U-21 European Football Championship 1996 / qualification

44 national teams took part in the qualification for the U-21 European Football Championship in 1996 and determined the participants for the final round, which took place in Spain from May 28 to 31, 1996 .

The qualifying games in the eight qualifying groups started on September 3, 1994 and ended on November 15, 1995. The quarter-finals, which decided on participation in the final round, took place from March 12 to 27, 1996.

While Austria and Switzerland did not get past the penultimate places, Germany was able to qualify as group winners for the quarter-finals, but where it came out against France.

mode

The 44 national teams were drawn in eight groups - four groups of five and four groups of six teams. The national selections had to play their encounters with two legs. The respective group winners (marked in yellow) were qualified for the quarter-finals. These then determined the four participants in the final round in the first and second leg.

Attendees

Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Azerbaijan	Armenia	Iceland	Estonia
France	Belgium	Sweden	Italy
Israel	Denmark	Switzerland	Croatia
Poland	North Macedonia	Turkey	Lithuania
Romania	Spain	Hungary	Slovenia
Slovakia	Cyprus		Ukraine

 

Group 5	Group 6	Group 7	Group 8
Luxembourg	England	Bulgaria	Finland
Malta	Ireland	Germany	Greece
Netherlands	Latvia	Georgia	Russia
Norway	Austria	Moldova	San Marino
Czech Republic	Portugal	Wales	Scotland
Belarus

Performance of the German-speaking teams

Germany

In qualifying group 7, Germany and Bulgaria fought head-to-head for a long time. This was mainly because Germany couldn't get past a 1-1 draw in Moldova and had to admit defeat 2-0 in Bulgaria. However, after all other matches could be won, the last home game against the Bulgarians with equal points came to a real final. Germany had to win and never left any doubts about it. With a 7-0 victory, Germany ultimately confidently secured the group victory.

In the quarter-finals, France was drawn as opponents. After only a disappointing 0-0 draw in Osnabrück, Germany had to admit defeat in the second leg in Metz with 1: 4 and thus missed the qualification for the final round.

Austria

With two defeats - 1: 3 against England and 0: 2 in Portugal - Austria started in the strong qualification group 6. Austria had no chance. With only two wins - 2-0 in Latvia and 1-0 at home against Ireland - and a 0-0 at home against Latvia, it was only enough for the penultimate group place.

Switzerland

Switzerland started qualifying group 3 with a heavy 5-0 home defeat against Sweden. After a 2: 1 against Iceland and a 1: 1 in Turkey, there were further defeats in Hungary (0: 1) and at home against Turkey, which meant that Switzerland was finally out of the running. In the end it was only enough for the disappointing penultimate group place.

Qualification groups

Group 1

date	Home team	Result	Away team
4th September 1994	Israel	2: 2	Poland
September 6, 1994	Romania	5: 2	Azerbaijan
September 6, 1994	Slovakia	0: 3	France
October 7, 1994	France	0-0	Romania
October 11, 1994	Poland	5-0	Azerbaijan
October 11, 1994	Israel	2-0	Slovakia
November 11, 1994	Romania	0-0	Slovakia
November 15, 1994	Poland	0: 4	France
November 15, 1994	Azerbaijan	1: 2	Israel
December 13, 1994	Azerbaijan	0: 5	France
December 13, 1994	Israel	0: 1	Romania
March 28, 1995	Romania	1: 2	Poland
March 28, 1995	Israel	1: 1	France
March 28, 1995	Slovakia	3-0	Azerbaijan
April 25, 1995	Poland	1-0	Israel
April 25, 1995	Azerbaijan	0: 5	Romania
April 26, 1995	France	0: 1	Slovakia
June 6, 1995	Romania	1-0	Israel
June 6, 1995	Poland	1-0	Slovakia
August 15, 1995	Azerbaijan	1-0	Slovakia
August 16, 1995	France	4: 1	Poland
5th September 1995	Poland	3: 3	Romania
5th September 1995	Slovakia	1: 1	Israel
September 6, 1995	France	5-0	Azerbaijan
October 10, 1995	Romania	0-0	France
October 10, 1995	Israel	4-0	Azerbaijan
October 10, 1995	Slovakia	3: 1	Poland
November 14, 1995	Azerbaijan	1: 2	Poland
November 14, 1995	Slovakia	3: 1	Romania
November 15, 1995	France	3-0	Israel

 

Final result group 1
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	France	10	6th	3	1	25: 03	+22	21st
2.	Poland	10	5	2	3	18:18	± 0	17th
3.	Romania	10	4th	4th	2	17:10	+7	16
4th	Slovakia	10	4th	2	4th	11:10	+1	14th
5.	Israel	10	3	3	4th	12:11	+1	12
6th	Azerbaijan	10	1	0	9	05:36	−31	3

Group 2

date	Home team	Result	Away team
September 6, 1994	Belgium	7-0	Armenia
September 7, 1994	North Macedonia	5: 3	Denmark
September 7, 1994	Cyprus	0: 6	Spain
October 8, 1994	Armenia	1: 2	Cyprus
October 11, 1994	North Macedonia	0: 1	Spain
October 11, 1994	Denmark	0: 1	Belgium
November 15, 1994	Spain	1-0	Denmark
November 15, 1994	Belgium	7-0	North Macedonia
November 16, 1994	Cyprus	2: 1	Armenia
December 16, 1994	Belgium	3: 3	Spain
17th December 1994	North Macedonia	1-0	Cyprus
March 28, 1995	Spain	1: 1	Belgium
March 29, 1995	Cyprus	1: 5	Denmark
April 26, 1995	Armenia	0: 3	Spain
April 26, 1995	Belgium	1-0	Cyprus
April 26, 1995	Denmark	5: 2	North Macedonia
May 10, 1995	Armenia	2-0	North Macedonia
June 6, 1995	Spain	4-0	Armenia
June 7, 1995	Denmark	4-0	Cyprus
June 7, 1995	North Macedonia	3-0	Belgium
August 16, 1995	Armenia	2: 3	Denmark
5th September 1995	Belgium	2: 2	Denmark
5th September 1995	Spain	3: 1	Cyprus
September 6, 1995	North Macedonia	3: 2	Armenia
October 7, 1995	Armenia	0: 3	Belgium
October 10, 1995	Denmark	5: 1	Spain
October 11, 1995	Cyprus	3: 2	North Macedonia
November 14, 1995	Denmark	4-0	Armenia
November 14, 1995	Spain	4-0	North Macedonia
November 15, 1995	Cyprus	1: 1	Belgium

 

Final result group 2
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Spain	10	7th	2	1	27:10	+17	23
2.	Denmark	10	6th	1	3	31:15	+16	19th
3.	Belgium	10	5	4th	1	26:10	+16	19th
4th	North Macedonia	10	4th	0	6th	16:27	−11	12
5.	Cyprus	10	3	1	6th	10:25	−15	10
6th	Armenia	10	1	0	9	08:31	−23	3

Group 3

date	Home team	Result	Away team
September 6, 1994	Iceland	0: 1	Sweden
September 6, 1994	Hungary	2: 1	Turkey
October 11, 1994	Turkey	3-0	Iceland
October 11, 1994	Switzerland	0: 5	Sweden
November 15, 1994	Sweden	0: 1	Hungary
November 15, 1994	Switzerland	2: 1	Iceland
December 13, 1994	Turkey	1: 1	Switzerland
March 28, 1995	Turkey	0-0	Sweden
March 28, 1995	Hungary	1-0	Switzerland
April 25, 1995	Hungary	2: 1	Sweden
April 25, 1995	Switzerland	0: 2	Turkey
May 31, 1995	Sweden	1-0	Iceland
June 10, 1995	Iceland	1: 1	Hungary
August 15, 1995	Iceland	2: 4	Switzerland
5th September 1995	Turkey	2: 1	Hungary
5th September 1995	Sweden	1-0	Switzerland
October 10, 1995	Iceland	2: 3	Turkey
October 10, 1995	Switzerland	2: 3	Hungary
November 10, 1995	Hungary	3: 1	Iceland
November 14, 1995	Sweden	6: 1	Turkey

 

Final result group 3
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Hungary	8th	6th	1	1	14: 08	+6	19th
2.	Sweden	8th	5	1	2	15: 04	+11	16
3.	Turkey	8th	4th	2	2	13:12	+1	14th
4th	Switzerland	8th	2	1	5	09:16	−7	7th
5.	Iceland	8th	0	1	7th	07:18	−11	1

Group 4

date	Home team	Result	Away team
3rd September 1994	Estonia	1: 2	Croatia
September 6, 1994	Ukraine	3: 2	Lithuania
September 8, 1994	Slovenia	1: 1	Italy
October 6, 1994	Estonia	1: 4	Italy
October 8, 1994	Croatia	2-0	Lithuania
October 11, 1994	Ukraine	1-0	Slovenia
November 12, 1994	Ukraine	3-0	Estonia
November 15, 1994	Slovenia	3-0	Lithuania
November 16, 1994	Italy	2: 1	Croatia
March 23, 1995	Italy	7-0	Estonia
March 24, 1995	Croatia	1-0	Ukraine
March 28, 1995	Lithuania	0: 1	Croatia
March 28, 1995	Slovenia	5-0	Estonia
March 29, 1995	Ukraine	2: 1	Italy
April 25, 1995	Croatia	0: 2	Slovenia
April 25, 1995	Estonia	2: 5	Ukraine
April 27, 1995	Lithuania	0: 2	Italy
June 8, 1995	Lithuania	1: 2	Slovenia
June 10, 1995	Estonia	1: 2	Slovenia
June 10, 1995	Ukraine	1: 1	Croatia
August 15, 1995	Estonia	0: 5	Lithuania
September 2, 1995	Croatia	1-0	Estonia
5th September 1995	Lithuania	3: 3	Ukraine
September 7, 1995	Italy	1-0	Slovenia
5th October 1995	Croatia	2: 2	Italy
October 10, 1995	Lithuania	3-0	Estonia
October 10, 1995	Slovenia	0: 5	Ukraine
November 10, 1995	Italy	2: 1	Ukraine
November 14, 1995	Slovenia	4: 2	Croatia
November 15, 1995	Italy	0-0	Lithuania

 

Final result group 4
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Italy	10	6th	3	1	22: 08	+14	21st
2.	Ukraine	10	6th	2	2	24:12	+12	20th
3.	Slovenia	10	6th	1	3	19:12	+7	19th
4th	Croatia	10	5	2	3	13:12	+1	17th
5.	Lithuania	10	2	2	6th	14:16	−2	8th
6th	Estonia	10	0	0	10	05:37	−32	0

Group 5

date	Home team	Result	Away team
5th September 1994	Czech Republic	1-0	Malta
September 6, 1994	Luxembourg	0: 4	Netherlands
September 8, 1994	Norway	4-0	Belarus
October 11, 1994	Malta	0: 7	Czech Republic
October 11, 1994	Belarus	3-0	Luxembourg
October 11, 1994	Norway	1-0	Netherlands
November 15, 1994	Netherlands	2: 2	Czech Republic
December 13, 1994	Malta	2: 3	Norway
December 13, 1994	Netherlands	3-0	Luxembourg
February 21, 1995	Malta	1-0	Luxembourg
March 28, 1995	Czech Republic	2-0	Belarus
March 28, 1995	Luxembourg	0: 8	Norway
March 28, 1995	Netherlands	4-0	Malta
April 25, 1995	Belarus	4-0	Malta
April 25, 1995	Czech Republic	2: 2	Netherlands
April 25, 1995	Norway	5-0	Luxembourg
May 24, 1995	Belarus	4: 2	Norway
June 6, 1995	Belarus	3: 1	Netherlands
June 6, 1995	Luxembourg	0: 7	Czech Republic
June 6, 1995	Norway	3-0	Malta
August 15, 1995	Norway	3: 4	Czech Republic
5th September 1995	Czech Republic	1: 2	Norway
5th September 1995	Luxembourg	0-0	Malta
5th September 1995	Netherlands	3-0	Belarus
October 6, 1995	Belarus	0: 3	Czech Republic
October 10, 1995	Malta	0: 2	Netherlands
October 10, 1995	Luxembourg	0: 5	Belarus
November 11, 1995	Malta	1: 1	Belarus
November 14, 1995	Czech Republic	4-0	Luxembourg
November 14, 1995	Netherlands	2: 1	Norway

 

Final result group 5
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Czech Republic	10	7th	2	1	33: 09	+24	23
2.	Norway	10	7th	0	3	32:13	+19	21st
3.	Netherlands	10	6th	2	2	23: 09	+14	20th
4th	Belarus	10	5	1	4th	20:16	+4	16
5.	Malta	10	1	2	7th	04:25	−21	5
6th	Luxembourg	10	0	1	9	00:40	−40	1

Group 6

date	Home team	Result	Away team
September 6, 1994	Latvia	1: 1	Ireland
September 6, 1994	England	0-0	Portugal
October 8, 1994	Latvia	0: 1	Portugal
October 11, 1994	Austria	1: 3	England
November 12, 1994	Portugal	2-0	Austria
November 15, 1994	England	1-0	Ireland
March 27, 1995	Ireland	0: 2	England
March 28, 1995	Austria	0-0	Latvia
April 25, 1995	Latvia	0: 1	England
April 25, 1995	Ireland	1: 1	Portugal
June 2, 1995	Portugal	4-0	Latvia
June 7, 1995	England	4-0	Latvia
June 10, 1995	Ireland	3-0	Austria
August 15, 1995	Latvia	0: 2	Austria
September 2, 1995	Portugal	2-0	England
5th September 1995	Austria	1-0	Ireland
October 10, 1995	Austria	0: 1	Portugal
October 10, 1995	Ireland	1-0	Latvia
November 14, 1995	England	2: 1	Austria
November 14, 1995	Portugal	3: 1	Ireland

 

Final result group 6
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Portugal	8th	6th	2	0	14: 02	+12	20th
2.	England	8th	6th	1	1	13: 04	+9	19th
3.	Ireland	8th	2	2	4th	07: 09	−2	8th
4th	Austria	8th	2	1	5	05:11	−6	7th
5.	Latvia	8th	0	2	6th	01:14	−13	2

Group 7

date	Home team	Result	Away team
September 6, 1994	Georgia	3-0	Moldova
October 11, 1994	Moldova	1-0	Wales
October 11, 1994	Bulgaria	1-0	Georgia
November 15, 1994	Georgia	1: 2	Wales
November 15, 1994	Bulgaria	2-0	Moldova
December 13, 1994	Wales	1: 1	Bulgaria
December 14, 1994	Moldova	1: 1	Germany
March 28, 1995	Georgia	0: 2	Germany
March 28, 1995	Bulgaria	3: 1	Wales
April 25, 1995	Moldova	0-0	Bulgaria
April 25, 1995	Germany	1-0	Wales
June 6, 1995	Bulgaria	2-0	Germany
June 6, 1995	Wales	5: 1	Georgia
5th September 1995	Germany	3-0	Georgia
5th September 1995	Wales	1-0	Moldova
October 7, 1995	Germany	3: 1	Moldova
October 10, 1995	Georgia	1: 2	Bulgaria
October 10, 1995	Wales	1: 5	Germany
November 14, 1995	Moldova	2: 1	Georgia
November 14, 1995	Germany	7-0	Bulgaria

 

Final result group 7
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Germany	8th	6th	1	1	22: 05	+17	19th
2.	Bulgaria	8th	5	2	1	11:10	+1	17th
3.	Wales	8th	3	1	4th	11:13	−2	10
4th	Moldova	8th	2	2	4th	05:11	−6	8th
5.	Georgia	8th	1	0	7th	07:17	−10	3

Group 8

date	Home team	Result	Away team
September 6, 1994	Finland	1-0	Scotland
October 11, 1994	Greece	3: 4	Finland
October 11, 1994	Russia	3-0	San Marino
November 15, 1994	Greece	4-0	San Marino
November 15, 1994	Scotland	2: 1	Russia
December 13, 1994	Finland	4-0	San Marino
17th December 1994	Greece	1: 2	Scotland
March 28, 1995	Russia	1: 2	Scotland
March 28, 1995	San Marino	0: 6	Finland
April 25, 1995	Greece	0: 1	Russia
April 25, 1995	San Marino	0: 1	Scotland
June 6, 1995	San Marino	0: 7	Russia
June 10, 1995	Finland	1-0	Greece
August 15, 1995	Finland	1: 1	Russia
August 15, 1995	Scotland	3-0	Greece
5th September 1995	San Marino	1: 3	Greece
September 6, 1995	Scotland	5-0	Finland
October 10, 1995	Russia	0: 1	Greece
November 14, 1995	Russia	3-0	Finland
November 14, 1995	Scotland	1-0	San Marino

 

Final result group 8
Pl	team	Sp	S.	U	N	Gates	TD	P
1.	Scotland	8th	7th	0	1	16: 04	+12	21st
2.	Finland	8th	5	1	2	17:12	+5	16
3.	Russia	8th	4th	1	3	17: 06	+11	13
4th	Greece	8th	3	0	5	12:12	± 0	9
5.	San Marino	8th	0	0	8th	01:29	−28	0

Quarter finals

The eight group winners were qualified for the games of the quarter-finals for entry into the final round.

Fixtures
date	Home team	Result	Away team
March 12, 1996	Hungary	2: 1	Scotland
Budapest	Gates: ?
March 26, 1996	Scotland	3: 1	Hungary
Edinburgh	Gates: ?
Newcomers: Scotland with an overall result of 4-3
March 13, 1996	Germany	0-0	France
Osnabrück	Goals: none
March 26, 1996	France	4: 1	Germany
Metz	Gates: ?
Newcomers: France with an overall result of 4-1
March 13, 1996	Portugal	1-0	Italy
Lisbon	Gates: ?
March 27, 1996	Italy	2-0	Portugal
Palermo	Gates: ?
Newcomers: Italy with an overall result of 2-1
March 13, 1996	Spain	2: 1	Czech Republic
Granada	Gates: ?
March 27, 1996	Czech Republic	1: 2	Spain
Prague	Gates: ?
Newcomers: Spain with an overall result of 4-2

Finalists

The following nations qualified for the finals of the 1996 European Under-21 Football Championship , which was held in Spain from May 28 to 31, 1996 :

Semifinals
France
Italy
Scotland
Spain

Web links

• UEFA: Official website of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship
• The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation: European U-21 Championship 1996 (accessed December 28, 2008)