The Portugal national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). They are nicknamed "Esperanças." Esperança means hope, thus they are Portugal's hopes for the future. In sports, "Esperança" comes before "Senior".

Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the Portuguese under-21 team was formed. Until 1994, the team had a rather poor record – failing to qualify for each of the first eight UEFA under-21 Championships. Since 1994, the team has improved its record greatly, qualifying for five of the next seven tournaments, including the 2006 finals.

Having qualified for the 2006 tournament finals, UEFA announced that Portugal would host the finals in May and June. From 2007 onwards, host nations will be announced before the qualification stage and will not need to qualify.

Since the under-21 competition rules insist that players must be 21 or under at the start of a two year competition, technically it is an under-23 competition. For this reason, Portugal's record in the preceding under-23 competitions is also shown.

UEFA under-23 Championship Record

• 1972: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 2 in qualification 'group'.
• 1974: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 2 in qualification 'group'.
• 1976: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification 'group'.

UEFA under-21 Championship Record

• 1978: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 3 in qualification group.
• 1980: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
• 1982: Did not enter.
• 1984: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
• 1986: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
• 1988: Did not qualify. Finished 4th of 4 in qualification group.
• 1990: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 4 in qualification group.
• 1992: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 4 in qualification group.
• 1994: Runners-up.
• 1996: Losing quarter-finalists.
• 1998: Did not qualify. Finished 3rd of 5 in qualification group.
• 2000: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 5 in qualification group.
• 2002: Finished 3rd of 4 in finals group.
• 2004: Third place.
• 2006: Finished 4th of 4 in finals group. Hosts.
• 2007: Losing in fifth place match (Olympic playoff), therefore missing the 2008 Olympics.
• 2009: Did not qualify. Finished 2nd of 5 in qualification group.

Current Squad

Head Coach

Oceano

Notable Players

• Luís Figo
• Rui Costa
• João V. Pinto
• Sérgio Conceição
• Fernando Couto
• Vítor Baía
• Jorge Costa
• Nuno Capucho
• Dimas
• Paulinho Santos
• Paulo Alves
• Dani
• Domingos
• Sá Pinto
• Paulo Sousa
• António Folha
• Carlos Secretário
• Emílio Peixe
• Abel Xavier
• Ricardo Quaresma
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Nani
• Miguel Veloso
• João Moutinho
• Simão

See also

• Portugal national football team
• European Under-21 Football Championship
• Golden Generation

Sources/External links

• UEFA Under-21 website Contains full results archive
• The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Contains full record of U-21/U-23 Championships.
• Official site