Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team

The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team is a representative team of Irish football players. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland and represents them at Under-21 level against the national teams of other national associations. The team played its first match in 1978 and has competed in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship since 1988.

Republic of Ireland Under-21
Nickname(s)Boys in Green
AssociationFootball Association of Ireland (FAI)
Head coachJim Crawford
CaptainJoe Hodge
Most capsConor Coventry (28)
Top scorerRobbie Brady (7)
Kevin Doyle (7)
Sinclair Armstrong (7)
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First colours
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Second colours
First international
Republic of Ireland Rep. Ireland 1–1 Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
(Dublin; 8 March 1978)
Biggest win
San Marino San Marino 0–7 Rep. Ireland Republic of Ireland
(Serravalle, San Marino; 22 March 2024)
Biggest defeat
Germany Germany 8–0 Rep. Ireland Republic of Ireland
(Baunatal, Germany; 23 March 1993)
UEFA U-21 Championship
AppearancesHave never qualified

History

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As a European under-21 team, the Republic of Ireland participates in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, which takes place every two years. There is no Under-21 World Cup, although there is an Under-20 World Cup. Ireland did not enter the first five Under-21 Championships, entering for the first time in 1988 but failing to qualify. Ireland have never qualified for the European Under-21 Championships.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship record

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UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship record UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D * L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1978 did not enter
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988 did not qualify 4 0 2 2 3 7
1990 did not enter
1992 did not qualify 6 1 0 5 5 14
  1994 8 1 1 6 7 20
  1996 8 2 2 4 7 9
  1998 8 3 0 5 11 7
  2000 8 4 2 2 13 12
  2002 8 4 1 3 10 7
  2004 8 2 2 4 8 11
  2006 8 1 2 5 10 14
  2007 2 1 0 1 2 1
  2009 8 1 2 5 4 14
  2011 10 1 4 5 5 11
  2013 8 4 1 3 15 10
  2015 8 2 2 4 10 12
  2017 10 4 0 6 14 17
  2019 10 4 2 4 12 15
    2021 10 6 1 3 15 8
    2023 12 6 3 3 17 11
  2025 10 5 4 1 24 12
Total 144 48 31 65 184 199
*Draws include knockout matches decided by penalty shootout.

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

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2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

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Pos Team 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[a] Play-offs 0–3 3–2 5–1 7–0 4–0
3   Republic of Ireland 10 5 4 1 24 12 +12 19[a] 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
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Norway 4, Republic of Ireland 1.

Results and fixtures

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2023

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26 March Friendly Republic of Ireland   2–1   Iceland Cork, Republic of Ireland
16:00 GMT Tom Cannon   23'
Festy Ebosele   29'
Johnny Kenny   82'
Report Kristall Máni Ingason   14' Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 6,000
13 June Friendly Republic of Ireland   C–C   Gabon Austria
17:00 GMT Report
Note: Fixture cancelled on 12 June as Gabon elected not to travel to Austria for the fixture.
16 June Friendly Ukraine   2–2   Republic of Ireland Bad Blumau, Austria
17:00 GMT Artem Bondarenko   16' (pen.)
Danylo Sikan   73' (pen.)
Andrew Moran   45+5'
Bosun Lawal   82'
Stadium: Union Sport-Club Blumau
19 June Friendly Republic of Ireland   3–0   Kuwait Bad Radkersburg, Austria
16:00 GMT Ollie O'Neill   5'
Conor Carty   7'
Aidomo Emakhu   52'
Report Stadium: Parktherme Arena
Note: Fixture abandoned after 70 minutes due to a racist comment by a Kuwait player towards Ireland substitute Sinclair Armstrong.
8 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Republic of Ireland   3–2   Turkey Cork, Republic of Ireland
19:30 GMT Andrew Moran   56'
Zak Gilsenan   87' (pen.)
Aidomo Emakhu   90+6'
Sean Roughan   90+9'
Report Kenan Yıldız   22' (pen.)
Cihan Çanak   76'
Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 3,754
Referee: Joonas Jaanovits (Estonia)
12 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Republic of Ireland   3–0   San Marino Cork, Republic of Ireland
19:30 GMT Rocco Vata   8'
Rocco Vata   45+2'
Sinclair Armstrong   66'
Report Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 3,826
Referee: Antoine Paul Chiaramonti (Andorra)

2024

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7 June Friendly Croatia   2–3   Republic of Ireland Zagreb, Croatia
17:00 GMT Igor Matanović   62'
Matija Frigan   74' (pen.)
Report Andrew Moran   11'
Sinclair Armstrong   14'
Aidomo Emakhu   52'
Stadium: Gradski Stadion
Referee: Filip Dragašević  
11 June Friendly England   2–2   Republic of Ireland Zagreb, Croatia
15:00 GMT Archie Brown   45+2'
Dane Scarlett   47' (pen.)
Joe Hodge   4'
Armstrong Oko-Flex   88'
Stadium: Gradski Stadion
Referee: Ivan Vučkovič  
6 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Turkey   0–1   Republic of Ireland Istanbul, Turkey
17:45 GMT Report Sam Curtis   84' Stadium: Esenler Stadium
Attendance: 2,188
Referee: Amine Kourgheli  
10 September UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Republic of Ireland   2–2   Latvia Dublin, Republic of Ireland
17:00 GMT Sinclair Armstrong   16'
Sean Roughan   65'
Report Kaspars Anmanis   42'
Ivans Patrikejevs   63'
Stadium: Tallaght Stadium
Attendance: 953
Referee: Stefan Ebner  
11 October UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualification Republic of Ireland   1–1   Norway Cork, Republic of Ireland
19:00 GMT Sean Roughan   75' Report Andreas Schjelderup   90+3' Stadium: Turners Cross
Attendance: 5,754
Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas  
14 November Friendly Republic of Ireland   0–2   Sweden Marbella, Spain
19:00 GMT Report Hampus Skoglund   48'
Richie Omorowa   87'
Stadium: Marbella Football Centre
17 November Friendly Sweden   2–3   Republic of Ireland Marbella, Spain
14:00 GMT Peter Amoran   34'
Lukas Björklund   58'
Report Jamie Mullins   15'
Rocco Vata   46'
Mark O'Mahony   50'
Stadium: Marbella Football Centre

Staff

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The Under-21s' management team includes:[1]

Position Name Appointed
Head coach   Jim Crawford 5 April 2020
Assistant coach   Paul McShane 28 August 2023
Assistant coach   Stephen Rice 29 August 2024
Goalkeeping coach   Rene Gilmartin 24 April 2020
Lead Performance Analyst   Martin Doyle April 2020
Sports Scientist   Paul Walsh 18 March 2023
Sports Scientist   Adam Fox June 2021
Chartered Physiotherapist   Glauber Barduzzi 24 April 2019
Athletic Therapist   Kieran Murray March 2022
Doctor   Dr Mortimer O'Connor March 2021
Performance Nutritionist   Ian Byrne March 2023
Kitman   John Crudden May 2023

Players

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Current squad

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Players born on or after 1 January 2004 are eligible for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

The following players were called up for the Friendly fixtures against Sweden U21 in Marbella, Spain on 14 & 17 November 2024.[2]

Caps and goals updated as of 17 November 2024, after the game vs Sweden.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Conor Walsh (2005-03-17) 17 March 2005 (age 19) 1 0   Sligo Rovers
16 1GK Noah Jauny (2004-08-26) 26 August 2004 (age 20) 1 0   Brest
23 1GK Aaron Maguire (2004-07-25) 25 July 2004 (age 20) 1 0   Tottenham Hotspur

4 2DF James Abankwah (captain) (2004-01-16) 16 January 2004 (age 20) 9 0   Udinese
5 2DF Seán Grehan (2004-01-08) 8 January 2004 (age 20) 5 0   Crystal Palace
3 2DF Connor O'Brien (2004-07-12) 12 July 2004 (age 20) 5 0   Accrington Stanley
17 2DF Alex Murphy (2004-06-25) 25 June 2004 (age 20) 4 0   Newcastle United
2 2DF Jacob Slater (2004-10-05) 5 October 2004 (age 20) 2 0   Brighton & Hove Albion
14 2DF Darius Lipsiuc (2005-09-16) 16 September 2005 (age 19) 2 0   Stoke City
22 2DF David Okagbue (2003-10-05) 5 October 2003 (age 21) 1 0   Walsall
12 2DF Gabriel Otegbayo (2005-02-11) 11 February 2005 (age 19) 0 0   Sheffield Wednesday

24 3MF Rocco Vata (2005-04-18) 18 April 2005 (age 19) 7 6   Watford
11 3MF Ed McJannet (2004-01-25) 25 January 2004 (age 20) 4 0   Lecce
8 3MF Jamie Mullins (2004-09-29) 29 September 2004 (age 20) 2 1   Brighton & Hove Albion
13 3MF Glory Nzingo (2004-11-04) 4 November 2004 (age 20) 2 0   Swansea City
20 3MF Jad Hakiki (2004-06-23) 23 June 2004 (age 20) 2 0   Sligo Rovers
21 3MF Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh (2005-05-11) 11 May 2005 (age 19) 2 0   Brighton & Hove Albion
6 3MF Harry Vaughan (2004-04-06) 6 April 2004 (age 20) 1 0   Hull City

9 4FW Mark O'Mahony (2005-01-15) 15 January 2005 (age 19) 7 1   Portsmouth
15 4FW Tommy Lonergan (2004-01-02) 2 January 2004 (age 20) 2 0   Fleetwood Town
19 4FW Sean Moore (2005-08-13) 13 August 2005 (age 19) 2 0   West Ham United
7 4FW Kevin Zefi (2005-02-11) 11 February 2005 (age 19) 1 0   AS Roma
10 4FW Ben Quinn (2004-11-11) 11 November 2004 (age 20) 1 0   Mansfield Town
18 4FW Adrien Thibaut (2004-07-11) 11 July 2004 (age 20) 1 0   Crewe Alexandra

Recent call-ups

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The following players have also been called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21 squad and remain eligible:

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Andrew Wogan (2005-12-01) 1 December 2005 (age 19) 0 0   Stockport County v.   San Marino, 22 March 2024
GK Owen Mason (2004-03-24) 24 March 2004 (age 20) 0 0   Gateshead v.   Latvia, 13 October 2023PRE

DF Sam Curtis (2005-12-01) 1 December 2005 (age 19) 14 1   Peterborough United v.   Italy, 15 October 2024

MF Adam Murphy (2005-04-08) 8 April 2005 (age 19) 2 0   Bristol City v.   Sweden, 14 November 2024INJ

FW Franco Umeh (2005-01-26) 26 January 2005 (age 19) 0 0   Crystal Palace v.   Italy, 15 October 2024
FW Mason Melia (2007-09-22) 22 September 2007 (age 17) 0 0   St Patrick's Athletic v.   Norway, 11 October 2024INJ

INJ Withdrew from latest squad due to injury
WD Withdrew from latest squad
PRE Preliminary squad / standby
SUS Player is suspended
SEN Player called up to Senior squad

Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped for the senior team.

References

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  1. ^ "Jim Crawford names Under-21 squad for Türkiye & Latvia EURO Qualifiers". www.fai.ie.
  2. ^ https://www.fai.ie/latest/jim-crawford-names-under-21-squad-sweden-friendlies/
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  NODES
Association 4
INTERN 1
Note 6