# Wales national under-21 football team

The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years. To date Wales haven't yet qualified for the finals tournament but in recent years have shown good form, losing in a playoff (5–4) to England in the 2009 qualifying campaign and finishing second in their group two years later, after leading their group until their last game Wales only needed a draw to qualify for the play-offs but lost 1–0 away to Italy.
The under-21 team came into existence following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976. A goalless draw in a friendly against England at Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molineux Stadium was Wales U21s' first result.
The national under-21 team is the highest level of youth football in Wales, and is open to any players who were born in Wales or whose parents or grandparents were born in Wales. This team is for Welsh 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 U21s, senior side and again for the U21s.

## Recent history

Historically the team was viewed by the Welsh national management as a hole to be filled rather than a team to be used to nurture young international players. Many of the great Welsh players spent little time at the under-21 team level. Ryan Giggs only made one appearance for the under-21 team before making his senior debut against Germany the next day.
From 2004 onward however, the former Wales national football team manager John Toshack and former Wales Under 21 manager Brian Flynn used the under-21 team to create a pool of youthful Welsh talent. The team now has a much better tracking system of young Welsh players, and has seen a marked improvement in players and team results. Recent results have seen them achieve big wins against Estonia (5–1), Northern Ireland (4–0) and France (4–2).
Players who have made the step from the U21s to attain over 50 caps for the senior squad are Gary Speed, Simon Davies, Carl Robinson, Craig Bellamy, Robert Earnshaw, James Collins, John Hartson, Andy King, Joe Ledley, Sam Vokes, Wayne Hennessey, Chris Gunter, Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Connor Roberts, Harry Wilson and Daniel James.
On 15 May 2008, they played a friendly against England U21s to mark the 100th match in the history of the side, losing 2–0.
A 3–0 victory against Romania in September 2008 meant that the Under-21 side finished top of their qualifying group for the first time in their history. It meant Wales would go into a two-legged play-off against England in October 2008 for a place in the finals of the 2009 UEFA Under-21 Championship to be played in Sweden. Wales lost the playoff 5–4 over the course of two legs. Losing 3–2 at home in the first leg and drawing 2–2 away in the second.
Wales started their qualifying campaign for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship with a 1–0 away win against Andorra, a 3–1 away loss against Montenegro, a 1–0 home win against Montenegro, a 1–0 home defeat against Czech Republic and a 0–0 away draw against Armenia.
In May 2012 Brian Flynn vacated his position as Wales under-21 manager at the end of his contract and in July 2012 Geraint Williams was appointed team manager Williams resigned as team manager on 5 December 2016. On 15 March 2017 it was announced that former Port Vale and Northampton Town manager Rob Page had left his position on the coaching staff at Nottingham Forest to become Wales under-21 manager. In August 2019 Page was appointed assistant coach to the senior Wales squad under Ryan Giggs with Paul Bodin stepping up from the Under 19's to manage the Under 21 team.
In November 2021, Wales picked up their biggest ever win at under-21 level when they beat Gibraltar 7–0 in a qualifier for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. In July 2022 Bodin's contract with Wales Under-21 was terminated by mutual consent. In September 2022, Matt Jones was appointed as manager.

## Players
### Latest squad

Players born on or after 1 January 2004 are eligible for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Wales squad for the friendly matches against Andorra and Sweden on 20 and 23 March 2025 respectively.
Caps and goals as of 15 October 2024. Players in bold have attained full international caps.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1GK | Evan Watts | (2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 20) | 3 | 0 | Galway United (on loan from Swansea City) |
| 1GK | Ronnie Hollingshead | (2004-09-09) 9 September 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Alvechurch (on loan from West Bromwich Albion) |
| 2DF | Alex Williams | (2005-01-02) 2 January 2005 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | West Bromwich Albion |
| 2DF | Archie Harris | (2004-12-27) 27 December 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Bournemouth |
| 2DF | Sebastian Dabrowski | (2005-09-11) 11 September 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Swansea City |
| 2DF | Zac Williams | (2004-03-27) 27 March 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Crewe Alexandra |
| 2DF | Callum Tripp | (2006-08-28) 28 August 2006 (age 18) | 0 | 0 | Gateshead (on loan from Milton Keynes Dons) |
| 2DF | Benjamin Hammond | (2004-10-02) 2 October 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2DF | Ed James | (2004-12-23) 23 December 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Bath City (on loan from Exeter City) |
| 2DF | Thierry Katsukunya | (2005-11-30) 30 November 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Aston Villa |
| 3MF | Joel Cotterill | (2004-10-10) 10 October 2004 (age 20) | 9 | 3 | Swindon Town (on loan from Swansea City) |
| 3MF | Luke Harris | (2005-03-04) 4 March 2005 (age 20) | 6 | 1 | Birmingham City (on loan from Fulham) |
| 3MF | Joel Colwill | (2004-10-27) 27 October 2004 (age 20) | 4 | 0 | Exeter City (on loan from Cardiff City) |
| 3MF | Cameron Congreve | (2004-01-24) 24 January 2004 (age 21) | 4 | 0 | Bromley (on loan from Swansea City) |
| 3MF | Owen Hampson | (2004-11-17) 17 November 2004 (age 20) | 1 | 0 | Dunfermline Athletic (on loan from Sheffield United) |
| 3MF | Ben Lloyd | (2005-03-14) 14 March 2005 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Swansea City |
| 3MF | Calum Agius | (2005-09-05) 5 September 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Crewe Alexandra |
| 3MF | Logan Briggs | (2006-02-07) 7 February 2006 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Leicester City |
| 3MF | Daniel Watts | (2005-12-16) 16 December 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Swansea City |
| 4FW | Chris Popov | (2004-10-26) 26 October 2004 (age 20) | 9 | 0 | Barrow (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 4FW | Cian Ashford | (2004-09-24) 24 September 2004 (age 20) | 5 | 2 | Cardiff City |
| 4FW | Alex Roberts | (2005-10-17) 17 October 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Norwich City |
| 4FW | Tom Tweedy | (2004-09-15) 15 September 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Burnley |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Wales under-21 squad and remain eligible. Players in bold have caps for the senior team.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Lewys Benjamin | (2006-11-28) 28 November 2006 (age 18) | 1 | 0 | Stourbridge (on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers) | v. Slovakia, 15 October 2024 |
| DF | Luey Giles | (2006-08-04) 4 August 2006 (age 18) | 0 | 0 | Cardiff City | v. Iceland, 10 September 2024 |
| DF | Terence Miles | (2004-09-12) 12 September 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Liverpool | v. Morocco, 26 March 2024 |
| MF | Charlie Crew | (2006-06-15) 15 June 2006 (age 18) | 4 | 0 | Doncaster Rovers (on loan from Leeds United) | v. Slovakia, 15 October 2024 |
| FW | Omari Benjamin | (2005-12-04) 4 December 2005 (age 19) | 0 | 0 | Everton | v. Andorra, 20 March 2025$^{INJ}$ |
| FW | Lewis Koumas | (2005-09-19) 19 September 2005 (age 19) | 1 | 1 | Stoke City (on loan from Liverpool) | v. Morocco, 26 March 2024 |
Key
* $^{SUS}$ = Suspended for next match.
* $^{SEN}$ = Called up to senior squad.
* $^{INJ}$ = Withdrew from the squad due to injury.
* $^{WD}$ = Withdrew from the squad for non injury issue.