Cyprus national under-21 football team

The Cyprus national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team for Cyprus. It is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association.

Cyprus U21
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Εθνική Ελπίδων
("National team of Hopes")
AssociationCyprus Football Association
Head coachVacant
CaptainAndreas Frangos
Most capsMarios Christodoulou (27)
Top scorerChristos Poyiatzis & Giorgos Nicolaou (5)
Home stadiumAEK Arena - Georgios Karapatakis
First colours
Second colours
First international
Cyprus Cyprus 0 - 0 Spain Spain
(Nicosia, Cyprus; 1978)
Biggest win
Cyprus Cyprus 6 - 0 San Marino San Marino
(Nicosia, Cyprus; 2011)
Biggest defeat
France France 9 - 0 Cyprus Cyprus
(Grenoble, France; 2023)
UEFA U-21 Championship
AppearancesNone

The team drew their first official match 0–0 in 1978 at home to Spain in a qualifying match for the 1980 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. They then drew 0–0 with the trophy holders Yugoslavia, also at home. They lost both away games though. And finished last in the group of three teams, with two points from four games, and so did not qualify for the Finals.

In the qualifying stages for the 1982 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, Cyprus made history when they defeated France 2–1 in Cyprus as it was the countries first ever official victory at National or Under-21 football level. The scorer of the Cypriot goals was Islington born Kikis Kyriacou of Olympiakos Nicosia whose promising career was brought to a premature end following a horrific leg injury.

In the qualifying stages for the 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, the team beat Greece 1-0 and drew 1–1 with Sweden who went on to reach the Final. Cyprus finished last in their qualifying group with three points, the same number as Greece.

The Under 21 team made gradual improvements and in September 1999, in a qualifying match for the 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, drew 1–1 in Spain, the eventual winners of the competition. The team finished fourth out of five teams in their qualifying group, ahead of Austria.

The qualifying stages for the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship provided the greatest achievement for the Cyprus under-21 national team to date, when they finished second in Qualification Group One, with 15 points, winning five of their eight matches. France won the group with 22 points, seven points ahead of Cyprus.

In 2004, Cyprus joined the European Union, and Cypriot teams took advantage of the Bosman rule bringing in foreign players. This has meant that young Cypriot players are now not as common in the Cypriot First Division and is therefore also having an adverse effect on the under-21 national team.

European Championship record Under-21
UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship record UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification record
Year Round Pld W D L GF GA GD Pld W D L GF GA GD
1978 did not enter -
1980[1] did not qualify 402215−4
1982[2] 410347−3
1984[3] 6006414−10
1986[4] 6024313-10
1988[5] 6105418−14
1990[6] 401303−3
1992[7] 6114315−12
France 1994[8] 8008421−17
Spain 1996[9] 103161025−15
Romania 1998[10] 83141615+1
Slovakia 2000[11] 8134718−11
Switzerland 2002[12] 8305917−8
Germany 2004[13] 8503125+7
Portugal 2006[14] 8017217-15
Netherlands 2007[15] 200203−3
Sweden 2009[16] 8206915−6
Denmark 2011[17] 8206813−5
Israel 2013[18] 104061620−4
Czech Republic 2015[19] 8206721−14
Poland 2017 5014212−10
Italy San Marino 2019 Qualification in progress 8206718-11
Total 0/21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 139 32 19 99 132 286 −154

UEFA U-21 Euro 2019 qualification
Main article: 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group 6
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Belgium 10 8 2 0 23 5 +18 26 Final tournament — 1–1 0–0 3–0 3–2 2–1
2  Sweden 10 6 2 2 19 8 +11 20 0–3 — 0–1 1–0 4–1 3–0
3  Turkey 10 5 2 3 14 10 +4 17 1–2 0–3 — 0–0 4–0 4–2
4  Hungary 10 3 2 5 12 14 −2 11 0–3 2–2 1–2 — 4–0 2–1
5  Cyprus 10 2 1 7 8 23 −15 7 0–2 0–1 2–1 0–2 — 2–1
6  Malta 10 1 1 8 8 24 −16 4 0–4 0–4 0–1 2–1 1–1 —
Source: UEFA
1 September 2017 (2017-09-01) Cyprus  2–1  Malta AEK Arena, Larnaca
18:00
  • Anastasiou 41'
  • Iosifidis 90+3'
 Report
Referee: Stefan Apostolov (Bulgaria)
5 September 2017 (2017-09-05) Sweden  4–1  Cyprus Falkenbergs IP, Falkenberg
18:45
Report
Referee: Omar Pashayev (Azerbaijan)
5 October 2017 (2017-10-05) Cyprus  2–1  Turkey AEK Arena, Larnaca
16:00
  • Karo 53'
  • Soteriou 58'
 Report
Referee: Daniel Siebert (Germany)
10 October 2017 (2017-10-10) Cyprus  0–2  Belgium AEK Arena, Larnaca
16:00 Report
Referee: Kirill Levnikov (Russia)
9 November 2017 (2017-11-09) Belgium  3–2  Cyprus Den Dreef, Leuven
20:00
Report
Referee: Enea Jorgji (Albania)
14 November 2017 (2017-11-14) Cyprus  0–2  Hungary AEK Arena, Larnaca
15:00 Report
Referee: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania)
22 March 2018 (2018-03-22) Hungary  4–0  Cyprus Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion, Budapest
20:00
Report Referee: Rob Harvey (Republic of Ireland)
27 March 2018 (2018-03-27) Cyprus  0–1  Sweden AEK Arena, Larnaca
14:00 Report
Referee: Fabio Verissimo (Portugal)
7 September 2018 (2018-09-07) Turkey  4–0  Cyprus Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Istanbul
18:00 (19:00 TRT)
Report Referee: Danilo Grujić (Serbia)
16 October 2018 (2018-10-16) Malta  1–1  Cyprus Centenary Stadium, Ta' Qali
17:00
Report
Referee: Admir Šehović (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Friendly matches

Coaching staff
Position[20] Name
Coach Cyprus Nikos Andronikou
Assistant coach Cyprus Venizelos Tziambazis
Goalkeeper coach Cyprus Christoforos Loizou
Fitness coach Cyprus Constantinos Rostantis

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the friendly match against Georgia on 15 June 2023.[21]

Caps and goals correct as of 28 March 2023, after the match against Hungary.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Stefanos Kittos (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 10 0 Cyprus PO Xylotymbou
1GK Michalis Kyriakou (2002-12-30) 30 December 2002 4 0 Cyprus AEL Limassol
1GK Theodoros Koutsou (2004-04-19) 19 April 2004 0 0 Cyprus Enosis Neon Paralimni
2DF Evagoras Antoniou (2002-11-04) 4 November 2002 5 0 Greece Panathinaikos
2DF Strahinja Kerkez (2002-12-13) 13 December 2002 4 0 Slovakia Trenčín
2DF Irodotos Christodoulou (2002-05-01) 1 May 2002 3 0 Czech Republic Vysočina Jihlava
2DF Fotis Kotsonis (2003-02-10) 10 February 2003 3 0 Cyprus Enosis Neon Paralimni
2DF Nikolas Chatzimitsis (2003-09-10) 10 September 2003 2 0 Cyprus Olympiakos Nicosia
2DF Ilias Kostis (2003-02-27) 27 February 2003 1 0 Spain Atlético Madrid
2DF David Djamas (2004-04-21) 21 April 2004 0 0 Cyprus APOEL
2DF Andreas Evangelou (2004-09-20) 20 September 2004 0 0 Cyprus PAEEK
2DF Konstantinos Venizelou (2004-07-05) 5 July 2004 0 0 Cyprus Omonia
3MF Antonio Foti (2003-11-03) 3 November 2003 2 0 Germany Hannover 96
3MF Dimitris Mavroudis (2002-05-03) 3 May 2002 2 0 Cyprus Enosis Neon Paralimni
3MF Giorgos Pavlidis (2003-01-08) 8 January 2003 1 0 Cyprus Doxa Katokopias
3MF Konstantinos Christou (2003-04-19) 19 April 2003 0 0 Cyprus MEAP Nisou
3MF Konstanitnos Koumpari (2002-04-04) 4 April 2002 0 0 Cyprus Omonia Aradippou
3MF Stylianos Vrontis (2004-11-05) 5 November 2004 0 0 Cyprus PO Xylotymbou
4FW Stavros Gavriel (2002-01-29) 29 January 2002 10 2 Cyprus Akritas Chlorakas
4FW Nikolas Koutsakos (2003-11-14) 14 November 2003 3 3 Cyprus Ethnikos Achna
4FW Evangelos Andreou (2002-09-24) 24 September 2002 3 0 Cyprus AEL Limassol
4FW Giorgos Pontikou (2003-01-08) 8 January 2003 1 0 Cyprus Apollon Limassol
4FW Pantelis Gavriel (2004-01-07) 7 January 2004 0 0 Cyprus Enosis Neon Paralimni
4FW Stavros Georgiou (2004-10-19) 19 October 2004 0 0 Cyprus APOEL
4FW Zanos Savva (2005-11-26) 26 November 2005 0 0 Italy Torino

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up for Cyprus under-21's within the last twelve months and remain eligible for selection.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Konstantinos Chrysostomou (2003-01-07) 7 January 2003 0 0 Cyprus Aris Limassol v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
GK Andreas Chatzigavriil (2002-02-22) 22 February 2002 0 0 Cyprus Omonia Aradippou v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
DF Sergios Feneridis (2004-03-03) 3 March 2004 0 0 Cyprus MEAP Nisou v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
DF Kypros Neofytou (2002-08-13) 13 August 2002 0 0 Cyprus AEL Limassol v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
DF Giorgos Vasiliou (2002-03-15) 15 March 2002 1 0 Cyprus Akritas Chlorakas v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
DF Loukas Kalogirou (2002-02-21) 21 February 2002 0 0 Cyprus Ethnikos Achna v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
MF Giannis Satsias (2002-12-28) 28 December 2002 6 0 Cyprus APOEL v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
MF Georgios Okkas (2003-10-24) 24 October 2003 5 0 England Fulham v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
MF Marios Kokkinoftas (2003-03-15) 15 March 2003 0 0 Cyprus Olympias Lympion v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
MF Charalambos Charalambous (2002-04-04) 4 April 2002 5 1 Cyprus Omonia v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
MF Filippos Eftichidis (2002-02-26) 26 February 2002 3 0 Cyprus Olympiakos Nicosia v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
MF Tayt-Lemar Trusty (2003-11-23) 23 November 2003 0 0 England Blackpool v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
FW Andreas Savva (2004-07-21) 21 July 2004 0 0 Cyprus Omonia v.  Hungary, 28 March 2023
FW Marko Jovanovic (2002-06-27) 27 June 2002 1 0 Cyprus Peyia 2014 v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022
FW Angelos Zefki (2003-04-15) 15 April 2003 1 0 Cyprus Olympiakos Nicosia v.  Serbia, 20 November 2022

See also

References
  1. Europe U-21 Championship 1980
  2. Europe U-21 Championship 1982
  3. Europe U-21 Championship 1984
  4. Europe U-21 Championship 1986
  5. Europe U-21 Championship 1988
  6. Europe U-21 Championship 1990
  7. Europe U-21 Championship 1992
  8. Europe U-21 Championship 1994
  9. Europe U-21 Championship 1996
  10. Europe U-21 Championship 1998
  11. Europe U-21 Championship 2000
  12. Europe U-21 Championship 2002
  13. Europe U-21 Championship 2004
  14. Europe U-21 Championship 2006
  15. Europe U-21 Championship 2007
  16. Europe U-21 Championship 2009
  17. Europe U-21 Championship 2011
  18. Europe U-21 Championship 2013
  19. Europe U-21 Championship 2015
  20. "Cyprus U21 staff". Cyprus FA. Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2018-06-17.
  21. "Την ερχόμενη Τρίτη αρχίζει η προετοιμασία" (in Greek). Κυπριακή Ομοσπονδία Ποδοσφαίρου. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
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