Georgia national under-21 football team

The Georgia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Georgia and is controlled by the Georgian Football Federation. It is considered to be the feeder team for the senior Georgian national football team. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years.

The current team is for Georgian players aged under 21 at the start of the calendar year in which a two-year European Under-21 Football Championship campaign begins, so some players can remain with the squad until the age of 23. As long as they are eligible, players can play for Georgia at any level, making it possible to play for the U21s, senior side, and again for the U21s. This has been the case for several senior team players like Jano Ananidze and Levan Kakubava.

Although the breakup of the Soviet Union occurred officially on 25 December 1991, the under-21 team continued as Soviet Union until the 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. After that, Georgia and the other countries who split from the Soviet Union like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine became separate footballing entities.

Georgia held its first official game in a 1996 UEFA European U21 Championship qualification campaign against Moldova and achieved the best result in the next round by coming second in their group. Since the establishment of the Georgian under-21 side, it never reached a final tournament of the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, until the 2023 edition for which they automatically qualified as a co-host nation.

Despite the lowest rating points among the 2023 Championship teams, Georgia produced a main surprise on the tournament. They finished the group on top of the table and remained unbeaten after 120 minutes of a quarter-final clash with Israel as well, before eventually losing on penalties.

Georgia U21s do not have a permanent home ground and play in stadiums of Erovnuli Liga clubs across the country. The record attendance for their match was set on 1 July 2023 when Georgia played Israel in quarter-final of the European Championship in front of 44,338 spectators.

UEFA European U-21 Championship
Note:


 * *Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

2024
Source

Coaching staff
As of June 2023

Players
The following players born in or after 2002 were called up for a friendly game against Kazakhstan in June 2024.

Note: Names in italics denote players that have been called up to the senior team.

Caps and goals correct as of 6 June 2024, after the friendly match against Kazakhstan.

Recent call-up
The following players have been called up within the last twelve months and are still eligible for selection.

Past squads

 * 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship squad

Statistics
Last update: 6 June 2024

Note: Includes friendly matches
 * Luxemburg were awarded a 3–0 win

Most capped players
Note: Competitive matches only



Last updated: 16 June 2023

Source: UEFA

Top goalscorers
Note: Competitive matches only Last updated: 16 June 2023

Source: UEFA

Notable former players

 * Akaki Khubutia
 * Aleksandre Amisulashvili
 * Alexander Guruli
 * Alexander Kobakhidze
 * Davit Devdariani
 * Dato Kvirkvelia
 * David Targamadze
 * George Popkhadze
 * Giorgi Loria
 * Giorgi Makaridze
 * Gogita Gogua
 * Gulverd Tomashvili
 * Guram Kashia
 * Jaba Kankava
 * Jaba Lipartia
 * Jano Ananidze
 * Kakha Kaladze
 * Levan Kakubava
 * Levan Kenia
 * Levan Mchedlidze
 * Mate Vatsadze
 * Murtaz Daushvili
 * Nika Dzalamidze
 * Nukri Revishvili
 * Otar Martsvaladze
 * Roin Kvaskhvadze
 * Shota Grigalashvili
 * Solomon Kvirkvelia
 * Tornike Okriashvili
 * Ucha Lobjanidze
 * Valeri Kazaishvili
 * Vladimir Dvalishvili
 * Zurab Khizanishvili

Managerial history

 * Shota Cheishvili (1994–97)
 * Vladimir Gutsaev (1997–1998)
 * Gigla Imnadze (1998–1999)
 * Murtaz Khurtsilava (1999–2001)
 * Vakhtang Kopaleishvili (2001–2003)
 * Revaz Arveladze (2003–2004)
 * Gocha Tkebuchava (2004–2005)
 * Koba Zhorzhikashvili (2005–2006)
 * 🇩🇪 Ralf Minge (2006–2007)
 * 🇭🇷 Petar Segrt (2007–2009)
 * Kakha Tskhadadze (2009)
 * Otar Gabelia (2009–2011)
 * Soso Chedia (2011–2012)
 * Aleksandre Chivadze (2012–2016)
 * Gia Geguchadze (2016–2017)
 * Giorgi Tsetsadze (2017–2019)
 * Vasil Maisuradze (2020)
 * Ramaz Svanadze (2021–present)

Source

Media coverage
Georgia Euro qualifiers and international friendlies are currently shown by the Public Broadcaster.