# Turkey national under-21 football team

The Turkey national Under-21 football team (Turkish: Ümit Millî Futbol Takımı), also known as Turkey Under-21s or Turkey U-21s, is the Under-21 years of age team of the Turkey national football team.

## History

This team is for Turkish 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 U-21s, senior side and again for the U-21s, as Oğuzhan Özyakup has done recently. It is also possible to play for one country at youth level and another at senior level (providing the player is eligible).

## Competitive Record
### Summer Olympics record

Olympic Games record :
| Year | Host | Pos. | Pld. | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1992 | Barcelona |
| 1996 | Atlanta |
| 2000 | Sydney |
| 2004 | Athens |
| 2008 | Beijing |
| 2012 | London |
| 2016 | Rio de Janeiro |
| 2020 | Tokyo |
| 2024 | Paris |
| Total | Total | 0/9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### UEFA European Under-21 Championship Record

| Edition | Round | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| No host 1978 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1980 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1982 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1984 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1986 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1988 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1990 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| No host 1992 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1994 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1996 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1998 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2000 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 |
| 2002 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2004 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2006 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2007 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2009 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2011 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2013 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2015 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2017 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2019 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2021 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2023 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2025 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 1/24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 |

### UEFA Under-23 Qualification

| # | Year | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1 | 1972 UEFA European Under-23 Championship | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | -8 |
| 2 | 1974 UEFA European Under-23 Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| 3 | 1976 UEFA European Under-23 Championship | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 |
| Total | 3/3 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 16 | -13 |

### UEFA Under-21 Qualification

    As of 26 March 2024
| # | Year | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1 | 1978 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | -3 |
| 2 | 1980 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 |
| 3 | 1982 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 |
| 4 | 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | -5 |
| 5 | 1986 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -4 |
| 6 | 1988 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | -2 |
| 7 | 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | -7 |
| 8 | 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Championship | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 | -5 |
| 9 | 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 10 | +5 |
| 10 | 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 12 | +1 |
| 11 | 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 8 | +8 |
| 12 | 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 4 | +7 |
| 13 | 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 10 | +11 |
| 14 | 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 7 | +12 |
| 15 | 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 9 | +6 |
| 16 | 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 8 | +11 |
| 18 | 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 11 | +2 |
| 19 | 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 7 | +6 |
| 20 | 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | +5 |
| 21 | 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 |
| 22 | 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 10 | +4 |
| 23 | 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 18 | -3 |
| 24 | 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 11 | -4 |
| 25 | 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 8 | +3 |
| Total | 25/25 | 188 | 83 | 42 | 63 | 257 | 212 | +45 |

### Toulon Tournament

* 2002 Toulon Tournament - 8th place
* 2004 Toulon Tournament - 7th place
* 2008 Toulon Tournament - 6th place
* 2012 Toulon Tournament - 2nd place
* 2018 Toulon Tournament - 3rd place

## Results and fixtures

Win  Draw  Loss

### 2024
## Players
### Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendly match against Scotland on 3 June 2024.
Caps and goals updated as of 3 June 2024, after the match against Scotland.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Doğan Alemdar (captain) | (2002-10-29) 29 October 2002 (age 22) | 13 | 0 | Troyes |
| 1GK | Emre Bilgin | (2004-02-26) 26 February 2004 (age 20) | 5 | 0 | Fatih Karagümrük |
| 1GK | Deniz Dilmen | (2005-06-05) 5 June 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | İstanbul Başakşehir |
| 2DF | Ravil Tagir | (2003-05-06) 6 May 2003 (age 21) | 22 | 1 | Westerlo |
| 2DF | Serdar Saatçı | (2003-02-14) 14 February 2003 (age 22) | 18 | 0 | Braga |
| 2DF | Emin Bayram | (2003-04-02) 2 April 2003 (age 21) | 10 | 3 | Westerlo |
| 2DF | Metehan Baltacı | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 22) | 9 | 1 | Eyüpspor |
| 2DF | Uğur Kaan Yıldız | (2002-08-06) 6 August 2002 (age 22) | 9 | 0 | Ümraniyespor |
| 2DF | Yasin Özcan | (2006-04-20) 20 April 2006 (age 18) | 8 | 0 | Kasımpaşa |
| 2DF | Taha Altıkardeş | (2003-08-22) 22 August 2003 (age 21) | 5 | 0 | Göztepe |
| 2DF | Emrecan Terzi | (2004-01-05) 5 January 2004 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Beşiktaş |
| 2DF | Seyfettin Anıl Yaşar | (2002-07-01) 1 July 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | Çaykur Rizespor |
| 3MF | Bartuğ Elmaz | (2003-02-19) 19 February 2003 (age 22) | 10 | 0 | Sivasspor |
| 3MF | Cihan Çanak | (2004-01-24) 24 January 2004 (age 21) | 8 | 2 | Standard Liège |
| 3MF | Aksel Baran Potur | (2002-12-05) 5 December 2002 (age 22) | 8 | 0 | Moss |
| 3MF | Yunus Emre Konak | (2006-01-10) 10 January 2006 (age 19) | 4 | 0 | Brentford |
| 3MF | Livan Burcu | (2004-09-28) 28 September 2004 (age 20) | 2 | 0 | SV Sandhausen |
| 4FW | Enis Destan | (2002-06-15) 15 June 2002 (age 22) | 21 | 6 | Trabzonspor |
| 4FW | Erencan Yardımcı | (2002-02-04) 4 February 2002 (age 23) | 11 | 5 | Pendikspor |
| 4FW | Emircan Gürlük | (2003-10-15) 15 October 2003 (age 21) | 8 | 0 | Orenburg |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months and are still eligible to represent.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Ertuğrul Çetin | (2003-04-21) 21 April 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | Gençlerbirliği | v. Slovenia, 17 November 2023 |
| GK | Arda Özçimen | (2002-01-08) 8 January 2002 (age 23) | 0 | 0 | Göztepe | v. San Marino, 13 October 2023 |
| GK | Jankat Yılmaz | (2004-08-16) 16 August 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Galatasaray | v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20 June 2023 |
| DF | Ahmetcan Kaplan$^{SEN}$ | (2003-01-16) 16 January 2003 (age 22) | 5 | 0 | Ajax | v. Scotland, 3 June 2024 |
| DF | Kazımcan Karataş | (2003-01-16) 16 January 2003 (age 22) | 11 | 0 | Ankaragücü | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| DF | Şahin Dik | (2004-02-07) 7 February 2004 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Giresunspor | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| DF | Emir Ortakaya | (2004-06-22) 22 June 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Kocaelispor | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| DF | Ayberk Karapo | (2004-07-21) 21 July 2004 (age 20) | 6 | 0 | Manisa | v. Norway, 21 November 2023 |
| DF | Eray Korkmaz | (2003-06-08) 8 June 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Çaykur Rizespor | v. Norway, 21 November 2023 |
| DF | Engin Can Aksoy | (2003-11-14) 14 November 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Hatayspor | v. Italy, 12 September 2023 |
| DF | Arif Kocaman | (2003-09-14) 14 September 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | Kayserispor | v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20 June 2023 |
| MF | Ömer Faruk Beyaz | (2003-08-29) 29 August 2003 (age 21) | 16 | 1 | Hatayspor | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| MF | Emirhan İlkhan | (2004-06-01) 1 June 2004 (age 20) | 5 | 0 | İstanbul Başakşehir | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| MF | Vefa Temel | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | İstanbulspor | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| MF | Ege Tıknaz | (2004-08-17) 17 August 2004 (age 20) | 5 | 0 | Beşiktaş | v. Norway, 21 November 2023 |
| MF | Cem Türkmen | (2002-03-29) 29 March 2002 (age 22) | 10 | 0 | Ankaragücü | v. Latvia, 17 October 2023 |
| MF | Göktan Gürpüz | (2003-01-22) 22 January 2003 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Trabzonspor | v. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 20 June 2023 |
| FW | Bertuğ Yıldırım$^{SEN}$ | (2002-07-12) 12 July 2002 (age 22) | 11 | 7 | Rennes | v. Scotland, 3 June 2024 |
| FW | Semih Kılıçsoy$^{SEN}$ | (2005-08-15) 15 August 2005 (age 19) | 2 | 2 | Beşiktaş | v. Italy, 26 March 2024 |
| FW | Metehan Altunbaş | (2003-01-07) 7 January 2003 (age 22) | 2 | 1 | Adanaspor | v. Norway, 21 November 2023 |
| FW | Burak İnce | (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Śląsk Wrocław | v. Norway, 21 November 2023 |
| FW | Kenan Yıldız$^{SEN}$ | (2005-05-04) 4 May 2005 (age 19) | 8 | 2 | Juventus | v. Italy, 12 September 2023 |
| FW | Tiago Çukur | (2002-11-30) 30 November 2002 (age 22) | 6 | 0 | Ümraniyespor | v. Republic of Ireland, 8 September 2023 |
* $^{SEN}$ = Player have been called up to the senior team.
* $^{INJ}$ = Not part of the current squad due to injury.

## Player records

    As of 3 June 2024

### Most appearances

The following is the top 10 most capped under-21 players:
| Rank | Name | Period | Caps | Goals |
| 1 | Berkant Göktan | 1998–2001 | 29 | 10 |
| 1 | Kemal Aslan | 2000–2003 | 29 | 5 |
| 3 | Serkan Aykut | 1994–1997 | 24 | 12 |
| 3 | Erhan Albayrak | 1998–2000 | 24 | 7 |
| 3 | Nihat Kahveci | 1998–2000 | 24 | 1 |
| 3 | Feti Okuroğlu | 1990–1993 | 24 | 0 |
| 7 | Serhat Akın | 2000–2002 | 23 | 12 |
| 7 | Güngör Öztürk | 1997–2000 | 23 | 2 |
| 9 | Mehmet Topuz | 2004–2005 | 22 | 2 |
| 9 | Hüseyin Çimşir | 1998–2001 | 22 | 1 |
| 9 | Ravil Tagir | 2019–present | 22 | 1 |
| 9 | Metin Uzun | 1990–1995 | 22 | 1 |
| 9 | Mehmet Nas | 1998–2001 | 22 | 0 |
| 9 | Şenol Yavaş | 1992–1995 | 22 | 0 |

### Top goalscorers

The following is the top 10 under-21 players goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Period | Goals | Caps | Ratio |
| 1 | Serhat Akın | 2000–2002 | 12 | 23 | 0.52 |
| 1 | Serkan Aykut | 1994–1997 | 12 | 24 | 0.5 |
| 3 | Tuncay Şanlı | 2002–2003 | 10 | 14 | 0.71 |
| 3 | Berkant Göktan | 1998–2001 | 10 | 29 | 0.34 |
| 5 | Oktay Derelioğlu | 1994–1997 | 9 | 14 | 0.64 |
| 6 | Halil Dervişoğlu | 2018-2020 | 8 | 11 | 0.73 |
| 7 | Bertuğ Yıldırım | 2022-present | 7 | 11 | 0.64 |
| 7 | Erhan Albayrak | 1998-2000 | 7 | 24 | 0.29 |
| 9 | Bülent Uygun | 1992–1993 | 6 | 14 | 0.43 |
| 9 | Mustafa Özkan | 1996–1997 | 6 | 15 | 0.4 |
| 9 | Emrah Başsan | 2012-2015 | 6 | 17 | 0.35 |
| 9 | Enis Destan | 2021-present | 6 | 21 | 0.29 |
| 9 | Semih Şentürk | 2003-2005 | 6 | 21 | 0.29 |

## Former squads

* 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship squads – Turkey

## Former players

* Abdullah Ercan
* Alpay Özalan
* Arda Turan
* Arif Erdem
* Berkant Göktan
* Bülent Korkmaz
* Colin Kazim-Richards
* Emre Aşık
* Emre Belözoğlu
* Fatih Terim
* Gökhan Töre
* Gökhan Zan
* Hakan Şükür
* Halil Altıntop
* Mehmet Topal
* Mehmet Topuz
* Nihat Kahveci
* Necati Ateş
* Nuri Şahin
* Okan Buruk
* Saffet Sancaklı
* Semih Şentürk
* Sergen Yalçın
* Tuncay Şanlı
* Ümit Özat
* Volkan Demirel
* Yıldıray Baştürk

## Former Coaches

* 1957–1959: Şeref Görkey
* 1960–1962: Şeref Görkey
* 1976–1977: Candan Tarhan
* 1981–1982: Şeref Görkey
* 1984–1984: Yılmaz Gökdel
* 1990–1993: Fatih Terim
* 1993–1996: Erdoğan Arıca
* 1996–1998: Rıza Çalımbay
* 1998–2005: Raşit Çetiner
* 2005–2006: Reha Kapsal
* 2006–2006: Tolunay Kafkas
* 2006–2007: Ünal Karaman
* 2007–2008: Ümit Davala
* 2008–2010: Hami Mandıralı
* 2010–2012: Raşit Çetiner
* 2013–2018: Abdullah Ercan
* 2018–2018: Alpay Özalan
* 2018–2020: Vedat İnceefe
* 2020–2023: Tolunay Kafkas
* 2023–2024: Levent Sürme
* 2024–present Gökhan Gönül