Latvia national under-21 football team

Latvia Under-21
NicknameSarkanbaltsarkanie (The red-white-reds)
AssociationLatvian Football Federation
ConfederationUEFA (Europe)
Head coach Aleksandrs Basovs
CaptainJānis Beks
Most capsEndijs Šlampe, Reinis Flaksis (31)
Top scorerEdgars Gauračs (10)
First colours
Second colours
First international
Latvia 0–0 Lithuania
(Vilnius, Lithuania; 28 October 1992)
Biggest win
Latvia 4–0 Estonia
(Carnikava, Latvia; 28 April 1994)
Latvia 4–0 Andorra
(Riga, Latvia; 6 June 2009)
Latvia 5–1 Romania
(Riga, Latvia; 9 October 2009)
Turkmenistan 0–4 Latvia
(Saint Petersburg, Russia; 26 January 2013)
Latvia 4–0 Liechtenstein
(Jūrmala, Latvia; 11 June 2013)
Biggest defeat
Latvia 0–6 Greece
(Athens, Greece; 9 June 1999)
Latvia 0–6 Slovakia
(Jelgava, Latvia; 11 October 2011)
Latvia 1–7 Switzerland
(Lugano, Switzerland; 8 September 2014)

The Latvia national under-21 football team represents the under-21s of Latvia and is controlled by the Latvian Football Federation, the governing body of football in Latvia. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, held every two years. The team is coached by Aleksandrs Basovs and is currently captained by defender Daniels Balodis.

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, under-21 football teams in Europe were formed, while Latvian team was formed only in 1991, after regaining independence from the USSR. The team is exclusively for football players that are aged 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. Many U-21 players later represent the senior side.

Latvia U-21 have never yet qualified for the European U-21 championships, but has produced many players, who have become regular internationals for the senior side. Oskars Kļava, Deniss Ivanovs, Edgars Gauračs and Artjoms Rudņevs have all played for the U-21 side and are now first eleven players for Latvia internationally.

Latvia U-21 team plays its home matches at the Skonto stadions, which is also the home stadium of Latvia senior side. Before the opening of the Skonto stadions the team played its home matches in many different venues all around the country, including Ozolnieki, Daugavpils and Liepāja.

History

As a team, Latvia U-21 was formed in 1992, after regaining independence from the USSR. The team played its first match in Vilnius, Lithuania on October 28, 1992 that ended in a 0-0 draw. The team firstly participated in the European Championship qualification in 1994, playing the first match in Riga against Ireland U-21 on September 6, that ended in a 1-1 draw.[1] Since 2001 the team also participates in the Baltic Cup, winning in 2008. Since 1992 Latvia have already played more than 100 matches.

UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Italy 10 6 4 0 27 4 +23 22 Final tournament 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 7–0
2  Norway 10 6 1 3 28 11 +17 19[a] Play-offs 0–3 3–2 5–1 7–0 4–0
3  Republic of Ireland 10 5 4 1 24 12 +12 19[a] 2–2 1–1 3–2 2–2 3–0
4  Turkey 10 4 1 5 21 15 +6 13 0–2 2–0 0–1 3–0 5–0
5  Latvia 10 3 2 5 10 18 −8 11 0–0 0–1 1–2 2–1 2–0
6  San Marino 10 0 0 10 1 51 −50 0 0–7 0–7 0–7 1–6 0–3
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Norway 4, Republic of Ireland 1.

Results and fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss

2 June 2022 (2022-06-02) 2023 UEFA Euro U-21 qualification Latvia  1–0  Israel Skonto Stadium, Riga
17:30
  • Ozoliņš 46'
Report Attendance: 300
Referee: Bulat Sariyev (Kazakhstan)
27 September 2022 (2022-09-27) Friendly Poland  1-1  Latvia Suwalki
18:30 Bartlomiej Kludka Report Kristiāns Kaušelis Referee: Paweł Malec
18 November 2022 (2022-11-18) Under-21 Baltic Cup Latvia  1-0  Estonia Jānis Daliņš Stadium
13:00 Lūkass Vapne Report Attendance: 100
Referee: Donatas Šimenas (LTU)
20 November 2022 (2022-11-20) Under-21 Baltic Cup Lithuania  1-2  Latvia LFF Kauno treniruočių centro stadionas, Kaunas
15:00 Matas Dedura Report Deniss Meļņiks, Deniss Meļņiks Referee: Ilie Laurentiu (SMR)
23 March 2023 (2023-03-23) Friendly North Macedonia  0-3  Latvia Bellis Deluxe, Antalia
16:00 Report Artjoms Puzirevskis, Kristofers Rēķis, Kristofers Rēķis
26 March 2023 (2023-03-26) Friendly Georgia  1-0  Latvia Bellis Deluxe, Antalia
17:30 Giorgi Guliashvili Report
20 June 2023 (2023-06-20) 2025 UEFA Euro U-21 qualification Latvia  2-0  San Marino Sloka Stadium, Jūrmala
18:00 Report Dario Šits, Bruno Melnis Attendance: 300
Referee: Helgi Mikael Jónasson (ISL)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Georgia and Greece on 10 and 14 October 2025; respectively.[2]

Caps and goals correct as of 9 September 2025, after the match against Germany

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Ņikita Parfjonovs (2004-02-05) 5 February 2004 2 0 Tukums 2000
1GK Ņikita Pinčuks (2004-01-04) 4 January 2004 0 0 Grobiņa
1GK Dāvis Veisbuks (2005-03-01) 1 March 2005 0 0 Super Nova

2DF Gļebs Mihaļcovs (2004-03-15) 15 March 2004 4 0 BFC Daugavpils
2DF Daniels Nosegbe-Suško (2004-09-14) 14 September 2004 3 0 Samtredia
2DF Milāns Tihonovičs (2005-12-30) 30 December 2005 3 0 Super Nova
2DF Alans Kangars (2005-10-07) 7 October 2005 2 0 Metta
2DF Ralfs Kragliks (2004-02-06) 6 February 2004 2 0 Auda
2DF Maksims Semeško (2004-02-19) 19 February 2004 2 0 Tukums 2000
2DF Aleksandrs Molotkovs (2007-08-11) 11 August 2007 0 0 Metta

3MF Ivans Patrikejevs (2005-08-31) 31 August 2005 6 1 Nõmme Kalju
3MF Gļebs Žaleiko (2004-06-27) 27 June 2004 4 0 Jelgava
3MF Kevins Cēsnieks (2005-03-06) 6 March 2005 2 0 Metta
3MF Ralfs Šitjakovs (2004-09-21) 21 September 2004 1 0 Super Nova
3MF Markuss Strods (2006-10-05) 5 October 2006 1 0 Bohemian
3MF Roberts Bočs (2006-07-03) 3 July 2006 0 0 Vis Pesaro
3MF Kristers Volkovs (2004-08-01) 1 August 2004 0 0 Tukums 2000

4FW Gļebs Patika (2004-11-09) 9 November 2004 8 1 Tatran Prešov
4FW Valerijs Lizunovs (2004-02-24) 24 February 2004 7 0 BFC Daugavpils
4FW Ruslans Deružinskis (2004-07-27) 27 July 2004 2 0 Jelgava
4FW Emīls Evelons (2005-06-01) 1 June 2005 2 0 Metta
4FW Dannī Aņisjko (2006-01-11) 11 January 2006 1 0 Nottingham Forest
4FW Ēriks Boroduška (2005-05-20) 20 May 2005 1 0 Jelgava

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up within the last twelve months and remain eligible.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up



Staff

Head coach Aleksandrs Basovs
Assistant coach Aleksandrs Jeļisejevs
Assistant coach Sergejs Golubevs
Goalkeeping coach Andrejs Piedels
Physiotherapist Sergejs Pečņikovs
Doctor Oļegs Samoiļenko
Manager Didzis Matīss

Coaching history

Most capped players

Only official matches against U-21 national teams, not including against clubs or any other matches.

# Name Career Caps Goals
1. Endijs Šlampe 2014–2016 31 0
Reinis Flaksis 2013–2016 31 1
3. Dmitrijs Klimaševičs 2014–2016 30 4
4. Andrejs Kiriļins 2014–2016 29 0
Vladislavs Gutkovskis 2014–2016 29 6
Antonijs Černomordijs 20??–2018 29 1
7. Jevgēņijs Kazačoks 20??–2016 27 5
Eduards Tīdenbergs 20??–2016 27 2
9. Edgars Vardanjans 2011–2014 25 1
Kaspars Svārups 20??–2016 25 3
Players in bold are still available to play for the U-21 National team.

Best goalscorers

# Name Career Caps Goals
1. Edgars Gauračs 2009–2009 9 10
2. Deniss Rakels 2011–2013 13 6
Vladislavs Gutkovskis 2014–2016 29 6
4. Jevgēņijs Kazačoks 2013–2016 27 5
Marko Regža 2018- 14 5
6. Artjoms Rudņevs 2009–2009 10 4
Dmitrijs Klimaševičs 2014–2016 30 4

See also

References

  1. ^ "Games of the XXVI. Olympiad - Football Qualifying Tournament".
  2. ^ "U-21 izlase EČ kvalifikācijā uzņems Gruziju un Grieķiju" (in Latvian). Latvijas Futbola Federācija. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.