Ukraine national under-21 football team


The Ukraine national under-21 football team is also known as Youth team of Ukraine is one of junior national football teams of Ukraine for participation in under-21 international competitions. The team is managed by the Ukrainian Association of Football staff, committee of national teams. The team participates in qualifications to the Olympic competitions and the continental U-21 competitions.
Their first game the team played was on 28 October 1992. Its first competition the team entered in 1994 the qualification round for the 1996 European Under-21 Championship. The team has qualified for a tournament twice. The under-21s not only qualified for the 2006 European Under-21 Championship, but also reached the final, where they lost to on 4 June 2006 by 3–0. The under-21s also qualified to the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship that was held in Denmark.

History

Its first game under national flag the team played on 28 October 1992 by hosting football team in a friendly game in Ternopil. The game ended in scoreless tie and was attended by 4,000 people. The initial squad consisted of following players Sergei Aleksandrov, Dmytro Parfenov, Serhiy Fedorov, Oleksandr Koval, Vladyslav Vashchuk, Vitaliy Kosovskyi, Ihor Luchkevych, Serhiy Onopko, Vladimir Lebed, Hennadiy Moroz, Vitaliy Pushkutsa, Kostyantyn Pinchuk, Oleg Solovyov, Ruslan Romanchuk, Oleksandr Karabuta. Later two out of the squad Lebed and Aleksandrov continued to play for Russian national teams.
In August 1993, the Ukraine youth squad took part in its first tournament where it contested few teams outside of Europe. Its first competitive tournament became the Youth Euro 1996 where it was eliminated in qualification group. Its first game Ukraine U-21 played at home against its opponents from Lithuania on 6 September 1994.
It took Ukraine another 10 years to finally qualify to the tournament final when in 2006 it almost won the tournament losing in the final game to Netherlands which earned its first title instead.

Tournaments

Summer Olympics record

'''As U-23 team'''

UEFA U-21 Championship

Since 1984, it is an official U-21 European championship. Since 1992, the tournament doubles as qualifying competition for the Olympic Games every four years.1994: Did not enter.1996: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 6 in qualification group.1998: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 5 in qualification group.2000: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 5 in qualification group.2002: Did not qualify. Finished 1st of 5 in qualification group. Lost qualification play-off to Switzerland.2004: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 6 in qualification group.2006: 'Runner-up. Finished 2nd of 7 in qualification group. Won qualification play-off over Belgium.2007: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.2009: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 5 in qualification group.2011: Group Stage. Finished 1st of 5 in qualification group. Won qualification play-off over Netherlands2013: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 6 in qualification group.2015: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 5 in qualification group. Lost qualification play-off to Germany.2017: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 6 in qualification group.2019: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 6 in qualification group.2021: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 6 in qualification group.2023: Qualified. Finished 2nd of 6 in qualification group. Won qualification play-off over Slovakia.2025: Qualified'. Finished 2nd of 6 in qualification group.

Important friendlies

Lobanovsky tournament (2006– )

Commonwealth of Independent States Cup (2012–2014)

Head coaches

ManagerNationUkraine careerPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAWin %Qualifying cycleFinal tour
Volodymyr Muntian|1992#expr: 8/15 * 100 round 2

Coaching staff

Currently approved:
PositionName
Head coach

Players

Players born in 2004 or later are eligible for the U21 Euro 2027 Qualification. Names in bold denote players who have been capped for the senior team. Names in italics denote players who not available for calling up anymore, because of the age limits.

Current squad

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months.
;Notes
  • UKR = Called up to the Ukraine national squad instead.
  • INJ = Player withdrew from the squad because of injury.
  • WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.
  • RES = Reserves squad – replaces a member of the squad in case of injury/unavailability.

Player records

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerGoalsCapsAveragePeriod
1Pylyp Budkivskyi18232011–2013
2Danylo Sikan9192019–2023
3Oleksandr Aliyev8302003–2006
3Bohdan Viunnyk8362021–2025
5Nazariy Rusyn7112018–2019
5Andriy Totovytskyi7122013
5Serhiy Rebrov7171993–1995
5Artem Byesyedin7172015–2017
5Ruslan Fomin7202005–2008
5Oleksiy Byelik7292000–2003
5Artem Milevskyi7312003–2006

Head-to-head record

The following table shows Ukraine Under-21s all-time international record, correct as of 29 March 2021.
AgainstConfederationPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAGD
UEFA7610172+15
UEFA220070+7
UEFA10820313+28
UEFA311122+0
UEFA421163+3
AFC110043+1
UEFA146621912+7
UEFA421185+3
UEFA62041011-1
CONMEBOL220030+3
AFC110021+1
UEFA732287+1
UEFA8116513-8
UEFA211041+3
UEFA124441617-1
CAF110031+2
UEFA6114511-6
UEFA5320135+8
UEFA522154+1
UEFA9153814-6
UEFA115422812+16
UEFA6015214-12
UEFA8530112+9
UEFA210135-2
UEFA53021310+3
AFC5221107+3
UEFA8431136+7
UEFA944187+1
UEFA510436-3
UEFA440092+7
AFC100123-1
UEFA110020+2
AFC220060+6
UEFA8620196+13
UEFA4400163+13
UEFA116322314+9
CAF101000+0
UEFA220040+4
UEFA520355+0
UEFA6510194+15
UEFA11740235+18
UEFA220042+2
UEFA9234613-7
UEFA5005210-8
UEFA83321514+1
UEFA530233+0
UEFA6303513-8
UEFA5212109+1
AFC110061+5
UEFA5320135+8
UEFA815276+1
UEFA10721186+12
UEFA614157-2
UEFA411226-4
UEFA310273+4
UEFA521276+1
AFC311122+0
AFC110041+3
UEFA136341914+5
AFC110050+5
CONCACAF101011+0
AFC523073+4
UEFA220040+4

  • Serbia and Montenegro +1=1-1 2-4
  • Kyrgyzstan national +1=0-0 4-0
  • Norway u-23 +0=0-1 0-2
  • England C +0=0-1 0-2

Home venues record

Since the game Ukraine v Belarus, Ukraine youth team have played their home games at 19 different stadiums.