France Under-21
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Les Bleuets (The Little Blues)
Les Espoirs (The Hopes)
AssociationFrench Football Federation
Head coachThierry Henry
CaptainWarren Zaïre-Emery
Most capsMickaël Landreau (46)
Top scorerOdsonne Édouard (17)
First colours
Second colours
First international
France France 7–1 England 
(Le Havre, France; 22 May 1952)
Biggest win
France France 9–0 Cyprus 
(Grenoble, France; 17 October 2023)
Biggest defeat
 England 6–0 France France
(Sheffield, England; 28 February 1984)
Records for competitive
matches only.
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances11 (first in 1982)
Best resultWinners (1988)

The France national under-21 football team (French: Equipe de France Espoirs), known in France as Les Espoirs (French pronunciation: [ɛs.pwaʁ], The Hopes), is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, held every two years.

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, under-21 football teams in Europe were formed. The team is exclusively for football players that are age 21 or under at the start of the two-year campaign of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, meaning a player can represent the national team until the age of 23.

France has won the Under-21 Championship once, in 1988. Notable players on the team that went on to play for the senior national team include Laurent Blanc, Eric Cantona, Franck Sauzée, and Jocelyn Angloma, among others.[1] Blanc was named the tournament's Golden Player.[2] The team's best finish since was in 2002 when the team finished runners-up to the Czech Republic in Switzerland.

The France under-21 team does not have a permanent home. The team plays in stadiums located all around France, particularly grounds of Ligue 2 clubs. Because of the smaller demand compared to the senior national team, smaller facilities are used. Recently, the under-21 team has established the Stade Auguste-Delaune II, home of Stade Reims, as a home residence having played numerous matches there over the past two seasons.

History

Though, under-21 teams weren't formed until 1976, Les Espoirs, a youth national team in France, had existed since 1950 playing its first match on 22 May 1952 defeating England 7–1 at the Stade Jules Deschaseaux in Le Havre. The team's next match was two years later suffering a 3–1 defeat to Italy in Vicenza. For the rest of the decade, the youth team played seven more matches, which included a 1–1 draw with Hungary in Budapest and a 2–0 loss to England in Sunderland in 1959. In the 1960s, Espoirs continued to play matches against fellow national youth sides. However, on 18 December 1968, the team contested a match against Algeria senior team in Algiers recording an impressive 5–2 victory. Four days later, the team draw 1–1 with the under-23 team of Algeria in Oran. On 12 February 1969, the Espoirs played the Hungary senior team at the Stade Gerland in Lyon. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.

Team image

Media coverage

France's under-21 football friendlies and qualifying matches are broadcast by Direct 8.

Results and fixtures

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

2023

25 March Friendly England  4–0  France Leicester, England
 Report Stadium: King Power Stadium
Referee: Joey Kooij (Netherlands)
28 March Friendly France  0–0  Spain Vannes, France
Report Stadium: Stade de la Rabine
16 June Friendly France  1–0  Mexico Grenoble, France
 Report Stadium: Stade des Alpes
22 June U21 Euro 2023 GS France  2–1  Italy Cluj-Napoca, Romania
21:45 EEST (UTC+3)
Report
Stadium: Cluj Arena
Attendance: 11,286
Referee: Allard Lindhout (Netherlands)
25 June U21 Euro 2023 GS Norway  0–1  France Cluj-Napoca, Romania
21:45 EEST (UTC+3) Report
Stadium: Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu
Attendance: 1,507
Referee: Donatas Rumšas (Lithuania)
28 June U21 Euro 2023 GS Switzerland  1–4  France Cluj-Napoca, Romania
21:45 EEST (UTC+3)
Report
Stadium: Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu
Attendance: 1,652
Referee: Morten Krogh (Denmark)
2 July U21 Euro 2023 QF France  1–3  Ukraine Cluj-Napoca, Romania
22:00 EEST (UTC+3)
Report
Stadium: Cluj Arena
Attendance: 6,281
Referee: João Pinheiro (Portugal)
7 September Friendly France  4–1  Denmark Nancy, France
 Report
Stadium: Stade Marcel Picot
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Jonathan Lardot (Belgium)
11 September 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Slovenia  0–4  France Koper, Slovenia
Report
Stadium: Bonifika Stadium
Referee: Ondřej Berka (Czech Republic)
17 November 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Austria  2–0  France Ried im Innkreis, Austria
  • Koller 25', 75'
 Report Stadium: Josko Arena
Referee: Robert Jones (England
20 November Friendly France  0–3  South Korea Le Havre, France
Report
Stadium: Stade Océane
Referee: Andrei Florin Chivulete (Romania)

2024

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

As of 21 August 2023
Position Name Nationality
Manager Thierry Henry  French
Assistant manager Gérald Baticle  French
Assistant manager Gaël Clichy  French
Goalkeeping coach Patrick L'Hostis  French
Doctor Marc Chasselat  French
Physiotherapist Florian Simon  French

Players

Current squad

For the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons, including the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, players born on or after 1 January 2002 are eligible.

The following 23 players were called up for 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Austria and for a friendly macth against South Korea on 17 and 20 November 2023, respectively.[3]

Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped by the senior team.

Caps and goals as of 17 November 2023, after the team's match against  Austria.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Guillaume Restes (2005-03-11) 11 March 2005 5 0 France Toulouse
1GK Robin Risser (2004-12-02) 2 December 2004 0 0 France Dijon
1GK Obed Nkambadio (2003-02-07) 7 February 2003 0 0 France Paris FC
2DF Castello Lukeba (vice-captain) (2002-12-17) 17 December 2002 15 0 Germany RB Leipzig
2DF Malo Gusto (2003-05-19) 19 May 2003 9 1 England Chelsea
2DF Quentin Merlin (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 9 0 France Nantes
2DF Chrislain Matsima (2002-05-15) 15 May 2002 3 1 France Monaco
2DF Leny Yoro (2005-11-13) 13 November 2005 4 0 France Lille
2DF Kiliann Sildillia (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 3 0 Germany SC Freiburg
2DF Jeanuël Belocian (2005-02-17) 17 February 2005 1 0 France Rennes
2DF Isaak Touré (2003-03-28) 28 March 2003 0 0 France Lorient
3MF Johann Lepenant (2002-10-22) 22 October 2002 6 1 France Lyon
3MF Maghnes Akliouche (2002-02-25) 25 February 2002 5 1 France Monaco
3MF Lesley Ugochukwu (2004-03-26) 26 March 2004 5 0 England Chelsea
3MF Lucas Gourna-Douath (2003-08-05) 5 August 2003 2 0 Austria Red Bull Salzburg
2DF Ismaël Doukouré (2003-07-24) 24 July 2003 2 0 France Strasbourg
3MF Enzo Millot (2002-07-17) 17 July 2002 0 0 Germany VfB Stuttgart
4FW Arnaud Kalimuendo (2002-01-20) 20 January 2002 27 8 France Rennes
4FW Rayan Cherki (2003-08-17) 17 August 2003 19 11 France Lyon
4FW Bradley Barcola (2002-09-02) 2 September 2002 12 4 France Paris Saint-Germain
4FW Elye Wahi (2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 12 3 France Lens
4FW Georginio Rutter (2002-04-20) 20 April 2002 4 0 England Leeds United
4FW Mathys Tel (2005-04-27) 27 April 2005 3 2 Germany Bayern Munich

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the France under-21 squad and remain eligible:

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Lucas Lavallée (2003-02-18) 18 February 2003 0 0 France Dunkerque v.  Slovenia, 11 September 2023
GK Thimothée Lo-Tutala (2003-02-13) 13 February 2003 0 0 England Hull City v.  Norway, 19 November 2022
DF Soungoutou Magassa (2003-10-08) 8 October 2003 1 0 France Monaco v.  Cyprus, 17 October 2023
DF Maxime Estève (2002-05-26) 26 May 2002 1 0 France Montpellier v.  Cyprus, 17 October 2023
DF Bradley Locko (2002-05-06) 6 May 2002 0 0 France Brest v.  Cyprus, 17 October 2023
DF Thierno Baldé (2002-06-10) 10 June 2002 1 0 France Troyes v.  Slovenia, 11 September 2023
DF Tanguy Nianzou (2002-06-07) 7 June 2002 1 1 Spain Sevilla v.  Denmark, 7 September 2023 INJ
DF Yoan Koré (2004-11-16) 16 November 2004 0 0 France Paris FC v.  Spain, 28 March 2023
MF Warren Zaïre-Emery (captain) (2006-03-08) 8 March 2006 4 0 France Paris Saint-Germain v.  Cyprus, 17 October 2023SEN
MF Habib Diarra (2004-01-03) 3 January 2004 3 0 France Strasbourg v.  Cyprus, 17 October 2023
MF Lucien Agoumé (2002-02-09) 9 February 2002 2 0 Italy Inter Milan v.  Slovenia, 11 September 2023
MF Andy Diouf (2003-05-17) 17 May 2003 1 0 France Lens v.  Slovenia, 11 September 2023
MF Eduardo Camavinga (2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 13 2 Spain Real Madrid v.  Ukraine, 9 June 2022
FW Désiré Doué (2005-06-03) 3 June 2005 1 0 France Rennes v.  Cyprus, 17 October 2023
FW Sékou Mara (2002-07-30) 30 July 2002 4 1 England Southampton v.  Slovenia, 11 September 2023
FW Wilson Odobert (2004-11-28) 28 November 2004 1 0 England Burnley v.  Slovenia, 11 September 2023
FW Matthis Abline (2003-03-28) 28 March 2003 4 1 France Nantes v.  Spain, 28 March 2023
FW Mohamed-Ali Cho (2004-01-19) 19 January 2004 7 0 Spain Real Sociedad v.  Germany, 23 September 2022 INJ
FW Hugo Ekitike (2002-06-20) 20 June 2002 0 0 France Paris Saint-Germain v.  North Macedonia, 16 November 2021
FW Janis Antiste (2002-08-18) 18 August 2002 1 0 Italy Reggiana v.  Serbia, 12 October 2021
FW Nathanaël Mbuku (2002-03-16) 16 March 2002 2 1 Germany FC Augsburg v.  Faroe Islands, 6 September 2021
FW Isaac Lihadji (2002-04-10) 10 April 2002 2 1 Qatar Al-Duhail v.   Switzerland, 16 November 2020
Notes
  • Players in italics have played at senior level.
  • COV Withdrew due to COVID-19
  • CLU Player withdrew from the squad because of a club necessity.
  • INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
  • SEN Player withdrew from the squad due to a call up to the senior team.
  • WD Player withdrew from the squad due to personal reasons.

Previous squads

Honours

Champions (1): 1988
Runners-up (1): 2002
Champions (12): 1977, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015
Finalists (14): 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016

Competitive record

UEFA U-23 Championship

  • 1972: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
  • 1974: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 3 in qualification group.
  • 1976: Losing quarter-finalists.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA
1978Did not qualify401346
1980421132
1982Quarter-finals631298
1984Quarter-finals6312119
1986Quarter-finals82331313
1988Champions126512113
1990Did not qualify6321117
1992832375
France 1994Fourth place141022248
Spain 1996Third place14842305
Romania 1998Did not qualify8431138
Slovakia 20008622196
Switzerland 2002Runners-up151230277
Germany 2004Did not qualify10811207
Portugal 2006Semi-finals1410222410
Netherlands 2007Did not qualify421163
Sweden 200910532177
Denmark 20118431126
Israel 201310802237
Czech Republic 2015108113111
Poland 201710622178
Italy 2019Semi-finals1411212811
Hungary Slovenia 2021Quarter-finals1411033713
Georgia (country) Romania 2023Quarter-finals1411213910
Total1 title2231374640414180
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.
**Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won. Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "1988: France sweep to final glory". Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  2. ↑ "1988: Laurent Blanc". Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Archived from the original on 11 July 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Fédération Française de Football" (in French).
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