Latvia national under-21 football team explained

Latvia Under-21
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Nickname:Sarkanbaltsarkanie (The red-white-reds)
Association:Latvian Football Federation
Confederation:UEFA (Europe)
Coach: Aleksandrs Basovs
Captain:Jānis Beks
Stadium:Sloka Stadium, Zemgale Olympic Center
Most Caps:Endijs Šlampe, Reinis Flaksis (31)
Top Scorer:Edgars Gauračs (10)
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First Game: Latvia 0 - 0 Lithuania
(Vilnius, Lithuania; 28 October 1992)
Largest Win: Latvia 4 - 0 Estonia
(Carnikava, Latvia; 28 April 1994)
Latvia 4 - 0 Andorra
(Riga, Latvia; 6 June 2009)
Latvia 5 - 1 Romania
(Riga, Latvia; 9 October 2009)
Turkmenistan 0 - 4 Latvia
(Saint Petersburg, Russia; 26 January 2013)
Latvia 4 - 0 Liechtenstein
(Jūrmala, Latvia; 11 June 2013)
Largest Loss: Latvia 0 - 6 Greece
(Athens, Greece; 9 June 1999)
Latvia 0 - 6 Slovakia
(Jelgava, Latvia; 11 October 2011)
Latvia 1 - 7 Switzerland
(Lugano, Switzerland; 8 September 2014)

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.[1] 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

2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

See main article: 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group A.

Players

Current squad

Recent call-ups

The following players have been capped in the past 12 months.

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

Most capped players

Only official matches against U-21 national teams, not including against clubs or any other matches.

NameCareerCapsGoals
1.Endijs Šlampe2014–2016310
Reinis Flaksis2013–2016311
3.Dmitrijs Klimaševičs2014–2016304
4.Andrejs Kiriļins2014–2016290
Vladislavs Gutkovskis2014–2016296
Antonijs Černomordijs20??–2018291
7.Jevgēņijs Kazačoks20??–2016275
Eduards Tīdenbergs20??–2016272
9.Edgars Vardanjans2011–2014251
Kaspars Svārups20??–2016253

Players in bold are still available to play for the U-21 National team.

Best goalscorers

NameCareerCapsGoals
1.Edgars Gauračs2009–2009910
2.Deniss Rakels2011–2013136
Vladislavs Gutkovskis2014–2016296
4.Jevgēņijs Kazačoks2013–2016275
Marko Regža2018-145
6.Artjoms Rudņevs2009–2009104
Dmitrijs Klimaševičs2014–2016304

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Games of the XXVI. Olympiad - Football Qualifying Tournament .
  2. Web site: Suveizda . Agris . Latvijas U21 izlase mājas spēlei pret Itāliju izsauc divus C sērijas futbolistus . Sportacentrs.com . Sportacentrs . 1 September 2023.