Wales national under-21 football team

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.

Wales Under-21
Nickname(s)Young Dragons (Welsh: Dreigiau Ifanc)
AssociationFootball Association of Wales (FAW)
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachMatt Jones
Most capsShaun MacDonald (25)
Top scorerChed Evans (13)
FIFA codeWAL
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
AppearancesNone (first in n/a)
Best result1st of 5 in qual.
group, 2009. Lost in play off.

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 and Harry Wilson

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 Czech Republic on 13 October 2023.[6]

Caps and goals as of 13 October 2023. 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 4 0 England Chelsea
12 1GK Evan Watts (2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 0 0 Wales Swansea City
4 2DF Jay Williams (2003-02-26) 26 February 2003 1 0 England Fulham
15 2DF Owen Bevan (2003-10-26) 26 October 2003 3 0 England Cheltenham Town (on loan from Bournemouth)
5 2DF Luca Hoole (2002-06-02) 2 June 2002 7 0 England Bristol Rovers
6 2DF Zac Ashworth (2002-09-06) 6 September 2002 5 0 England Bolton Wanderers (on loan from West Bromwich Albion)
3 2DF Owen Beck (2002-08-09) 9 August 2002 13 1 Scotland Dundee (on loan from Liverpool)
2 2DF Fin Stevens (2003-04-10) 10 April 2003 14 1 England Oxford United (on loan from Brentford)
2DF Harry Leeson (2003-09-02) 2 September 2003 1 0 England Bristol City
19 2DF Tom Davies (2003-11-11) 11 November 2003 0 0 Scotland Kilmarnock (on loan from Cardiff City)
7 3MF Ryan Howley (2003-11-23) 23 November 2003 1 0 Scotland Dundee (on loan from Coventry City)
14 3MF Joel Cotterill (2004-10-10) 10 October 2004 4 1 England Stockport County (on loan from Swansea City)
8 3MF Oli Hammond (2002-11-13) 13 November 2002 7 1 England Cheltenham Town (on loan from Nottingham Forest)
3MF Joel Colwill (2004-10-27) 27 October 2004 1 0 Wales Cardiff City
18 3MF Cian Ashford (2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 2 1 Wales Cardiff City
10 3MF Rubin Colwill (2002-04-27) 27 April 2002 6 4 Wales Cardiff City
3MF Jadan Raymond (2003-10-15) 15 October 2003 2 0 England Crystal Palace
13 3MF Luke Harris (2005-03-04) 4 March 2005 3 1 England Fulham
3MF Cameron Congreve (2004-01-24) 24 January 2004 2 0 Wales Swansea City
17 3MF Tom Hill (2002-10-13) 13 October 2002 1 0 England Liverpool
11 4FW Pat Jones (2003-06-09) 9 June 2003 6 0 England Huddersfield Town
9 4FW Josh Thomas (2002-09-24) 24 September 2002 6 2 England Port Vale (on loan from Swansea City)

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 1 0 England West Bromwich Albion v.  Lithuania, 12 September 2023
GK Ben Hughes (2003-11-15) 15 November 2003 1 0 Wales Swansea City v.  Lithuania, 12 September 2023
DF Joe Low (2002-02-20) 20 February 2002 3 2 England Wycombe Wanderers v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023SEN
DF Ed Turns (2002-10-18) 18 October 2002 3 0 England Leyton Orient (on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion) v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023INJ
DF Matt Baker (2003-02-06) 6 February 2003 2 0 Wales Newport County (on loan from Stoke City) v.  Liechtenstein, 8 September 2023INJ
DF Oliver Denham (2002-05-04) 4 May 2002 0 0 Scotland Dundee United (on loan from Cardiff City) v.  Scotland, 26 March 2023
MF Charlie Savage (2003-05-02) 2 May 2003 4 0 England Reading v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023SEN
MF Eli King (2002-12-23) 23 December 2002 9 0 England Morecambe (on loan from Cardiff City) v.  Czech Republic, 13 October 2023INJ
MF Charlie Crew (2006-06-15) 15 June 2006 2 0 England Leeds United v.  Lithuania, 12 September 2023
FW Chris Popov (2004-10-26) 26 October 2004 3 0 England Leicester City v.  Scotland, 26 March 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

References
  1. Williams appointed to Wales Under 21
  2. Bodin appointed under 21 manager
  3. "Gibraltar U21s 0-7 Wales U21s". BBC Sport. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  4. "Wales Under-21 boss Bodin leaves role". BBC Sport. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  5. "Matthew Jones: Ex-international midfielder named Wales Under-21 boss". BBC Sport. 15 September 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
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