Latvia national under-21 football team

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.

Latvia Under-21
Nickname(s)Sarkanbaltsarkanie (The red-white-reds)
AssociationLatvian Football Federation
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coachLatvia Aleksandrs Basovs
CaptainJānis Beks
Most capsEndijs Šlampe, Reinis Flaksis (31)
Top scorerEdgars Gauračs (10)
First colours
Second colours
First international
Latvia Latvia 0 - 0 Lithuania Lithuania
(Vilnius, Lithuania; 28 October 1992)
Biggest win
Latvia Latvia 4 - 0 Estonia Estonia
(Carnikava, Latvia; 28 April 1994)
Latvia Latvia 4 - 0 Andorra Andorra
(Riga, Latvia; 6 June 2009)
Latvia Latvia 5 - 1 Romania Romania
(Riga, Latvia; 9 October 2009)
Turkmenistan Turkmenistan 0 - 4 Latvia Latvia
(Saint Petersburg, Russia; 26 January 2013)
Latvia Latvia 4 - 0 Liechtenstein Liechtenstein
(Jūrmala, Latvia; 11 June 2013)
Biggest defeat
Latvia Latvia 0 - 6 Greece Greece
(Athens, Greece; 9 June 1999)
Latvia Latvia 0 - 6 Slovakia Slovakia
(Jelgava, Latvia; 11 October 2011)
Latvia Latvia 1 - 7 Switzerland Switzerland
(Lugano, Switzerland; 8 September 2014)

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
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Italy 7 4 3 0 16 3 +13 15 Final tournament — 15 Oct '24 2–0 2–0 1–1 5 Sep '24
2  Republic of Ireland 6 4 1 1 19 8 +11 13 Play-offs 2–2 — 11 Oct '24 10 Sep '24 3–2 3–0
3  Norway 6 4 0 2 21 6 +15 12 10 Sep '24 3–2 — 7–0 15 Oct '24 4–0
4  Latvia 6 2 1 3 5 12 −7 7[lower-alpha 1] 0–0 1–2 6 Sep '24 — 2–1 2–0
5  Turkey 6 2 1 3 11 8 +3 7[lower-alpha 1] 0–2 6 Sep '24 2–0 11 Oct '24 — 5–0
6  San Marino (E) 7 0 0 7 0 35 −35 0 0–7 0–7 0–7 15 Oct '24 10 Sep '24 —
Updated to match(es) played on 26 March 2024. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
Notes:
  1. Ranked on head-to-head points: Latvia 3, Turkey 0.

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2 June 2022 (2022-06-02) 2023 UEFA Euro U-21 qualification Latvia  1–0  Israel Skonto Stadium, Riga
17:30
  • Ozoliņš 46'
 Report Attendance: 300
Referee: Bulat Sariyev (Kazakhstan)
7 June 2022 (2022-06-07) 2023 UEFA Euro U-21 qualification Latvia  0-2  Hungary Skonto Stadium
19:00 Report András Németh, András Németh
27 September 2022 (2022-09-27) Friendly Poland  1-1  Latvia Suwalki
18:30 Bartlomiej Kludka Report Kristiāns Kaušelis Referee: Paweł Malec
18 November 2022 (2022-11-18) Under-21 Baltic Cup Latvia  1-0  Estonia Jānis Daliņš Stadium
13:00 Lūkass Vapne Report Attendance: 100
Referee: Donatas Šimenas (LTU)
20 November 2022 (2022-11-20) Under-21 Baltic Cup Lithuania  1-2  Latvia LFF Kauno treniruočių centro stadionas, Kaunas
15:00 Matas Dedura Report Deniss Meļņiks, Deniss Meļņiks Referee: Ilie Laurentiu (SMR)
23 March 2023 (2023-03-23) Friendly North Macedonia  0-3  Latvia Bellis Deluxe, Antalia
16:00 Report Artjoms Puzirevskis, Kristofers Rēķis, Kristofers Rēķis
26 March 2023 (2023-03-26) Friendly Georgia  1-0  Latvia Bellis Deluxe, Antalia
17:30 Giorgi Guliashvili Report
20 June 2023 (2023-06-20) 2025 UEFA Euro U-21 qualification Latvia  2-0  San Marino Sloka Stadium, Jūrmala
18:00 Report Dario Šits, Bruno Melnis Attendance: 300
Referee: Helgi Mikael Jónasson (ISL)

Players

Current squad
  • The following players were called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches.[2]
  • Match dates: 8 and 12 September 2023
  • Opposition:  Italy and  Norway
  • Caps and goals correct as of: 1 September 2023, after the match against  San Marino
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Jānis Beks (2002-11-01) 1 November 2002 5 0 Latvia Metta
1GK Sergejs Vilkovs (2002-09-03) 3 September 2002 1 0 Latvia Tukums 2000
1GK Klāvs Bethers (2003-12-24) 24 December 2003 0 0 Italy Catania
2DF Aleksejs Kudeļkins (2002-05-08) 8 May 2002 2 0 Latvia Daugavpils
2DF Andris Deklavs (2002-08-28) 28 August 2002 0 0 Latvia Jelgava
2DF Rūdolfs Reingolcs (2002-07-01) 1 July 2002 0 0 Latvia Tukums 2000
2DF Jegors Novikovs (2003-02-09) 9 February 2003 4 0 Latvia Auda
2DF Ralfs Maslovs (2003-08-02) 2 August 2003 0 0 Latvia Jelgava
2DF Oļģerts Raščevskis (2003-02-18) 18 February 2003 6 0 Latvia Super Nova
2DF Niks Sliede (2004-03-08) 8 March 2004 3 0 Latvia Valmiera FC
3MF Roberts Meļķis (2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 0 0 Latvia Liepāja
3MF Oskars Vientiess (2002-10-08) 8 October 2002 5 0 Latvia Metta
3MF Deniss Meļņiks (2002-09-07) 7 September 2002 10 2 Latvia Riga
3MF Kaspars Anmanis (2002-01-22) 22 January 2002 4 0 Latvia Tukums 2000
3MF Danila Patijčuks (2003-03-22) 22 March 2003 0 0 Latvia Liepāja
3MF Lukass Vapne (2003-08-31) 31 August 2003 10 0 Latvia Metta
3MF Kristiāns Kaušelis (2003-03-14) 14 March 2003 6 1 Latvia Super Nova
3MF Bruno Melnis (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 1 1 Latvia Metta
3MF Gļebs Žaleiko (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 2 0 Latvia FK RFS
4FW Artjoms Puzirevskis (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 6 1 Latvia Metta
4FW Valērijs Lizunovs (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 2 0 Latvia Daugavpils
4FW Dario Šits (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 3 1 Italy SPAL

Recent call-ups

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

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Ņikita Šaraņins (2003-01-04) 4 January 2003 0 0 Latvia FK Kalupe v.  Lithuania, 20 November 2022
DF Rinalds Aizups (2004-05-31) 31 May 2004 0 0 Latvia Daugavpils v.  Lithuania, 20 November 2022
DF Rūdolfs Zeņģis (2002-03-21) 21 March 2002 9 0 Latvia Jelgava v.  Georgia, 26 March 2023
DF Markuss Kruglaužs (2002-01-28) 28 January 2002 4 0 Latvia Liepāja v.  Georgia, 26 March 2023
DF Kārlis Vilnis (2003-07-03) 3 July 2003 1 0 Latvia Metta v.  San Marino, 20 June 2023
DF Iļja Semjonovs (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 0 0 Latvia Auda v.  Georgia, 26 March 2023
MF Eduards Dašķevičs (2002-07-12) 12 July 2002 11 0 Norway HamKam v.  Lithuania, 20 November 2022
MF Maksims Fjodorovs (2003-09-24) 24 September 2003 2 0 Latvia Grobiņas SC v.  San Marino, 20 June 2023
MF Kristofers Rēķis (2003-01-21) 21 January 2003 2 0 Latvia Metta v.  San Marino, 20 June 2023
MF Mareks Mikšto (2003-05-20) 20 May 2003 0 0 Latvia Daugavpils v.  Georgia, 26 March 2023
MF Jevgenijs Miņins (2002-03-17) 17 March 2002 0 0 Latvia Super Nova v.  Georgia, 26 March 2023
MF Deņiss Rogovs (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 0 0 Latvia Tukums 2000 v.  Georgia, 26 March 2023
MF Gļebs Žaleiko (2004-06-27) 27 June 2004 0 0 Latvia RFS v.  San Marino, 20 June 2023
FW Artūrs Ostapenko (2003-08-28) 28 August 2003 2 0 Latvia Super Nova v.  San Marino, 20 June 2023
FW Valerijs Lizunovs (2004-02-24) 24 February 2004 0 0 Latvia Daugavpils v.  Lithuania, 20 November 2022
FW Rolands Bočs (2003-07-03) 3 July 2003 5 1 Latvia AFA Olaine v.  San Marino, 20 June 2023

Staff
Head coachLatvia Aleksandrs Basovs
Assistant coachLatvia Aleksandrs Jeļisejevs
Assistant coachLatvia Sergejs Golubevs
Goalkeeping coachLatvia Andrejs Piedels
PhysiotherapistLatvia Sergejs Pečņikovs
DoctorLatvia Oļegs Samoiļenko
ManagerLatvia Didzis Matīss

Coaching history
  • Latvia Aleksandrs Starkovs (1994)
  • Latvia Jurijs Andrejevs (1995)
  • Latvia Jānis Dreimanis (1996–1998)
  • Latvia Jurijs Andrejevs (1998–2001)
  • Latvia Jurijs Popkovs (2001–2003)
  • Latvia Jurijs Ševļakovs (2004–2005)
  • Latvia Genādijs Šitiks (2006–2009)
  • Latvia Mihails Zemļinskis (2009–2011)
  • Netherlands Anton Joore (2012–2013)
  • Latvia Marians Pahars (2013)
  • Latvia Dainis Kazakevičs (2013–2019)
  • Latvia Aleksandrs Basovs (2020-)

Most capped players

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

# Name Career Caps Goals
1. Endijs Šlampe 2014–2016 31 0
Reinis Flaksis 2013–2016 31 1
3. Dmitrijs Klimaševičs 2014–2016 30 4
4. Andrejs Kiriļins 2014–2016 29 0
Vladislavs Gutkovskis 2014–2016 29 6
Antonijs Černomordijs 20??–2018 29 1
7. Jevgēņijs Kazačoks 20??–2016 27 5
Eduards Tīdenbergs 20??–2016 27 2
9. Edgars Vardanjans 2011–2014 25 1
Kaspars Svārups 20??–2016 25 3
Players in bold are still available to play for the U-21 National team.

Best goalscorers
# Name Career Caps Goals
1. Edgars Gauračs 2009–2009 9 10
2. Deniss Rakels 2011–2013 13 6
Vladislavs Gutkovskis 2014–2016 29 6
4. Jevgēņijs Kazačoks 2013–2016 27 5
Marko Regža 2018- 14 5
6. Artjoms Rudņevs 2009–2009 10 4
Dmitrijs Klimaševičs 2014–2016 30 4

See also

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