France national under-21 football team

The France national under-21 football team (French: Equipe de France Espoirs), known in France as Les Espoirs (French pronunciation: [ɛs.pwaʁ], The Hopes), is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, held every two years.

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, under-21 football teams in Europe were formed. The team is exclusively for football players that are age 21 or under at the start of the two-year campaign of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, meaning a player can represent the national team until the age of 23.

France has won the Under-21 Championship once, in 1988. Notable players on the team that went on to play for the senior national team include Laurent Blanc, Eric Cantona, Franck Sauzée, and Jocelyn Angloma, among others.^[1] Blanc was named the tournament's Golden Player.^[2] The team's best finish since was in 2002 when the team finished runners-up to the Czech Republic in Switzerland.

The France under-21 team does not have a permanent home. The team plays in stadiums located all around France, particularly grounds of Ligue 2 clubs. Because of the smaller demand compared to the senior national team, smaller facilities are used. Recently, the under-21 team has established the Stade Auguste-Delaune II, home of Stade Reims, as a home residence having played numerous matches there over the past two seasons.

Though, under-21 teams weren't formed until 1976, Les Espoirs, a youth national team in France, had existed since 1950 playing its first match on 22 May 1952 defeating England 7–1 at the Stade Jules Deschaseaux in Le Havre. The team's next match was two years later suffering a 3–1 defeat to Italy in Vicenza. For the rest of the decade, the youth team played seven more matches, which included a 1–1 draw with Hungary in Budapest and a 2–0 loss to England in Sunderland in 1959. In the 1960s, Espoirs continued to play matches against fellow national youth sides. However, on 18 December 1968, the team contested a match against Algeria senior team in Algiers recording an impressive 5–2 victory. Four days later, the team draw 1–1 with the under-23 team of Algeria in Oran. On 12 February 1969, the Espoirs played the Hungary senior team at the Stade Gerland in Lyon. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.

France's under-21 football friendlies and qualifying matches are broadcast by Direct 8.

Legend

  Win   Draw   Lose   Fixture

As of 21 August 2024

For the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons, including the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, players born on or after 1 January 2002 are eligible.

The following 23 players were called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.^[8]

Note: Names in italics denote players that have been capped by the senior team.

Caps and goals as of 25 June 2025, after the team's match against Germany.

The following players have also been called up to the France under-21 squad and remain eligible:

Notes

• Players in bold have played at senior level.
• ^CLU Player withdrew from the squad because of a club necessity.
• ^INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury.
• ^PRE Preliminary squad
• ^SEN Player withdrew from the squad due to a call up to the senior team.
• ^WD Player withdrew from the squad due to personal reasons.

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship

Champions (1): 1988

Runners-up (1): 2002

Third place (1): 1996

• Toulon Tournament

Champions (12): 1977, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015

Finalists (14): 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016

• 1972: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
• 1974: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 3 in qualification group.
• 1976: Losing quarter-finalists.

*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out.

**Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won. Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

• Sport in France
  • Football in France
    • Women's football in France
• France national football team
• France women's national football team

• Official site
• UEFA.com U-21 site
• U-21 Championships archives