England U21 is the national development side for England’s leading young men’s players and a key stage in The Football Association’s pathway to senior international football. Known as the Young Lions, it brings together selected players for age-group competition under UEFA. The team occupies a distinctive place in the national structure, balancing immediate results with preparation for the senior level. Its page profile captures the latest selection context alongside the history and identity that have shaped this important England pathway.
England U21 Upcoming matches by league
UEFA U21 Championship - Qualification
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- Group Stage - 19
England U21
Kazakhstan U21 -
- Group Stage - 22
England U21No H2HSlovakia U21
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- Group Stage - 23
Republic of Ireland U21No H2HEngland U21
England U21 Last matches by league
UEFA U21 Championship - Qualification
UEFA U21 Championship
England U21 Team Roster
England U21 have a recorded 21-player squad: three goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and five attackers. J. Beadle, T. Setford and Tommy Simkin provide the goalkeeper group, while Joshua Kofi Acheampong, A. Gray and M. Lewis-Skelly are among the defensive options. The midfield includes E. Nwaneri, J. Bellingham and Joshua King, with D. Mubama, T. Dibling and Tyrique George listed among the attackers. Shirt numbers run from 1 to 23, with number 1 assigned to two goalkeepers.
position Goalkeeper
position Defender
Myles Anthony Lewis-Skelly
Joshua Kofi Acheampong
Ashley Famiwuya Phillips
Max Alleyne
Rico Henry Mark Lewis
Archie James Francis Gray
Benjamin Harvey Nelson
Thierry Small
position Midfielder
Jobe Samuel Patrick Bellingham
Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri
Samuel Amo-Ameyaw
Joshua King
Kellen Fisher
Romain Joy Kouakou Esse
Sydie Peck
position Attacker
Divin Saku Mubama
Tyrique Aaron Delali Yusuff George
Tyler-Jay Dibling
Last England U21 Coachs
Benjamin Paul Futcher is the most recent recorded appointment, with a tenure dated from August to December 2024. Earlier chronology lists Lee Carsley from June 2021, Adrian Boothroyd from 2016 to 2021 and Gareth Southgate from 2013 to 2016. This coaching chronology does not establish a current holder for England U21.
Benjamin Paul Futcher
History
| Coach | Coach country | Coach since | Coach until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Paul Futcher | England | 1 August 2024 | 1 December 2024 |
| Lee Kevin Carsley | England | 1 June 2021 | |
| Adrian Neil Boothroyd | England | 1 September 2016 | 1 April 2021 |
| Gareth Harold Southgate | England | 1 August 2013 | 1 September 2016 |
England U21 Transfers
England U21 do not recruit through the club transfer market. No individual arrivals are identified for this national selection. Players join a camp through eligibility, federation call-up and inclusion in the selected group, while previously available players may return after an absence. The latest squad contains 21 names, but that figure describes the roster for the date rather than a total of additions. Signings, loans, fees and permanent recruitment do not apply to this national team.
England U21 departures are selection events rather than club transactions. No individual omissions or withdrawals are specified for this national selection. Players leave a camp through non-selection, withdrawal or the end of an international window, then return to their clubs as part of the normal calendar. The 21-player squad is a dated selection, not a departures total, and no sale, loan, fee or transfer applies to the national team.
Transfers Synthesis
England U21 movement is governed by international selection rather than recruitment. Players become available through age-based eligibility and federation call-ups, then enter a camp for the relevant fixtures or tournament phase. The latest 21-player group is therefore a snapshot of selection for that point in the cycle, not evidence of arrivals or departures. Changes between groups can reflect eligibility, availability, withdrawals, returns to selection or progression to the senior pathway, but no individual movement is specified here. The squad spans three goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and five attackers, illustrating the balance chosen for the latest listed group. Its competition context includes UEFA Under-21 Championship qualification through 2027 and recent finals participation through 2025. This model allows the national setup to refresh its pool as players develop while retaining continuity across camps and maintaining a clear pathway toward senior international football.
Leagues England U21 has participated in
England U21 compete in the UEFA Under-21 Championship pathway through two stages. Qualification is recorded from 2023 through 2027 and has recent activity as of August 2026. Finals participation runs from 2017 through 2025 and remains a recent part of the team’s European programme. Both competitions are cup events, together describing the qualifying and final phases of the European Under-21 cycle rather than a domestic league schedule. The qualification entry extends to 2027, while the finals entry is recorded through 2025.
More about England U21
England U21 is England’s national under-21 men’s football team, commonly known as the England Under-21s or the Young Lions. The side’s founding date is 1863, connecting it with the long institutional history of English football, while the modern under-21 structure emerged in 1976 as UEFA standardised youth international competition. The team is administered by The Football Association and competes within UEFA, serving as the principal development bridge between elite youth football and the England senior men’s team.
The Three Lions badge carries the heraldic symbol associated with English representative football. Traditional colours centre on a white shirt with navy shorts, while alternate designs can introduce red or other national accents. England U21 has no permanent home ground. Fixtures rotate among regional club stadiums, a practical arrangement that brings international football to different parts of the country and helps the team build local connections. Crowds are often family-friendly and community-focused, with supporters following the progress of players expected to shape the next senior generation.
The side’s modern history begins with a goalless inaugural fixture against Wales at Molineux in 1976. Its strongest eras include consecutive European Under-21 Championship triumphs in the early 1980s, followed by later competitive revivals. The team’s principal continental route is a two-year UEFA cycle, beginning with qualification groups and leading to a multi-nation final tournament. Eligibility is tied to the age rules of each cycle, so the squad changes as players mature, progress to the senior setup or enter a new cohort. Matches against Germany and Italy carry familiar international weight, while British Isles fixtures add a distinct regional edge. England U21 therefore combines national tradition with a clearly defined development purpose: competing for European honours while preparing players for the demands of senior international football.
Last matches statistics for England U21
| match | shots | Poss. | Pass % | Fouls | Cards | Saves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Israel U21
0 - 3
England U21
|
6 / 16 |
|
91 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
|
England U21
1 - 0
Spain U21
|
6 / 8 |
|
78 | 13 | 5 1 | 4 |
|
Czech Republic U21
1 - 3
England U21
|
6 / 14 |
|
92 | 10 | 1 | 6 |
|
England U21
0 - 0
Slovenia U21
|
3 / 20 |
|
92 | 8 | 2 | 3 |
|
England U21
1 - 2
Germany U21
|
5 / 18 |
|
91 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
|
Spain U21
1 - 3
England U21
|
4 / 12 |
|
84 | 5 | 3 | 4 |
|
England U21
2 - 1
Netherlands U21
|
4 / 12 |
|
87 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
|
England U21
3 - 2
Germany U21
|
6 / 14 |
|
86 | 15 | 3 | 2 |
|
Andorra U21
1 - 1
England U21
|
0 / 0 |
|
0% | 0 | - | 0 |
|
England U21
4 - 1
Moldova U21
|
0 / 0 |
|
0% | 0 | - | 0 |
Detailed statistics England U21
Xtra rating history
Last rating points (most recent matches).