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Northern Ireland national under-21 football team

Football team representing Northern Ireland

Football team representing Northern Ireland

FieldValue
NameNorthern Ireland Under-21
AssociationIrish Football Association
CoachTommy Wright
Most capsLiam Donnelly (24)
Top scorerLiam Donnelly
Shayne Lavery (5)
pattern_la1_nir22h
pattern_b1_nir22h
pattern_ra1_nir22h
pattern_sh1_nir22h
pattern_so1_nir22h
leftarm122913C
body122913C
rightarm122913C
shorts1FFFFFF
socks122913C
pattern_la2_nir22a
pattern_b2_nir22a
pattern_ra2_nir22a
pattern_sh2_nir22a
pattern_so2_nir22a
leftarm2FFD400
body2FFD400
rightarm2FFD400
shorts2FFD400
socks2000000
First game
Largest win5–0
(Lurgan, Northern Ireland; 16 November 2007)
5–0
(Ballymena, Northern Ireland; 12 October 2024)
Largest loss0–6
(Larne, Northern Ireland; 3 June 2022)
UEFAu21Champ apps0

Shayne Lavery (5) 1–1 (Phibsborough, Republic of Ireland; 8 March 1978) (Lurgan, Northern Ireland; 16 November 2007) 5–0 (Ballymena, Northern Ireland; 12 October 2024) (Larne, Northern Ireland; 3 June 2022) |}} The Northern Ireland national under-21 football team also known as the Northern Ireland under-21s or Northern Ireland U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Northern Ireland and is controlled by the Irish Football Association. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years. To date Northern Ireland haven't yet qualified for the finals tournament.

The national under-21 team is the highest level of youth football in Northern Ireland, and is open to any players who were born in Northern Ireland or whose parents or grandparents were born in Northern Ireland. This team is for Northern Irish players aged 21 or under at the start of a two-year European Under-21 Football Championship campaign, so players can be, and often are, up to 23 years old. As long as they are eligible, players can play at any level, making it possible to play for the U21s, senior side and again for the U21s.

Competitive Record

For the all-time record of the national team against opposing nations, see the team's all-time record page

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Record

a#0000802px}}" colspan=10UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals recorda#0000802px}}" colspan=6Qualification recorda#0000802px}}" rowspan=2Manager(s)a#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=100Yeara#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=100Rounda#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Posa#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Plda#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Wa#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Da#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30La#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30GFa#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30GAa#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=100Squada#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Plda#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Wa#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30Da#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30La#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30GFa#0000802px}}" scope="col"width=30GAa#0000802px}}"Totala#0000802px}}"-a#0000802px}}"0/25a#0000802px}}"0a#0000802px}}"0a#0000802px}}"0a#0000802px}}"0a#0000802px}}"0a#0000802px}}"0a#0000802px}}"-a#0000802px}}"113a#0000802px}}"29a#0000802px}}"19a#0000802px}}"65a#0000802px}}"118a#0000802px}}"184a#0000802px}}"-
1978did not enterdid not enterNone
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
FRA 1994
SPA 1996
ROM 1998
SVK 2000did not qualify813459Chris Nicholl
SUI 2002102261221Roy Millar
GER 20048215816
POR 2006did not enterdid not enterNone
NED 2007did not qualify4202107Roy Millar
SWE 200984041312Roy Millar, Steve Beaglehole
DEN 201182151216Steve Beaglehole
ISR 20138116513Steve Beaglehole, Stephen Robinson
CZE 20158107317Stephen Robinson, Jim Magilton
POL 201710028618Jim Magilton
ITASMR 2019106221511Ian Baraclough
HUNSVN 202110235713Ian Baraclough, Andy Crosby
GEORUM 20238215818John Schofield
SVK 2025103251010Tommy Wright
ALBSRB 2027to be determined311143

Results and fixtures

Main article: Northern Ireland national under-21 football team results (2020–present), Northern Ireland national under-21 football team results (1978–2019)

2024

Halinský Farquhar Braharu McKiernan Kelly Devenny Samigullin

2025

Forbes Pejčinović Goumas Tzimas Smyrlis

UEFA European Under-21 Championship

2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

Main article: 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group F

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

a#0000802px}}"Positiona#0000802px}}"Name
ManagerNIR Tommy Wright
Assistant ManagerSCO Steven MacLean
CoachNIR Corry Evans
Goalkeeping CoachNIR Conor Brennan
AnalystENG Josh Wall

Manager history

Last updated after the match against Greece on 18 November 2025.

a#0000802px}}"Managera#0000802px}}"First Gamea#0000802px}}"Last Gamea#0000802px}}" scope="col"Plda#0000802px}}" scope="col"Wa#0000802px}}" scope="col"Da#0000802px}}" scope="col"La#0000802px}}" scope="col"GFa#0000802px}}" scope="col"GAa#0000802px}}" scope="col"GDa#0000802px}}"Win %a#0000802px}}"Draw %a#0000802px}}"Loss %a#0000802px}}"colspan="3"Totala#0000802px}}"166a#0000802px}}"48a#0000802px}}"32a#0000802px}}"86a#0000802px}}"174a#0000802px}}"264a#0000802px}}"-90a#0000802px}}"28.92%a#0000802px}}"19.28%a#0000802px}}"51.81%
NIR8 March 1978 vs.8 March 1978 vs.10101100.00%100.00%0.00%
NIR3 April 1990 vs.3 April 1990 vs.110021+1100.00%0.00%0.00%
NIR22 March 1994 vs.22 March 1994 vs.10100000.00%100.00%0.00%
NIR21 April 1998 vs.21 April 1998 vs.110021+1100.00%0.00%0.00%
NIR20 May 1998 vs.8 October 1999 vs.133551113–223.08%38.46%38.46%
NIR28 March 2000 vs.26 March 2008 vs.48188226479–1537.50%16.67%45.83%
ENG19 August 2008 vs.15 November 2011 vs.2143142339–1619.05%14.29%66.67%
NIR10 May 2012 vs.15 October 2013 vs.100010524–190.00%0.00%100.00%
NIR *14 November 2013 vs.11 October 2016 vs.141211827–197.14%14.29%78.57%
ENG8 June 2017 vs.19 November 2019 vs.199642219+347.37%31.58%21.05%
ENG **4 September 2020 vs.5 June 2021 vs.7304911–242.86%0.00%57.14%
ENG3 September 2021 vs.25 September 2022 vs.112271027–1718.18%18.18%63.64%
NIR ****7 September 2023 vs. 196491722–531.58%21.05%47.37%
    • first two games as caretaker manager
  • ** caretaker manager for all 7 games

Players

Current squad

Players born on or after 1 January 2004 will be eligible until the completion of the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

The following players were named in the squad for a 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group F matches against Latvia and Greece on the 13 and 18 November 2025; respectively.

Last updated after the match against Greece on 18 November 2025.

Names in bold denote players who have been capped for the senior team.

Recent call-ups

The following players have previously been called up to the Northern Ireland under-21 squad and remain eligible.

INJ = Player withdrew from the squad before any games had been played.

PRE = Preliminary squad / standby.

SEN = Player withdrew from the squad due to a call up to the senior team.

SUS = Suspended from national team.

WTD = Withdrew due to other reasons.

Player records

Main article: Northern Ireland national under-21 football team records and statistics

Most appearances

Last updated after the match against Greece on 18 November 2025.

a#0000802px}}"Ranka#0000802px}}"Playera#0000802px}}"Year(s)a#0000802px}}"U-21 Capsa#0000802px}}"U-21 Goalsa#0000802px}}" class="unsortable"First Capa#0000802px}}" class="unsortable"Last Cap
1Liam Donnelly2012–201824513 November 2012 vs.16 October 2018 vs.
2Sean Friars1998–200121221 April 1998 vs.5 June 2001 vs.
Caolan Boyd-Munce2017–202221025 March 2019 vs.25 September 2022 vs.
4Kofi Balmer2019–202220022 March 2019 vs.4 June 2022 vs.
Ethan Galbraith2019–202220122 March 2019 vs.7 June 2022 vs.
Aaron Donnelly2021–20242002 June 2021 vs.15 October 2024 vs.
7Terry McFlynn2000–200319228 March 2000 vs.10 October 2003 vs.
Rory McArdle2006–20081916 February 2006 vs.26 March 2008 vs.
Thomas Stewart2006–20081946 February 2006 vs.26 March 2008 vs.
10Chris Casement2007–20091826 February 2007 vs.17 November 2009 vs.
Cameron Dummigan2014–20181809 September 2014 vs.16 October 2018 vs.
Alfie McCalmont2019–202218325 March 2019 vs.25 September 2022 vs.

Top goalscorers

Last updated after the match against Greece on 18 November 2025.

a#0000802px}}"Ranka#0000802px}}"Playera#0000802px}}"Year(s)a#0000802px}}"U-21 Goalsa#0000802px}}"U-21 Capsa#0000802px}}; width:70px"Goals per gamea#0000802px}}" class="unsortable"First Goala#0000802px}}" class="unsortable"Last Goal
1Liam Donnelly2012–20185248 June 2017 vs.11 September 2018 vs.
Shayne Lavery2016–202051410 November 2017 vs.25 March 2019 vs.
3Adrian Coote1998–199941221 April 1998 vs.17 August 1999 vs.
David Healy1998–19994817 November 1998 vs.17 August 1999 vs.
Sam Morrow2005–2006448 February 2005 vs.12 April 2006 vs.
Thomas Stewart2006–200841916 May 2006 vs.26 March 2008 vs.
Josh Magennis2009–20124178 September 2009 vs.7 September 2012 vs.
Oliver Norwood2009–201241113 November 2009 vs.2 March 2010 vs.
Paul O'Neill2019–20214109 October 2020 vs.12 November 2021 vs.
10Gary Hamilton2000–20013122 June 2000 vs.10 October 2000 vs.
Mo Harkin2000–20013928 March 2000 vs.10 October 2000 vs.
Grant McCann2000–200131110 October 2000 vs.5 October 2001 vs.
Lee McEvilly2002–2003396 September 2002 vs.1 April 2003 vs.
Chris Turner2006–20083121 June 2007 vs.16 November 2007 vs.
Andrew Little2008–20103618 November 2008 vs.3 September 2010 vs.
Billy Kee2009–201131010 August 2011 vs.10 August 2011 vs.
David Parkhouse2017–20203178 June 2017 vs.4 September 2020 vs.
Alfie McCalmont2019–202231814 November 2019 vs.12 November 2021 vs.
Dale Taylor2021–20243152 June 2021 vs.25 September 2022 vs.
Charlie Allen2022–202431426 March 2024 vs.12 October 2024 vs.

Under-21 graduates

Players who have won 25 or more Northern Ireland 'Full' caps after playing at least twice for the Northern Ireland U21.

  • Full caps and goals updated as of 19 June 2023 after the Northern Ireland senior team match against Kazakhstan.*
a#0000802px}}"Namea#0000802px}}"U21 Capsa#0000802px}}"U21 Goalsa#0000802px}}"U21 Careera#0000802px}}"Full Capsa#0000802px}}"Full Goalsa#0000802px}}"Full Career
Chris Baird612002–20037902003–2016
Chris Brunt212005–20066532004–2017
Roy Carroll1101998–19994501997–2017
*Craig Cathcart**15**0**2006–2009**72**2**2010–*
Sammy Clingan1112003–20063902006–2014
*Stuart Dallas**2**0**2011–2012**62**3**2011–*
*Steven Davis**3**0**2003–2004**140**13**2005–*
Stuart Elliott301998–19993942000–2007
*Corry Evans**10**0**2008–2010**70**2**2009–*
*Jonny Evans**3**0**2006**102**5**2006–*
Warren Feeney822001–20034652002–2011
*Shane Ferguson**11**0**2008–2012**57**2**2009–*
Danny Griffin1011998–19992911996–2004
David Healy841998–199995362000–2013
Damien Johnson1101998–19995601999–2009
Kyle Lafferty20200689202006–2022
Neil Lennon201990–19944021994–2002
*Josh Magennis**17**4**2009–2012**71**10**2010–*
Grant McCann1132000–20013942001–2012
George McCartney502000–20013412001–2010
Michael McGovern1002005–20063302010–2020
Conor McLaughlin702010–20124312011–2021
*Paddy McNair**2**0**2014**62**6**2015–*
Philip Mulryne511998–19992731997–2007
Oliver Norwood1142009–20125702010–2018
*Jordan Thompson**12**0**2016-2018**30**0**2018–*
Jamie Ward722006–20083542011–2018
*Gavin Whyte**7**0**2015-2018**30**5**2018–*

References

References

  1. [[Roy Millar]] managed for the first seven qualifying matches. [[Steve Beaglehole]] managed the last game of the qualification campaign.
  2. [[Steve Beaglehole]] managed for the first five qualifying matches. [[Stephen Robinson (footballer). Stephen Robinson]] managed for the remainder of the qualification campaign.
  3. [[Stephen Robinson (footballer). Stephen Robinson]] managed for the first four qualifying matches. [[Jim Magilton]] managed for the remainder of the qualification campaign.
  4. [[Ian Baraclough]] managed for the first five qualifying matches. [[Andy Crosby]] was appointed caretaker manager for the remainder of the qualification campaign.
  5. (7 November 2025). "Wright reveals squad for U21 Euro qualifiers". Irish Football Association.
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