# Netherlands national under-21 football team

The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years.
Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the Dutch Under-21 team was formed. The team did not have a very good record, failing to qualify for nine of the fifteen tournaments. The team did not enter for the 1978 competition, but since then has reached the semi-finals twice, and qualified for the last eight on three other occasions.
Since the under-21 competition rules insist that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two-year competition, technically it is an U-23 competition. For this reason, the Netherlands' record in the preceding U-23 competitions is also shown. The first competitive match was in the "Under-23 Challenge", a match which they lost. The team qualified for the last eight of each of the three U-23 tournaments.
In 2006 the Netherlands national under-21 football team of coach Foppe de Haan won the 2006 European Under-21 Championship. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar became top scorer and player of the tournament with four goals, and also broke the all-time goalscoring record of 15 goals previously held by Roy Makaay and Arnold Jan Bruggink, in his last match with the team as he pushed this record to eighteen goals. The following year, Netherlands national under-21 football team successfully defended their title by winning the 2007 European Under-21 Championship in the final against Serbia with 4–1. Maceo Rigters was the top scorer of the competition with four goals and Royston Drenthe was the Player of the Tournament. The win meant that the Netherlands qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The team failed to qualify for the 2009 European Under-21 Championship, after losing out to Switzerland in their final qualifying match.

## Competitive record
### UEFA U-23 Championship record

The Netherlands were randomly chosen to play against Bulgaria for the title in a one-off match in Sofia, which the Netherlands lost.
* 17 April 1968: Bulgaria 3–1 Netherlands.

### UEFA U-23 Championship Record

| UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | UEFA U-23 Championship Record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record |
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
| 1972 | Quarter-finals | ? | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 |
| 1974 | Quarter-finals | ? | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 1976 | Semi finals | ? | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
| Total | 0 titles | 3/3 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 11 |
(*) Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

### UEFA U-21 Championship Record

| UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | UEFA U-21 Championship Record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record |
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
| 1978 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 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 | did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 |
| 1988 | Semi-finals | 3rd/4th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | — | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 1992 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 4 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 14 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 9 |
| 1998 | Fourth place | 4th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Squad | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 5 |
| 2000 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | Squad | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 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 | did not qualify | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 10 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 2006 | Final | Champions | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | Squad | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 7 |
| 2007 | Final | Champions | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | Squad | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts | Qualified as hosts |
| 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 | did not qualify | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 3 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 8 |
| 2013 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 7 | Squad | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 3 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 26 | 13 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 10 |
| 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 | did not qualify | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 6 |
| 2021 | Semi-finals | 4th | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | Squad | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 5 |
| 2023 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Squad | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 3 |
| Total | 2 titles | 9/24 | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 52 | 34 | — | 178 | 104 | 33 | 41 | 391 | 151 |
(*) Denotes draws including knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

### Olympic Games

Summer Olympic record :
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
| 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 | 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 | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | Did not qualify | 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 | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2012 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2016 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2020 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| Total | 1/7 | 0 Medals | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 |

## Results and fixtures 2021–2023
### 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
#### Qualification

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | | | | | | |
| 1 | Netherlands | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 3 | +29 | 26 | Final tournament | — | 2–0 | 3–0 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 6–0 |
| 2 | Switzerland | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 6 | +16 | 23 | Final tournament | 2–2 | — | 3–0 | 5–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| 3 | Moldova | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | −5 | 12 | | 0–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 |
| 4 | Wales | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 14 | +1 | 11 | | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| 5 | Bulgaria | 10 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 10 | | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–4 | — | 5–0 |
| 6 | Gibraltar | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 41 | −40 | 1 | | 0–7 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–7 | 1–1 | — |

## Players
### Current squad

The following players were called up for the matches against Italy on 21 March and Romania on 25 March 2025. The team was announced on 14 March, but on 17 March, Youri Baas was called up to the senior team to replace the injured Denzel Dumfries.
Caps and goals correct as of 18 November 2024, after the match against England.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro | (2004-07-02) 2 July 2004 (age 20) | 3 | 0 | AZ |
| 1GK | Calvin Raatsie | (2002-02-09) 9 February 2002 (age 23) | 7 | 0 | Excelsior |
| 1GK | Robin Roefs | (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | NEC |
| 2DF | Tyrese Asante | (2002-04-09) 9 April 2002 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| 2DF | Wouter Goes | (2004-06-10) 10 June 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | AZ |
| 2DF | Denso Kasius | (2002-10-06) 6 October 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | AZ |
| 2DF | Ian Maatsen | (2002-03-10) 10 March 2002 (age 23) | 19 | 1 | Aston Villa |
| 2DF | Devyne Rensch | (2003-01-18) 18 January 2003 (age 22) | 16 | 2 | Roma |
| 2DF | Anass Salah-Eddine | (2002-01-18) 18 January 2002 (age 23) | 9 | 0 | Roma |
| 3MF | Ezechiel Banzuzi | (2005-02-16) 16 February 2005 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | OH Leuven |
| 3MF | Lamare Bogarde | (2004-01-05) 5 January 2004 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Aston Villa |
| 3MF | Kian Fitz-Jim | (2003-07-05) 5 July 2003 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Ajax |
| 3MF | Ryan Flamingo | (2002-12-31) 31 December 2002 (age 22) | 6 | 0 | PSV |
| 3MF | Antoni Milambo | (2005-04-03) 3 April 2005 (age 19) | 2 | 0 | Feyenoord |
| 3MF | Dirk Proper | (2002-02-24) 24 February 2002 (age 23) | 9 | 1 | NEC |
| 3MF | Gjivai Zechiël | (2004-06-01) 1 June 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Sparta Rotterdam |
| 4FW | Thom van Bergen | (2004-01-06) 6 January 2004 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | Groningen |
| 4FW | Myron van Brederode | (2003-07-06) 6 July 2003 (age 21) | 7 | 1 | Fortuna Düsseldorf |
| 4FW | Emanuel Emegha | (2003-02-03) 3 February 2003 (age 22) | 7 | 3 | RC Strasbourg |
| 4FW | Sontje Hansen | (2002-05-18) 18 May 2002 (age 22) | 3 | 1 | NEC |
| 4FW | Million Manhoef | (2002-01-03) 3 January 2002 (age 23) | 14 | 5 | Stoke City |
| 4FW | Noah Ohio | (2003-01-16) 16 January 2003 (age 22) | 10 | 7 | Utrecht |
| 4FW | Ernest Poku | (2004-01-28) 28 January 2004 (age 21) | 4 | 0 | AZ |

### Recent call ups

The following players have previously been called up to the Netherlands under-21 squad in the last year and remain eligible.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Dani van den Heuvel | (2003-05-28) 28 May 2003 (age 21) | 1 | 0 | Club Brugge | Friendly |
| DF | Neraysho Kasanwirjo | (2002-02-18) 18 February 2002 (age 23) | 7 | 0 | Rangers | Friendly |
| DF | Jorrel Hato$^{SEN}$ | (2006-03-07) 7 March 2006 (age 19) | 5 | 0 | Ajax | Friendly |
| DF | Bjorn Meijer | (2003-03-18) 18 March 2003 (age 22) | 3 | 2 | Club Brugge | Friendly |
| DF | Max Bruns | (2002-11-06) 6 November 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | Twente | Friendly |
| | 2DF | Youri Baas$^{SEN}$ | (2003-03-17) 17 March 2003 (age 22) | 4 | 0 | Ajax |
| MF | Julian Baas | (2002-04-16) 16 April 2002 (age 22) | 1 | 0 | Eintracht Braunschweig | Friendly |
| MF | Kenneth Taylor$^{SEN}$ | (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22) | 16 | 3 | Ajax | Friendly |
| MF | Youri Regeer | (2003-08-18) 18 August 2003 (age 21) | 4 | 2 | Ajax | Friendly |
| MF | Calvin Twigt | (2003-01-30) 30 January 2003 (age 22) | 3 | 0 | Go Ahead Eagles | UEFA Euro U-21 qualification |
| MF | Ryan Gravenberch$^{SEN}$ | (2002-05-16) 16 May 2002 (age 22) | 11 | 1 | Liverpool | UEFA Euro U-21 qualification |
| FW | Ruben van Bommel | (2004-08-03) 3 August 2004 (age 20) | 10 | 3 | AZ | Friendly |
| FW | Ibrahim Cissoko | (2003-03-26) 26 March 2003 (age 21) | 2 | 0 | Sheffield Wednesday | Friendly |
| $^{INJ}$ Withdrew due to injury. $^{PRE}$ Preliminary squad. $^{SEN}$ Accepted call up to senior team. |||||||

### Overage players in Olympic Games

| Tournament | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 |
| 2008 | Kew Jaliens (DF) | Gerald Sibon (FW) | Roy Makaay (FW) |

### Notable players from under-21 football team

* Jo Bonfrere
* Roy Makaay
* Arnold Bruggink
* Wilfred Bouma
* Peter Wisgerhof
* Victor Sikora
* Mark van Bommel
* Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink
* Dirk Kuyt
* Kenneth Vermeer
* Gijs Luirink
* Nicky Hofs
* Stijn Schaars
* Urby Emanuelson
* Romeo Castelen
* Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
* Robin van Persie
* Boy Waterman
* Ron Vlaar
* Ryan Donk
* Gianni Zuiverloon
* Hedwiges Maduro
* Otman Bakkal
* Maceo Rigters
* Ryan Babel
* Royston Drenthe
* Tim Krul
* Erik Pieters

## Individual all-time records
### Most capped players

| Rank | Player | Career | Matches | Goals |
| 1 | Arnold Bruggink | 1995–1999 | 31 | 15 |
| 1 | Leroy Fer | 2009–2013 | 31 | 6 |
| 3 | Daniël de Ridder | 2004–2007 | 30 | 1 |
| 4 | Niels Oude Kamphuis | 1996–2000 | 28 | 2 |
| 5 | Roy Makaay | 1994–1998 | 27 | 15 |
| 5 | Mark van Bommel | 1996–2000 | 27 | 3 |
| 7 | Kiki Musampa | 1996–2000 | 25 | 8 |
| 7 | Arnold Kruiswijk | 2003–2007 | 25 | 0 |
| 9 | Georginio Wijnaldum | 2009–2013 | 24 | 10 |
| 10 | Daley Blind | 2009–2013 | 23 | 0 |
| 10 | Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | 2002–2006 | 23 | 18 |
| 10 | Bram Nuytinck | 2010–2013 | 23 | 2 |
| 10 | Marco van Ginkel | 2011–2014 | 23 | 4 |
| 10 | Tonny Vilhena | 2013–2016 | 23 | 4 |
Last updated: 29 May 2014

### Most goals scored

| Rank | Player | Career | Goals | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | 2002–2006 | 18 | 23 | 0.78 |
| 2 | Roy Makaay | 1994–1998 | 15 | 27 | 0.56 |
| 2 | Arnold Bruggink | 1995–1999 | 15 | 31 | 0.48 |
| 4 | Género Zeefuik | 2011–2012 | 10 | 12 | 0.83 |
| 4 | Georginio Wijnaldum | 2009–2013 | 10 | 24 | 0.42 |
| 6 | Brian Brobbey | 2021– | 9 | 17 | 0.53 |
| 7 | Vincent Janssen | 2014–2015 | 8 | 10 | 0.80 |
| 7 | Kiki Musampa | 1996–2000 | 8 | 25 | 0.32 |
| 9 | Edwin Bakker | 1984–1985 | 7 | 7 | 1.00 |
| 9 | Ronald de Boer | 1989–1992 | 7 | 9 | 0.78 |
| 9 | Quincy Promes | 2013–2014 | 7 | 10 | 0.70 |
| 9 | Joshua Zirkzee | 2020– | 7 | 19 | 0.37 |
| 9 | Jurgen Ekkelenkamp | 2020–2023 | 7 | 22 | 0.32 |
Last updated: 27 June 2023