# Latvia national under-21 football team

The Latvia national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Latvia and is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body of football in Latvia. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years. The team is coached by Aleksandrs Basovs and is currently captained by defender Daniels Balodis.
Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, under-21 football teams in Europe were formed, while Latvian team was formed only in 1991, after regaining independence from USSR. The team is exclusively for football players that are aged 21 or under at the start of the two-year campaign of the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship meaning a player can represent the national team until the age of 23. Many U-21 players later represent the senior side.
Latvia U-21 have never yet qualified for the European U-21 championships, but has produced many players, who have become regular internationals for the senior side. Oskars Kļava, Deniss Ivanovs, Edgars Gauračs and Artjoms Rudņevs have all played for the U-21 side and are now first eleven players for Latvia internationally.
Latvia U-21 team plays its home matches at the Skonto stadions, which is also the home stadium of Latvia senior side. Before the opening of the Skonto stadions the team played its home matches in many different venues all around the country, including Ozolnieki, Daugavpils and Liepāja.

## History

As a team, Latvia U-21 was formed in 1992, after regaining independence from the USSR. The team played its first match in Vilnius, Lithuania on October 28, 1992 that ended in a 0-0 draw. The team firstly participated in the European Championship qualification in 1994, playing the first match in Riga against Ireland U-21 on September 6, that ended in a 1-1 draw. Since 2001 the team also participates in the Baltic Cup, winning in 2008. Since 1992 Latvia have already played more than 100 matches.

## UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

* 1978 to 1992 - see Soviet Union

### 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | | | |
| 1 | Italy | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 4 | +23 | 22 | Final tournament | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 7–0 |
| 2 | Norway | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 28 | 11 | +17 | 19 | Play-offs | 0–3 | — | 3–2 | 5–1 | 7–0 | 4–0 |
| 3 | Republic of Ireland | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 12 | +12 | 19 | | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
| 4 | Turkey | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 15 | +6 | 13 | | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | — | 3–0 | 5–0 |
| 5 | Latvia | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 18 | −8 | 11 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | — | 2–0 |
| 6 | San Marino | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 51 | −50 | 0 | | 0–7 | 0–7 | 0–7 | 1–6 | 0–3 | — |
* 1 2 Head-to-head points: Norway 4, Republic of Ireland 1.

## Results and fixtures

Win  Draw  Loss

## Players
### Current squad

* The following players were called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches.
* Match dates: 8 and 12 September 2023
* Opposition: Italy and Norway
* Caps and goals correct as of: 1 September 2023, after the match against San Marino
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Jānis Beks | (2002-11-01) 1 November 2002 (age 22) | 5 | 0 | Metta |
| 1GK | Sergejs Vilkovs | (2002-09-03) 3 September 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | Tukums 2000 |
| 1GK | Klāvs Bethers | (2003-12-24) 24 December 2003 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Catania |
| 2DF | Aleksejs Kudeļkins | (2002-05-08) 8 May 2002 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | Daugavpils |
| 2DF | Andris Deklavs | (2002-08-28) 28 August 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Jelgava |
| 2DF | Rūdolfs Reingolcs | (2002-07-01) 1 July 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Tukums 2000 |
| 2DF | Jegors Novikovs | (2003-02-09) 9 February 2003 (age 21) | 4 | 0 | Auda |
| 2DF | Ralfs Maslovs | (2003-08-02) 2 August 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Jelgava |
| 2DF | Oļģerts Raščevskis | (2003-02-18) 18 February 2003 (age 21) | 6 | 0 | Super Nova |
| 2DF | Niks Sliede | (2004-03-08) 8 March 2004 (age 20) | 3 | 0 | Valmiera FC |
| 3MF | Roberts Meļķis | (2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Liepāja |
| 3MF | Oskars Vientiess | (2002-10-08) 8 October 2002 (age 22) | 5 | 0 | Metta |
| 3MF | Deniss Meļņiks | (2002-09-07) 7 September 2002 (age 22) | 10 | 2 | Riga |
| 3MF | Kaspars Anmanis | (2002-01-22) 22 January 2002 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Tukums 2000 |
| 3MF | Danila Patijčuks | (2003-03-22) 22 March 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Liepāja |
| 3MF | Lūkass Vapne | (2003-08-31) 31 August 2003 (age 21) | 10 | 0 | Metta |
| 3MF | Kristiāns Kaušelis | (2003-03-14) 14 March 2003 (age 21) | 6 | 1 | Super Nova |
| 3MF | Bruno Melnis | (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 1 | Metta |
| 3MF | Gļebs Žaleiko | (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | FK RFS |
| 4FW | Artjoms Puzirevskis | (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 (age 21) | 6 | 1 | Metta |
| 4FW | Valērijs Lizunovs | (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Daugavpils |
| 4FW | Dario Šits | (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 1 | SPAL |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have been capped in the past 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Ņikita Šaraņins | (2003-01-04) 4 January 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | FK Kalupe | v. Lithuania, 20 November 2022 |
| DF | Rinalds Aizups | (2004-05-31) 31 May 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Daugavpils | v. Lithuania, 20 November 2022 |
| DF | Rūdolfs Zeņģis | (2002-03-21) 21 March 2002 (age 22) | 9 | 0 | Jelgava | v. Georgia, 26 March 2023 |
| DF | Markuss Kruglaužs | (2002-01-28) 28 January 2002 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Liepāja | v. Georgia, 26 March 2023 |
| DF | Kārlis Vilnis | (2003-07-03) 3 July 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Metta | v. San Marino, 20 June 2023 |
| DF | Iļja Semjonovs | (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Auda | v. Georgia, 26 March 2023 |
| MF | Eduards Dašķevičs | (2002-07-12) 12 July 2002 (age 22) | 11 | 0 | HamKam | v. Lithuania, 20 November 2022 |
| MF | Maksims Fjodorovs | (2003-09-24) 24 September 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Grobiņas SC | v. San Marino, 20 June 2023 |
| MF | Kristofers Rēķis | (2003-01-21) 21 January 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Metta | v. San Marino, 20 June 2023 |
| MF | Mareks Mikšto | (2003-05-20) 20 May 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Daugavpils | v. Georgia, 26 March 2023 |
| MF | Jevgenijs Miņins | (2002-03-17) 17 March 2002 (age 22) | 0 | 0 | Super Nova | v. Georgia, 26 March 2023 |
| MF | Deņiss Rogovs | (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Tukums 2000 | v. Georgia, 26 March 2023 |
| MF | Gļebs Žaleiko | (2004-06-27) 27 June 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | RFS | v. San Marino, 20 June 2023 |
| FW | Artūrs Ostapenko | (2003-08-28) 28 August 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Super Nova | v. San Marino, 20 June 2023 |
| FW | Valerijs Lizunovs | (2004-02-24) 24 February 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Daugavpils | v. Lithuania, 20 November 2022 |
| FW | Rolands Bočs | (2003-07-03) 3 July 2003 (age 21) | 5 | 1 | AFA Olaine | v. San Marino, 20 June 2023 |

## Staff

| Head coach | Aleksandrs Basovs |
| Assistant coach | Aleksandrs Jeļisejevs |
| Assistant coach | Sergejs Golubevs |
| Goalkeeping coach | Andrejs Piedels |
| Physiotherapist | Sergejs Pečņikovs |
| Doctor | Oļegs Samoiļenko |
| Manager | Didzis Matīss |

## Coaching history

* Aleksandrs Starkovs (1994)
* Jurijs Andrejevs (1995)
* Jānis Dreimanis (1996–1998)
* Jurijs Andrejevs (1998–2001)
* Jurijs Popkovs (2001–2003)
* Jurijs Ševļakovs (2004–2005)
* Genādijs Šitiks (2006–2009)
* Mihails Zemļinskis (2009–2011)
* Anton Joore (2012–2013)
* Marians Pahars (2013)
* Dainis Kazakevičs (2013–2019)
* Aleksandrs Basovs (2020-)

## Most capped players

Only official matches against U-21 national teams, not including against clubs or any other matches.
| # | Name | Career | Caps | Goals |
| 1. | Endijs Šlampe | 2014–2016 | 31 | 0 |
| 1. | Reinis Flaksis | 2013–2016 | 31 | 1 |
| 3. | Dmitrijs Klimaševičs | 2014–2016 | 30 | 4 |
| 4. | Andrejs Kiriļins | 2014–2016 | 29 | 0 |
| 4. | Vladislavs Gutkovskis | 2014–2016 | 29 | 6 |
| 4. | Antonijs Černomordijs | 20??–2018 | 29 | 1 |
| 7. | Jevgēņijs Kazačoks | 20??–2016 | 27 | 5 |
| 7. | Eduards Tīdenbergs | 20??–2016 | 27 | 2 |
| 9. | Edgars Vardanjans | 2011–2014 | 25 | 1 |
| 9. | Kaspars Svārups | 20??–2016 | 25 | 3 |
    Players in bold are still available to play for the U-21 National team.

## Best goalscorers

| # | Name | Career | Caps | Goals |
| 1. | Edgars Gauračs | 2009–2009 | 9 | 10 |
| 2. | Deniss Rakels | 2011–2013 | 13 | 6 |
| 2. | Vladislavs Gutkovskis | 2014–2016 | 29 | 6 |
| 4. | Jevgēņijs Kazačoks | 2013–2016 | 27 | 5 |
| 4. | Marko Regža | 2018- | 14 | 5 |
| 6. | Artjoms Rudņevs | 2009–2009 | 10 | 4 |
| 6. | Dmitrijs Klimaševičs | 2014–2016 | 30 | 4 |