2023 Under-21 EURO: Meet the quarter-finalists

The UEFA European Under-21 Championship has reached its knockout stage after the top two in each group reached the quarter-finals to be played on Saturday and Sunday in Georgia and Romania.

We introduce the contenders still in the running to lift the trophy in Batumi on 8 July, including a guaranteed first-time semi-finalist in either Georgia or Israel.

Georgia vs Israel

Georgia (hosts)

Qualified automatically as hosts
Finals Group A winners: W2-0 vs Portugal, D2-2 vs Belgium, D1-1 vs Netherlands
Finals scorers: Zuriko Davitashvili 1, Giorgi Gagua 1, Giorgi Guliashvili 1, Saba Sazonov 1, Heorhii Tsitaishvili 1
U21 EURO best: First final tournament
U21 EURO knockout record: N/A

Did you know?
This is only the third Georgia football team to make a major knockout phase after the U17 EURO semis in 2012 and last eight in 2002 (although Georgia did reach the UEFA Futsal EURO 2022 quarter-finals). They are the first hosts to get past the group stage since Sweden in 2009, and first finals debutants to do so since Ukraine in 2006.

Israel

Qualifying Group B runners-up: P10 W6 D1 L3 F19 A10
Play-offs: W1-1agg, 3-1pens vs Republic of Ireland (D1-1a, D0-0h)
Finals Group C runners-up: D1-1 vs Germany, L0-2 vs England, W1-0 vs Czechia
Finals scorers: Omri Gandelman 1, Dor Turgeman 1
U21 EURO best: Group stage (2007, 2013)
U21 EURO knockout record: N/A

Did you know?
The only previous times Israel have got past the group stage of any UEFA final tournaments were the U16 EUROs of 1996, 1997 and 1999, and the 2022 U19 EURO, where they were runners-up with a squad containing several of the current U21 selection.

Previous finals meetings
None

Spain vs Switzerland

Spain

Qualifying Group C winners: P8 W8 D0 L0 F37 A5
Finals Group B winners: W3-0 vs Romania, W1-0 vs Croatia, D2-2 vs Ukraine
Finals scorers: Abel Ruiz 2, Álex Baena 1, Sergio Gómez 1, Juan Miranda 1, own goal 1
U21 EURO best: Winners x 5 (1986, 1998, 2011, 2013, 2019)
U21 EURO knockout record: W11 L2

2021: QF W2-1aet vs Croatia, SF L0-1 vs Portugal
2019: SF W4-1 vs France, F W2-1 vs Germany
2017: SF W3-1 vs Italy, F L0-1 vs Germany
2013: SF W3-0 vs Norway, F W4-2 vs Italy
2011: SF W3-1aet vs Belarus, F W2-0 vs Switzerland
1998: QF W1-0 vs Russia, SF W1-0aet vs Norway, F W1-0 vs Greece

Did you know?
The goal that booked progress, by Abel Ruiz 20 seconds into their win against Croatia, was the fastest in finals history and came in Spain's 250th U21 EURO game, including qualifying.

Switzerland

Qualifying Group E runners-up, best runners-up: P10 W7 D2 L1 F22 A6
Finals Group D runners-up: W2-1 vs Norway, L2-3 vs Italy, L1-4 vs France
Finals scorers: Kastriot Imeri 2, Dan Ndoye 2, Zeki Amdouni 1
U21 EURO best: Runners-up (2011)
U21 EURO knockout record: W1 L2

2011: SF W1-0aet vs Czechia, F L0-2 vs Spain
2002: SF L0-2 vs France

Did you know?
In 2021, Switzerland also ended up in a three-way head-to-head goals scored group tie for second place on three points, but finished one goal behind Croatia. They made it through on this occasion, having scored one goal more than Italy.

Previous finals meetings:
2011 final: Spain 2-0 Switzerland

England vs Portugal

England

Qualifying Group G winners: P10 W8 D1 L1 F26 A7
Finals Group C winners: W2-0 vs Czechia, W2-0 vs Israel, W2-0 vs Germany
Finals scorers: Emile Smith Rowe 2, Cameron Archer 1, Harvey Elliott 1, Anthony Gordon 1, Jacob Ramsey 1
U21 EURO best: Winners x 2 (1982, 1984)
U21 EURO knockout record: W1 L3

2017: SF L2-2aet/3-4pens vs Germany
2009: SF W3-3aet/5-4pens vs Sweden, L0-4 vs Germany
2007: SF L1-1aet/12-13pens vs Netherlands

Did you know?
England have appeared in every finals tournament since the switch to odd-numbered years in 2007 (nine in total), but they are only in the knockout stage for the second time in their last seven appearances. This is the first time they have ever won three games in the same U21 EURO final tournament.

Portugal

Qualifying Group D winners: P10 W9 D1 L0 F41 A3
Finals Group A runners-up: L0-2 vs Georgia, D1-1 vs Netherlands, W2-1 vs Belgium
Finals scorers: André Almeida 1, Tiago Dantas 1, João Neves 1
U21 EURO best: Runners-up (1994, 2015, 2021)
U21 EURO knockout record: W3 L3

2021: QF W5-3aet vs Italy, SF W1-0 vs Spain, F L0-1 vs Germany
2015: SF W5-0 vs Germany, F L0-0aet/3-4pens vs Sweden
2004: SF L1-3 vs Italy

Did you know?
Portugal made it through their group without the services of both qualifying top scorer Gonçalo Ramos and 2021 Player of the Tournament Fábio Vieira.

Previous finals meetings
2021 group stage: England 0-2 Portugal
2015 group stage: England 0-1 Portugal
2002 group stage: England 1-3 Portugal

France vs Ukraine

France

Qualifying Group H winners: P10 W8 D2 L0 F31 A5
Finals Group D winners: W2-1 vs Italy, W1-0 vs Norway, W4-1 vs Switzerland
Finals scorers: Bradley Barcola 2, Maxence Caqueret 1, Rayan Cherki 1, Amine Gouiri 1, Arnaud Kalimuendo 1, Michael Olise 1
U21 EURO best: Winners (1988)
U21 EURO knockout record: W1 L4

2021: QF L1-2 vs Netherlands
2019: SF L1-4 vs Spain
2006: SF L2-3aet vs Netherlands
2002: SF W2-0 vs Switzerland; F L0-0aet/1-3pens vs Czechia

Did you know?
France have not gone out in the group stage in their five qualifications since that round was introduced.

Ukraine

Qualifying Group H runners-up: P10 W7 D2 L1 F20 A11
Play-offs: W5-3agg vs Slovakia (L2-3a, W3-0h)
Finals Group B runners-up: W2-0 vs Croatia, W1-0 vs Romania, D2-2 vs Spain
Finals scorers: Olexiy Kashchuk 1, Danylo Sikan 1, Georgiy Sudakov 1, Bohdan Viunnyk 1, own goal 1
U21 EURO best: Runners-up (2006)
U21 EURO knockout record: W1 L1

2006: SF W0-0aet/5-4pens vs Serbia and Montenegro, F L0-3 vs Netherlands

Did you know?
Kashchuk and Sikan were both in the Ukraine squad that won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019.

Previous finals meetings:
None

Knockout records since introduction of eight-team final tournament in 1998, previous finals meetings include all two-legged quarter-final/semi-final/final ties from pre-1996 formats.