Finland national under-21 football team

Finland U21
Nickname(s)	Pikkuhuuhkajat ; (The Little Eagle-Owls)
Association	Football Association of Finland
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Mika Lehkosuo
FIFA code	FIN
First colours	Second colours
First international
	Finland 1–3 Sweden ; (Vaasa, Finland; 11 August 1976)
Biggest win
	Finland 6–0 Armenia ; (Turku, Finland; 21 November 2023)
Biggest defeat
	England 8–1 Finland ; (Hull, England; 12 October 1977)
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	1 (first in 2009)
Best result	Group stage (2009)

The Finland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Finland.

The team qualified for the UEFA Euro U21 Championship final tournament for the first time in 2009, under head coach Markku Kanerva. 15 years later, coached by Mika Lehkosuo, they qualified for the 2025 UEFA Euro U21 Championship tournament in Slovakia, for the second time in the nation's history, after defeating Norway in the qualification play-offs.

UEFA European Championship Record

Year	Round	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Qualification Campaign	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1972-1976 UEFA Under-23 European championships
1972	did not qualify								1972	4	0	1	3	4	10
1974									1974	4	1	1	2	3	8
1976									1976	4	0	0	4	2	12
Since 1978 UEFA Under-21 European championships
1978	did not qualify								1978	4	0	0	4	2	14
1980									1980	4	0	1	3	2	7
1982									1982	6	0	1	5	4	10
1984									1984	6	1	3	2	5	8
1986									1986	6	1	4	1	6	6
1988									1988	6	2	1	3	8	11
1990									1990	6	1	1	4	4	13
1992									1992	6	2	0	4	7	13
1994									1994	10	4	2	4	10	13
1996									1996	8	5	1	2	12	16
1998									1998	8	2	3	3	8	10
2000									2000	8	3	4	1	9	7
2002									2002	8	1	1	6	7	20
2004									2004	8	3	2	3	11	9
2006									2006	10	2	1	7	7	16
2007									2007	2	0	0	2	1	10
2009	Group stage	3	0	0	3	1	6	Squad	2009 (PO)	8	6	1	1	11	6
2011	did not qualify								2011	8	3	1	4	11	4
2013									2013	10	3	3	4	12	14
2015									2015	10	4	4	2	17	10
2017									2017	10	4	2	4	13	10
2019									2019	10	2	3	5	13	21
2021									2021	10	4	1	5	14	15
2023									2023	10	6	1	3	18	13
2025	Qualified								2025 (PO)	12	7	2	3	27	11

2009 UEFA Euro Under-21 qualification

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Finland	8	6	1	1	11	6	+5	19
Denmark	8	5	1	2	13	4	+9	16
Scotland	8	5	1	2	17	6	+11	16
Slovenia	8	1	2	5	4	13	−9	5
Lithuania	8	0	1	7	2	18	−16	1

2023 UEFA Euro Under-21 qualification

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Norway	10	8	0	2	26	11	+15	24	Final tournament	—	3–2	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–0
2	Croatia	10	7	1	2	25	10	+15	22	Play-offs	3–2	—	2–3	0–0	2–0	2–0
3	Finland	10	6	1	3	18	13	+5	19		0–2	0–2	—	3–1	3–0	1–0
4	Austria	10	5	1	4	22	13	+9	16		2–1	1–3	2–3	—	6–0	2–0
5	Azerbaijan	10	2	1	7	12	24	−12	7		1–2	1–5	1–1	0–3	—	3–0
6	Estonia	10	0	0	10	0	32	−32	0		0–5	0–4	0–3	0–4	0–5	—

Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

2025 UEFA Euro Under-21 qualification

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Romania	10	7	1	2	23	10	+13	22	Final tournament	—	1–0	3–1	5–0	1–0	2–0
2	Finland	10	6	2	2	21	8	+13	20	Play-offs	2–0	—	1–2	4–1	2–1	6–0
3	Switzerland	10	5	3	2	21	12	+9	18		2–2	1–1	—	1–2	4–2	5–0
4	Albania	10	5	1	4	12	17	−5	16		3–2	0–0	1–3	—	2–0	1–0
5	Montenegro	10	2	1	7	8	19	−11	7		2–6	1–2	0–2	1–0	—	0–0
6	Armenia	10	0	2	8	2	21	−19	2		0–1	1–3	0–0	1–2	0–1	—

Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Current squad

The following players have been called up for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification play-offs matches against Norway on 15 and 19 November 2024, respectively.^[2]

Caps and goals as of 19 November 2024 after the second play-offs match against Norway.
Players in bold have been called up or have played at least one full international match with senior national team.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1GK	Lucas Bergström (vice-captain)	(2002-09-05) 5 September 2002 (age 22)	15	0	Chelsea
1GK	Elmo Henriksson	(2003-03-10) 10 March 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Sporting de Gijón
1GK	Roope Paunio	(2002-12-14) 14 December 2002 (age 22)	0	0	SJK

2DF	Ville Koski (vice-captain)	(2002-01-27) 27 January 2002 (age 22)	27	1	Istra 1961
2DF	Kalle Wallius	(2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 (age 21)	16	0	Start
2DF	Tony Miettinen	(2002-09-23) 23 September 2002 (age 22)	15	1	Odd
2DF	Miska Ylitolva	(2004-05-23) 23 May 2004 (age 20)	13	1	HJK
2DF	Jussi Niska	(2002-08-15) 15 August 2002 (age 22)	8	0	Inter Turku
2DF	Rony Jansson	(2004-01-10) 10 January 2004 (age 20)	9	0	Kalmar
2DF	Tomas Galvez	(2005-01-28) 28 January 2005 (age 19)	8	1	LASK
2DF	Daniel Armstrong	(2005-03-24) 24 March 2005 (age 19)	2	0	Atalanta U23
2DF	Luka Kuittinen	(2003-03-29) 29 March 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Inter Turku

3MF	Naatan Skyttä (vice-captain)	(2002-05-07) 7 May 2002 (age 22)	26	11	Dunkerque
3MF	Adam Markhiyev	(2002-03-17) 17 March 2002 (age 22)	23	0	RFS
3MF	Casper Terho	(2003-06-24) 24 June 2003 (age 21)	19	4	Union SG
3MF	Otso Liimatta	(2004-07-10) 10 July 2004 (age 20)	17	8	Famalicão
3MF	Leo Walta	(2003-06-24) 24 June 2003 (age 21)	12	2	Sirius
3MF	Luka Hyryläinen	(2004-08-25) 25 August 2004 (age 20)	8	0	SSV Ulm
3MF	Liam Möller	(2004-12-21) 21 December 2004 (age 20)	5	0	HJK
3MF	Doni Arifi	(2002-04-11) 11 April 2002 (age 22)	4	0	Ilves

4FW	Juho Talvitie	(2005-03-25) 25 March 2005 (age 19)	14	2	Heracles Almelo
4FW	Henri Salomaa	(2003-02-14) 14 February 2003 (age 21)	10	1	Casertana
4FW	Topi Keskinen	(2003-03-07) 7 March 2003 (age 21)	10	2	Aberdeen
4FW	Teemu Hytönen	(2002-08-15) 15 August 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Ilves

Recent callups

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

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Lasse Schulz	(2003-03-29) 29 March 2003 (age 21)	4	0	Vendsyssel
GK	Eetu Huuhtanen	(2003-01-31) 31 January 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Inter Turku	v. Slovenia, 20 June 2023
GK	Jasper Samooja	(2003-07-21) 21 July 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Lecce	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024

DF	Robin Tihi	(2002-03-16) 16 March 2002 (age 22)	22	0	Al Ahli	v. Albania, 13 October 2023
DF	Miika Koskela	(2003-07-12) 12 July 2003 (age 21)	6	0	Tromsø	v. Switzerland, 12 September 2023
DF	Dario Naamo	(2005-05-14) 14 May 2005 (age 19)	5	0	St. Pölten
DF	Matti Peltola	(2002-07-03) 3 July 2002 (age 22)	5	1	D.C. United
DF	Otto Kemppainen	(2003-10-27) 27 October 2003 (age 21)	3	0	AC Oulu	v. Romania, 17 October 2023
DF	Oliver Pettersson	(2003-05-13) 13 May 2003 (age 21)	3	0	Gnistan	v. Romania, 17 October 2023
DF	Juho Lehtiranta	(2002-09-27) 27 September 2002 (age 22)	2	0	KTP
DF	Nikolas Talo	(2003-03-24) 24 March 2003 (age 21)	1	0	Haka
DF	Matias Kivikko Arraño	(2003-12-05) 5 December 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Ilves	v. Switzerland, 12 September 2023
DF	Arttu Lötjönen	(2004-01-28) 28 January 2004 (age 20)	2	0	Sampdoria	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
DF	Lucas Von Hellens	(2005-03-05) 5 March 2005 (age 19)	2	0	Maritimo B	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
DF	Elias Äijälä	(2003-03-24) 24 March 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Gnistan	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
DF	Samuli Miettinen	(2004-06-16) 16 June 2004 (age 20)	1	0	KuPS
DF	Joona Kuismala	(2005-11-23) 23 November 2005 (age 19)	1	0	Elva	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024


MF	Santeri Väänänen (captain)	(2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 22)	19	1	Rosenborg
MF	Niklas Pyyhtiä	(2003-09-25) 25 September 2003 (age 21)	16	0	Bologna
MF	Juho Kilo	(2002-06-23) 23 June 2002 (age 22)	9	0	ADO Den Haag
MF	Jere Kallinen	(2002-01-10) 10 January 2002 (age 22)	5	0	AC Oulu
MF	Jimi Tauriainen	(2004-03-08) 8 March 2004 (age 20)	0	0	Chelsea
MF	Otso Koskinen	(2003-01-01) 1 January 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Lahti	v. Switzerland, 12 September 2023
MF	Dren Terrnava	(2005-05-21) 21 May 2005 (age 19)	1	0	Parma	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
MF	Matias Ritari	(2005-07-15) 15 July 2005 (age 19)	1	0	HJK Klubi 04	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
MF	Marlo Hyvönen	(2005-05-02) 2 May 2005 (age 19)	2	0	HJK Klubi 04	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
MF	Ville Vuorinen	(2005-02-21) 21 February 2005 (age 19)	2	0	HJK Klubi 04	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
MF	Daniel Rökman	(2004-03-20) 20 March 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Inter Turku	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
MF	Juho Ojanen	(2002-01-02) 2 January 2002 (age 22)	2	0	Harvard	v. Estonia, 15 November 2021

FW	Oiva Jukkola	(2002-05-21) 21 May 2002 (age 22)	4	2	Ilves	v. Norway, 15 November 2024 ^INJ
FW	Kai Meriluoto	(2003-01-02) 2 January 2003 (age 21)	15	2	HJK	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
FW	Eetu Mömmö	(2002-05-04) 4 May 2002 (age 22)	14	2	SJK
FW	Agon Sadiku	(2003-03-10) 10 March 2003 (age 21)	10	2	Emmen	v. Romania, 17 October 2023
FW	Roni Hudd	(2005-01-20) 20 January 2005 (age 19)	2	1	HJK
FW	Maksim Stjopin	(2003-04-08) 8 April 2003 (age 21)	2	0	Ilves	v. Slovenia, 20 June 2023
FW	Jonathan Muzinga	(2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 (age 22)	1	0	KuPS	v. Switzerland, 12 September 2023
FW	Onni Suutari	(2003-04-29) 29 April 2003 (age 21)	2	0	AC Oulu	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024
FW	Danila Bulgakov	(2005-01-20) 20 January 2005 (age 19)	2	0	Ilves	v. Lithuania, 9 June 2024

^INJ = Withdrew due to an injury.

Coaching staff

^[3]

Position	Name
Head coach	Mika Lehkosuo
Assistant coach	Gert Remmel
Assistant coach	Ramiro Muñoz
Goalkeeping coach	Eemeli Reponen
Conditioning coach	Janne Ukkonen

Past squads

2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship squad

References

^ "Pikkuhuuhkajat". Archived from the original on 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
^ "Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty EM-jatkokarsintoihin Norjaa vastaan". 8 November 2024.
^ Valmennus ja joukkueenjohto

[1] "Pikkuhuuhkajat". Archived from the original on 2017-11-20. Retrieved 2013-06-11.

[2] "Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty EM-jatkokarsintoihin Norjaa vastaan". 8 November 2024.

[3] Valmennus ja joukkueenjohto

[1]

[2]

[3]