Georgia national under-21 football team

Georgia Under-21
Nickname(s)ჯვაროსნები
Jvarosnebi (Crusaders)
AssociationGeorgian Football Federation
ConfederationUEFA
Head coachRamaz Svanadze
CaptainSaba Khvadagiani
Most capsSaba Khvadagiani (31 games)
Top scorerBeka Gotsiridze (9 goals)
FIFA codeGEO
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
First international
Georgia 3–0 Moldova
(Tbilisi, 27 May 1994)
Biggest win
Georgia 7–1 Malaysia
(Vienna, 26 March 2013)
Biggest defeat
Ukraine 6–0 Georgia
(Chervonohrad, 12 October 2004)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances2 (first in 2023)
Best resultQuarter-finals (2023)
Websitenakrebi.ge

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 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. They made a debut in the final tournament of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2023 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.[1]

Georgia fought hard to qualify for the 2025 Championship. As runners-up of Group C, they beat Croatia after a dramatic penalty shoot-out in play-offs.[2]

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.[3]

Competitive record

UEFA European U-21 Championship

Year Round Pld W D* L GF GA
2023 1/4 finals 4 1 3 0 5 3
2025 Group 3 1 0 2 4 8

Note:

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

Qualification

  Runners-up    Third place   Tournament held on home soil  

Year Group Pld W D L GF GA
1996 Group 7 8 1 0 7 7 17
1998 Group 2 8 3 3 2 10 10
2000 Group 2 8 2 5 3 11 13
2002 Group 8 8 1 0 7 9 17
2004 Group 10 8 1 2 5 7 16
2006 Group 2 12 3 2 7 7 22
2007 Group 3 2 0 0 2 1 4
2009 Group 4 8 2 0 6 6 22
2011 Group 2 10 4 3 3 12 9
2013 Group 5 8 3 1 4 8 18
2015 Group 3 8 3 1 4 8 15
2017 Group 6 10 4 1 5 17 17
2019 Group 3 8 3 3 4 11 19
2021 Group 2 10 5 0 5 17 14
2023 Qualified as hosts
2025 Group C 10 6 1 3 14 10
2027 Group F

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2023

21 June 2023 (2023-06-21) UEFA Euro U21   2–0  Portugal Tbilisi, Georgia
20:00
  • Gagua 37'
  • Sazonov 45+1'
Report Stadium: Boris Paichadze Stadium
Attendance: 24,447
Referee: Espen Eskås (Norway)
24 June 2023 (2023-06-24) UEFA Euro U21   2–2  Belgium Tbilisi, Georgia
20:00 Report Stadium: Boris Paichadze Stadium
Attendance: 41,886
Referee: Duje Strukan (Croatia)
27 June 2023 (2023-06-27) UEFA Euro U21 Netherlands  1–1   Tbilisi, Georgia
20:00
Report Stadium: Boris Paichadze Stadium
Attendance: 43,004
Referee: Rade Obrenović (Slovenia)
6 September 2023 (2023-09-06) UEFA Euro QR   2–0  Gibraltar Kutaisi, Georgia
20:00 Report Stadium: Ramaz Shengelia Stadium
Referee: Daniyar Sakhi (Kazakhstan)
12 September 2023 (2023-09-12) UEFA Euro QR Moldova  0–1   Chișinău, Moldova
20:00 Report Stadium: Stadionul Zimbru
Referee: Antti Munukka (Finland)
12 October 2023 (2023-10-12) UEFA Euro QR   0–3  Netherlands Batumi, Georgia
18:00 GET Report
Stadium: Batumi Stadium
Referee: Alessandro Dudic (Switzerland)
17 October 2023 (2023-10-17) UEFA Euro QR   0–0  Sweden Batumi, Georgia
19:00 GET Report Stadium: Batumi Stadium
Referee: Michael Fabbri (Italy)
16 November 2023 (2023-11-16) UEFA Euro QR North Macedonia  0–1   Skopje, North Macedonia
16:00 GET Report Stadium: FFM Training Centre
Referee: Rauf Jabarov (Azerbaijan)

2024

22 March 2024 (2024-03-22) Friendly Turkey  2–1   Istanbul
21:30 GET
  • Kilicsoy 16'
  • Yildirim 55' (pen.)
Report Abuashvili 58' Stadium: Pendik Stadyumu
26 March 2024 (2024-03-26) UEFA Euro QR Gibraltar  0–2   Gibraltar
17:00 GEO Report Stadium: Victoria Stadium
Attendance: 211
Referee: J.Sundberg (Denmark)
6 June 2024 (2024-06-06) Friendly   0–0  Kazakhstan Tbilisi
19:00 GEO Report Stadium: Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
5 September 2024 (2024-09-05) UEFA Euro QR   3–0  Moldova Batumi
20:00 GEO Time
Report Stadium: Batumi Stadium
Attendance: 5,250
Referee: Radoslav Gidzhenov (Bulgaria)
9 September 2024 (2024-09-09) UEFA Euro QR Netherlands  3–1   Venlo
22:00 GEO Time
Report Stadium: Covebo Stadion – De Koel
Attendance: 3,458
Referee: Robert Schröder (Germany)
10 October 2024 (2024-10-10) UEFA Euro QR Sweden  3–2   Jönköping
20:00 GEO Time
Report
Stadium: Stadsparksvallen
Attendance: 1,620
Referee: Iwan Arwel Griffith (Wales)
15 October 2024 (2024-10-15) UEFA Euro QR   2–1  North Macedonia Kutaisi
20:00 GEO Time Report
  • Isaki 52'
Stadium: Ramaz Shengelia Stadium
Referee: Viktor Shimusik (Belarus)
15 November 2024 UEFA Euro play-off 1st leg   1–0  Croatia Tbilisi
19:00 GEO Time Soldo 4' (o.g.) Report Stadium: Mikheil Meskhi Stadium
Attendance: 9,372
Referee: Adam Ladebäck (Sweden)
19 November 2024 UEFA Euro play-off 2nd leg Croatia  3–2 (a.e.t.)
(6–7 p)
  Rijeka
22:00 GEO Time
Report Stadium: Stadion HNK Rijeka
Attendance: 2,575
Referee: Simone Sozza (Italy)
Penalties

2025

22 March 2025 Friendly Finland  2–4   Belek
18:00 GEO Time Report Stadium: Gloria Sports Arena
25 March 2025 Friendly Serbia  1–3   Antalya
17:00 GEO Time Mitrovic 28' (pen.)
4 June 2025 Friendly Romania  1–0   Vorau
18:30 CET Borza 72' Stadium: Urkraft Arena
11 June 2025 (2025-06-11) UEFA Euro Poland  1–2   Žilina
21:00 Report Stadium: Štadión pod Dubňom
Attendance: 2,218
Referee: Alessandro Dudic (Switzerland)
14 June 2025 (2025-06-14) UEFA Euro France  3–2   Žilina
21:00
Report Stadium: Štadión pod Dubňom
Attendance: 3,687
Referee: Jakob Sundberg (Denmark)
17 June 2025 (2025-06-17) UEFA Euro   0–4  Portugal Trenčín
18:00 Report
Stadium: Štadión Sihoť
Referee: Elchin Masiyev (Azerbaijan)
9 September 2025 (2025-09-09) 2027 UEFA Euro QR   v  Northern Ireland
TBA Report
10 October 2025 (2025-10-10) 2027 UEFA Euro QR Latvia  v  
TBA Report
14 October 2025 (2025-10-14) 2027 UEFA Euro QR Malta  v  
TBA Report
14 November 2025 (2025-11-14) 2027 UEFA Euro QR Greece  v  
TBA Report
18 November 2025 (2025-11-18) 2027 UEFA Euro QR   v  Germany
TBA Report

2027 European Championship

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Germany 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Final tournament 6 Oct '26 10 Oct 27 Mar '26 9 Sep 14 Nov
2   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Play-offs 18 Nov 26 Sep '26 9 Sep 27 Mar '26 31 Mar '26
3  Greece 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 Mar '26 14 Nov 18 Nov 1 Oct '26 27 Mar '26
4  Northern Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 Oct 1 Oct '26 6 Oct '26 13 Nov 9 Oct
5  Latvia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 Sep '26 10 Oct 14 Oct 31 Mar '26 6 Oct '26
6  Malta 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 30 Sep '26 14 Oct 9 Sep 26 Sep '26 18 Nov
First match(es) will be played: 9 September 2025. Source: UEFA

Current team

Coaching staff

As of 15 March 2025[4]

Position Name
Head Coach Ramaz Svanadze
Assistant coach Giorgi Adamia
Zaur Svanadze
Giorgi Dekanosidze
Goalkeeper coach Temur Charkviani
Fitness coach Bondo Gotsiridze
Video analyst Jumber Burjanadze

Players

The following players born in or after 2002 were called up for 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship matches held in Slovakia.[5] Saba Goglichidze withdrew from the squad due to injury.[6]

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

Caps and goals correct as of 14 June 2025, after the match against France.[7]

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Mikheil Makatsaria (2004-06-11) 11 June 2004 2 0 Dinamo Tbilisi
12 1GK Levan Tandilashvili (2003-02-27) 27 February 2003 2 0 Telavi
23 1GK Luka Kharatishvili (2003-01-13) 13 January 2003 17 0 Dinamo Batumi

2 2DF Lado Odishvili (2003-05-28) 28 May 2003 5 0 Telavi
3 2DF Irakli Iakobidze (2002-01-15) 15 January 2002 2 1 Dinamo Tbilisi
4 2DF Saba Khvadagiani (2003-01-30) 30 January 2003 30 3 Dinamo Tbilisi
13 2DF Saba Mamatsashvili (2002-08-23) 23 August 2002 15 1 Sirius
15 2DF Saba Sazonov (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 12 2 Empoli
16 2DF Irakli Azarovi (2002-02-21) 21 February 2002 14 0 Shakhtar Donetsk
18 2DF Giorgi Maisuradze (2002-01-31) 31 January 2002 18 0 Polissya

5 3MF Levan Osikmashvili (2002-04-20) 20 April 2002 14 0 Hapoel Hadera
6 3MF Nodar Lominadze (2002-04-04) 4 April 2002 20 4 Dinamo Tbilisi
8 3MF Otar Mamageishvili (2003-01-15) 15 January 2003 23 3 Famalicão
10 3MF Luka Gagnidze (2003-02-28) 28 February 2003 24 1 Krylia Sovetov
17 3MF Gabriel Sigua (2005-06-30) 30 June 2005 12 1 Basel
19 3MF Tornike Morchiladze (2002-01-10) 10 January 2002 9 1 Dinamo Tbilisi
21 3MF Irakli Yegoian (2004-03-19) 19 March 2004 12 0 Vitesse

7 4FW Lasha Odisharia (2002-10-23) 23 October 2002 19 1 Rigas FS
9 4FW Giorgi Kvernadze (2003-02-07) 7 February 2003 23 2 Frosinone
11 4FW Gizo Mamageishvili (2003-01-15) 15 January 2003 14 2 Iberia 1999
14 4FW Vakhtang Bedoshvili (2003-10-19) 19 October 2003 1 0 Gareji
20 4FW Giorgi Abuashvili (2003-02-08) 8 February 2003 18 3 Kolkheti 1913
22 4FW Vasilios Gordeziani (2002-01-29) 29 January 2002 14 3 Sarajevo

Recent call-up

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

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
DF Saba Goglichidze (2004-06-25) 25 June 2004 7 0 Empoli v. Romania, 4 June 2025, INJ
DF Luka Latsabidze (2004-03-18) 18 March 2004 2 0 Chornomorets v. Romania, 4 June 2025
DF Nikoloz Ugrekhelidze (2003-08-15) 15 August 2003 9 0 Dinamo Tbilisi v. Romania, 4 June 2025
DF Zurab Rukhadze (2003-07-30) 30 July 2003 7 0 Dila v. Serbia, 25 March 2025
FW Davit Gotsiridze (2004-09-06) 6 September 2004 3 0 Gagra v. Serbia, 25 March 2025
FW Jaduli Iobashvili (2004-01-01) 1 January 2004 5 1 Dinamo Tbilisi v. Serbia, 25 March 2025
MF Dachi Lordkipanidze (2005-03-01) 1 March 2005 0 0 Cremonese v. Croatia, 19 November 2024
DF Davit Zurabiani (2002-02-22) 22 February 2002 4 0 Kolkheti 1913 v. Netherlands, 9 September 2024
DF Davit Gogotishvili (2003-01-24) 24 January 2003 1 0 Telavi v. Netherlands, 9 September 2024

Past squads

Statistics

Last update: 17 June 2025[8]

Note: Includes friendly matches

Opponent Matches Wins Draws Losses GF GA
 Albania 8 3 1 4 7 10
 Armenia 2 1 0 1 3 4
 Azerbaijan 3 2 1 0 5 1
 Belarus 2 1 0 1 4 2
 Belgium 1 0 1 0 2 2
 Bulgaria 3 0 0 3 1 4
 Croatia 6 2 2 2 7 7
 Cyprus 3 1 2 0 4 2
 Denmark 5 0 1 4 7 15
 England 4 1 1 2 4 9
 Estonia 7 6 0 1 14 5
 Faroe Islands 2 1 0 1 2 3
 Finland 3 2 1 0 8 5
 France 4 0 0 4 5 13
 Germany 3 0 1 2 2 7
 Gibraltar 2 2 0 0 4 0
 Greece 5 0 2 3 4 11
 Hungary 2 0 0 2 1 4
 Iceland 2 1 1 0 7 5
 Republic of Ireland 4 0 4 0 4 4
 Israel 4 1 1 2 3 5
 Italy 4 1 0 3 4 11
 Kazakhstan 5 2 1 2 4 6
 Latvia 4 4 0 0 11 3
 Liechtenstein 2 2 0 0 6 0
 Lithuania 6 3 1 2 9 6
 Luxembourg 2 1 0 1* 3 3
 Malta 3 3 0 0 9 4
 Moldova 8 5 2 1 12 4
 Montenegro 2 0 1 1 2 3
 Netherlands 5 1 1 3 3 13
 North Macedonia 2 2 0 0 3 1
 Norway 2 0 1 1 0 3
 Poland 7 2 1 4 10 18
 Portugal 3 1 0 2 3 8
 Romania 6 1 1 4 5 9
 Russia 4 1 0 3 4 10
 San Marino 2 2 0 0 7 0
 Scotland 2 1 1 0 3 2
 Serbia 2 1 0 1 4 4
 Slovakia 4 1 0 3 5 8
 Slovenia 4 1 3 0 6 3
 Spain 6 0 0 6 4 24
  Switzerland 8 0 1 7 1 16
 Sweden 4 0 2 2 4 7
 Turkey 6 2 1 3 6 5
 Ukraine 5 0 3 2 7 16
 Wales 4 0 2 2 5 10
Total 187 61 41 85 238 315
  • Luxemburg were awarded a 3–0 win[9]

Most capped players

Note: Competitive matches only

# Name Career Caps
1 Nika Kvekveskiri 2009–2014 20
2 Saba Khvadagiani 2023–2025 18
Gulverd Tomashvili 2008–2010
4 Nodar Lominadze 2022–2025 16
Otar Mamageishvili 2022–2025
Irakli Azarovi 2020–2025
Giorgi Khidesheli 2005–2010

Last updated: 18 June 2025

Source: UEFA

Top goalscorers

Note: Competitive matches only

# Player Career Goals
1 Mikheil Ashvetia 1997–1999 6
Nika Kacharava 2013–2016
3 Vladimir Akhalaia 2002–2003 4
Nodar Lominadze 2022–2025
Rati Aleksidze 1997–1999
Beka Mikeltadze 2017–2018

Last updated: 12 June 2025

Source: UEFA

Notable results

Date Tournament Venue Team Result Team
10 September 1997 Euro 1998 Rustavi  Georgia 2–0  Italy
10 October 1997 Euro 1998 Tbilisi  Georgia 5–1  Poland
20 November 2007 Euro 2009 Tbilisi  Georgia 2–0  Russia
9 September 2009 Euro 2011 Zestaponi  Georgia 4–0  Turkey
3 June 2011 Euro 2013 Dugopolje  Croatia 0–1  Georgia
4 September 2014 Euro 2015 Deventer  Netherlands 0–1  Georgia
16 November 2021 Friendly Batumi  Georgia 3–2  England
21 June 2023 Euro 2023 Tbilisi  Georgia 2–0  Portugal

Notable former players

Managerial history

Source[10]

Media coverage

Georgia Euro qualifiers and international friendlies are usually shown by the Public Broadcaster. The 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship will be broadcast by the Setanta Sports.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Georgia loses to Israel in penalty shootout of UEFA U21 European Championship quarter-finals". agenda.ge. 2 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Under-21 EURO play-offs: Czechia, Finland, Georgia qualify". UEFA. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  3. ^ "Under-21 EURO finals attendance record broken". UEFA. UEFA. 1 July 2023.
  4. ^ "U21 coaches". nakrebi.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 15 March 2025.
  5. ^ "ცვლილება 21-წლამდე ნაკრების შემადგენლობაში" [Change in U21 squad] (in Georgian). nakrebi.ge. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  6. ^ "მნიშვნელოვანი დანაკლისი - ცვლილება 21-წლამდე ნაკრების შემადგენლობაში". sportline.ge (in Georgian). 7 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Squad". nakrebi.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  8. ^ "U21 statistics". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Georgia vs Luxemburg". UEFA. UEFA. 5 March 2014.
  10. ^ "ახალგაზრდული ნაკრების ყველა მატჩი". 1tv.ge (in Georgian), p.33. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  11. ^ "UEFA-ს 21-წლამდელთა ევროპის ჩემპიონატი 2025 Setanta Sports-ზე" [2025 UEFA U21 European Championship on Setanta Sports]. setantasports.com (in Georgian). 20 March 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2025.