[36]

Current squad

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

The following players were selected for 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Hungary and Malta in October 2023.[37][38][39][40][41][42]

Caps and goals updated as of 17 October 2023, after the match against Malta. Clubs correct as of 1 September 2023.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Cieran Slicker (2002-09-15) 15 September 2002 11 0 England Ipswich Town
12 1GK Jack Newman (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002 1 0 Scotland Dundee United
1GK Jude Smith (2003-05-29) 29 May 2003 1 0 England Newcastle United
3 2DF Matthew Anderson (2004-01-25) 25 January 2004 4 0 Austria Admira Wacker Mödling
4 2DF Liam Morrison (2003-04-07) 7 April 2003 8 0 England Wigan Athletic
5 2DF Ibane Bowat (2002-09-15) 15 September 2002 4 0 Austria TSV Hartberg
6 2DF Leon King (2004-01-14) 14 January 2004 7 0 Scotland Rangers
13 2DF Kerr Smith (2004-12-12) 12 December 2004 0 0 England Aston Villa
16 2DF Lewis Neilson (2003-05-15) 15 May 2003 6 0 Scotland Partick Thistle
20 2DF Jeremiah Mullen (2004-06-17) 17 June 2004 7 0 England Leeds United
22 2DF Ben McPherson (2004-03-19) 19 March 2004 5 0 Scotland Queen's Park
8 3MF Connor Barron (2002-08-29) 29 August 2002 10 0 Scotland Aberdeen
10 3MF Alex Lowry (2003-06-23) 23 June 2003 2 1 Scotland Heart of Midlothian
11 3MF Steven Bradley (2002-03-17) 17 March 2002 0 0 Scotland Livingston
14 3MF Aidan Denholm (2003-11-09) 9 November 2003 0 0 Scotland Heart of Midlothian
15 3MF Josh Mulligan (2002-11-12) 12 November 2002 10 1 Scotland Dundee
17 3MF Finlay Robertson (2002-11-12) 12 November 2002 0 0 Scotland Dundee
23 3MF Ryan Duncan (2004-01-18) 18 January 2004 5 0 Scotland Aberdeen
7 4FW Rory Wilson (2006-01-05) 5 January 2006 3 0 England Aston Villa
9 4FW Michael Mellon (2003-12-05) 5 December 2003 2 0 England Morecambe
18 4FW Emilio Lawrence (2005-09-20) 20 September 2005 0 0 England Manchester City
19 4FW Kieron Bowie (2002-09-21) 21 September 2002 7 4 England Northampton Town

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Scotland under-21 squad and remain eligible (current clubs shown).

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Jay Hogarth (2003-07-18) 18 July 2003 2 0 Scotland Rangers v.  Norway, June 2023
GK Murray Johnson (2004-11-13) 13 November 2004 1 0 Scotland Queen of the South v.  Wales, March 2023
GK Sam Long (2002-11-12) 12 November 2002 0 0 Scotland Falkirk v.  Iceland, November 2022
GK Lewis Budinauckas (2002-06-19) 19 June 2002 0 0 Scotland Rangers v.  Turkey, September 2021
GK Harry Stone (2002-04-20) 20 April 2002 0 0 Scotland Heart of Midlothian v.  Turkey, September 2021
DF Max Johnston (2003-12-26) 26 December 2003 5 1 Austria Sturm Graz v.  Malta, October 2023
DF Josh Doig (2002-05-18) 18 May 2002 9 0 Italy Hellas Verona v.  Hungary, October 2023
DF Connor O'Riordan (2003-10-19) 19 October 2003 0 0 England Crewe Alexandra v.  Hungary, October 2023
DF Josh Reid (2002-05-03) 3 May 2002 3 0 Scotland Ross County v.  Norway, June 2023
DF Adam Devine (2003-03-25) 25 March 2003 5 0 Scotland Rangers v.  Wales, March 2023
DF Connor McAvoy (2002-02-16) 16 February 2002 3 0 England Fulham v.  Sweden, March 2023
DF Robbie Fraser (2003-04-02) 2 April 2003 1 0 Scotland Rangers v.  Iceland, November 2022
DF Calvin Ramsay (2003-07-31) 31 July 2003 3 0 England Preston North End v.  Iceland, November 2022
DF Adam Montgomery (2002-02-18) 18 February 2002 4 0 England Fleetwood Town v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
DF Aaron Hickey (2002-06-10) 10 June 2002 0 0 England Brentford v.  Kazakhstan, November 2021
DF Jamie Hamilton (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 0 0 Scotland Hamilton Academical v.  Turkey, September 2021
DF Dane Murray (2003-06-26) 26 June 2003 0 0 Scotland Celtic v.  Turkey, September 2021
MF Lyall Cameron (2002-10-10) 10 October 2002 3 0 Scotland Dundee v.  Hungary, October 2023
MF Ben Summers (2004-06-16) 16 June 2004 5 0 Scotland Dunfermline Athletic v.  Spain, September 2023
MF Archie Meekison (2002-05-04) 4 May 2002 2 0 Scotland Dundee United v.  Spain, September 2023
MF Azeem Abdulai (2002-12-09) 9 December 2002 4 0 Wales Swansea City v.  Spain, September 2023
MF Lewis Fiorini (2002-05-17) 17 May 2002 9 2 England Manchester City v.  Norway, June 2023
MF Connor Smith (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 8 0 Scotland Heart of Midlothian v.  Norway, June 2023
MF Liam Smith (2003-10-28) 28 October 2003 2 0 Wales Swansea City v.  Norway, June 2023
MF Hayden Hackney (2002-06-26) 26 June 2002 2 0 England Middlesbrough v.  Norway, June 2023
MF Josh Adam (2004-02-03) 3 February 2004 1 0 England Manchester City v.  Wales, March 2023
MF Cole McKinnon (2003-01-29) 29 January 2003 2 0 Scotland Rangers v.  Wales, March 2023
MF Elliot Anderson (2002-11-06) 6 November 2002 1 0 England Newcastle United v.  Iceland, November 2022
MF Matthew Craig (2003-04-16) 16 April 2003 1 0 England Tottenham Hotspur v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
MF Michael Craig (2003-04-16) 16 April 2003 1 0 England Reading v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
MF Lucas De Bolle (2002-10-22) 22 October 2002 2 0 England Newcastle United v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
MF Jay Henderson (2002-03-07) 7 March 2002 1 0 Scotland Ross County v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
MF Chris Mochrie (2003-04-07) 7 April 2003 2 0 Scotland Dundee United v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
MF Flynn Clarke (2002-12-19) 19 December 2002 1 1 England Norwich City v.  Northern Ireland, September 2022
FW Ben Doak (2005-11-11) 11 November 2005 5 2 England Liverpool v.  Malta, October 2023
FW Dire Mebude (2004-05-28) 28 May 2004 5 1 Belgium Westerlo v.  Malta, October 2023
FW Tommy Conway (2002-08-06) 6 August 2002 5 1 England Bristol City v.  Norway, June 2023
FW Tom Dickson-Peters (2002-09-16) 16 September 2002 3 0 England Norwich City v.  Wales, March 2023
FW Stuart McKinstry (2002-09-18) 18 September 2002 0 0 Unattached v.  Iceland, November 2022
FW Kai Kennedy (2002-03-28) 28 March 2002 1 0 England York City v.  Belgium, November 2021

Past squads

Notes
  1. Under-23 competition.

    References
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