UNDER-21 CHAMPIONSHIP - 2019/21 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Haladás Stadion - Szombathely Thursday 25 March 2021 21.00CET (21.00 local time) France Group C - Matchday 1 Denmark Last updated 01/06/2021 15:21CET UEFA UNDER 21 OFFICIAL SPONSORS Previous meetings 2 Match background 3 Squad list 5 Match officials 7 Match-by-match lineups 8 Team facts 11 Legend 13 1 France - Denmark Thursday 25 March 2021 - 21.00CET (21.00 local time) Match press kit Haladás Stadion, Szombathely Previous meetings Head to Head No UEFA competition matches have been played between these two teams 2 France - Denmark Thursday 25 March 2021 - 21.00CET (21.00 local time) Match press kit Haladás Stadion, Szombathely Match background Back in the finals for the second tournament running, France face Denmark in their first 2021 UEFA European Under- 21 Championship fixture to kick off Group C at the Haladás Stadion in Szombathely. • While France returned to the final tournament in 2019 after a 13-year absence, reaching the semi-finals, the Danes have become regular participants in the group stage. Previous meetings • This is the sides' first competitive U21 fixture although they have been regular friendly opponents at this level, meeting in four official matches since first crossing paths in 2007. In the most recent fixture, a 47th-minute Oliver Abildgaard Nielsen goal gave Denmark a 1-0 win in Brest on 24 March 2019. • France were 3-1 victors in Tours on 21 March 2013, Lucas Digne's fifth-minute opener cancelled out by Nicolai Brock-Madsen's 26th-minute equaliser before Florian Thauvin (40) and Abdoulaye Doucouré (83) ensured the home side prevailed. • It was also 3-1 to France at the Aalborg Stadion on 12 October 2010 thanks to goals from David N'Gog (14) and Morgan Schneiderlin (44) either side of an Andreas Bjelland own goal two minutes after Nicki Bille Nielsen (32) had levelled at 1-1 for the home side. • Two late Dimitri Payet goals (83, 90) had given France another 3-1 victory in that first game, in Le Mans on 23 March 2007. Michael Jakobsen gave visitors Denmark a 23rd-minute lead that was cancelled out by Mamadou Samassa eight minutes before half-time. • Boubacar Kamara was in the France side that drew 0-0 with Denmark in the group stage of the 2016 European U17 Championship; Andreas Poulsen and Carlo Holse featured for Denmark. Form guide France • Champions in 1988, France finished third in 1996 and fourth two years earlier, also reaching the quarter-finals in 1982, 1984 and 1986. • France are in the finals for the second successive edition, and are making their fourth appearance overall in an eight or 12-team finals. They have never previously failed to qualify from their group. In 2019, they featured at a U21 EURO for the first time in 13 years; they finished as runners-up in 2002, losing the final on penalties to the Czech Republic, and were beaten by the Netherlands, 3-2 after extra-time, in the last four in 2006. • Two years ago in Italy, Sylvain Ripoll's team finished second in Group C on seven points, level with Romania but behind on head-to-head record. They beat England (2-1) and Croatia (1-0) before a goalless draw against Romania on Matchday 3; eventual champions Spain proved too strong in the semi-finals, coming from behind to run out 4-1 victors in Reggio Emilia. • That draw against Romania was the first group game in the U21 finals France had failed to win; they recorded three victories in both 2002 and 2006 before their two successes in 2019. • Ripoll, who has been in charge since 2017, guided Les Bleuets to these finals as winners of qualifying Group 2, his side picking up 27 points from their ten games to edge out fellow finalists Switzerland for first place after the teams had finished level on points. France's sole defeat was a 3-1 reverse to the Swiss, who they beat by the same scoreline in their final qualifier to claim first place on goal difference. • Odsonne Édouard's 11 goals in qualifying, which included penalties in four successive matches, made him the second top scorer overall, behind only Eddie Nketiah of England (13 goals). • France have lost only three of their last 33 European U21 Championship matches (W26 D4). Denmark • This is Denmark's fourth successive U21 final tournament, and a sixth participation in the eight or 12-team finals. They were eliminated in the group stage in 2006, 2011 on home soil, 2017 and 2019, but did reach the semi-finals in 2015, losing 4-1 to eventual champions Sweden. • Two years ago in Italy, the Danes were eiminated having finished second in Group B behind eventual runners-up Germany having collected six points from their three games (W2 L1). • Their results in the 2019 finals mean Denmark have won six of their 15 group stage games in the final tournament overall, losing seven. They have drawn none of the last 13. • A place in the 2015 semi-finals equalled Denmark's most successful U21 campaign; they also reached the last four in 1992 having previously got to the quarter-finals in 1978 and 1986. 3 France - Denmark Thursday 25 March 2021 - 21.00CET (21.00 local time) Match press kit Haladás Stadion, Szombathely • Albert Capellas succeeded Niels Frederiksen as coach after those 2019 finals and oversaw an unbeaten qualifying campaign, his side picking up 26 points from their ten matches (W8 D2) to win Group 8 by six points from Romania. • Jacob Bruun Larsen provided seven assists in qualifying, more than any other player. Links and trivia • Celtic's Édouard scored in both legs against Copenhagen in the 2019/20 UEFA Europa League round of 32, although the Danish side still went through after a 1-1 home draw and 3-1 away win. Victor Nelsson appeared in both games for Copenhagen with Mohamed Daramy a late substitute in Glasgow. 4 France - Denmark Thursday 25 March 2021 - 21.00CET (21.00 local time) Match press kit Haladás Stadion, Szombathely Squad list France Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers 1 Alban Lafont 23/01/1999 22 Nantes - 10 0 0 0 10 - 16 Dimitry Bertaud 06/06/1998 22 Montpellier - 0 0 0 0 - - 23 Ilan Meslier 02/03/2000 21 Leeds - 0 0 0 0 - - Defenders 2 Pierre Kalulu 05/06/2000 20 Milan - 0 0 0 0 - - 3 Wesley Fofana 17/12/2000 20 Leicester - 2 0 0 0 2 - 4 Boubacar Kamara 23/11/1999 21 Marseille - 6 0 0 0 6 - 5 Benoît Badiashile 26/03/2001 19 Monaco - 4 0 0 0 4 - 6 Ibrahima Konaté 25/05/1999 21 Leipzig - 2 0 0 0 6 - 7 Adrien Truffert 20/11/2001 19 Rennes - 2 0 0 0 2 - 12 Jules Koundé 12/11/1998 22 Sevilla - 5 1 0 0 5 1 13 Colin Dagba 09/09/1998 22 Paris S 7 1 0 0 10 1 21 Faitout Maouassa 06/07/1998 22 Rennes - 3 0 0 0 3 - Midfielders 10 Mattéo Guendouzi 14/04/1999 21 Hertha - 8 0 0 0 11 - 11 Jonathan Ikoné 02/05/1998 22 LOSC - 3 1 0 0 7 2 14 Aurélien Tchouameni 27/01/2000 21 Monaco - 0 0 0 0 - - 15 Romain Faivre 14/07/1998 22 Brest - 4 2 0 0 4 2 17 Eduardo Camavinga 10/11/2002 18 Rennes - 1 0 0 0 1 - 19 Armand Lauriente 04/12/1998 22 Lorient - 0 0 0 0 - - 20 Boubakary Soumaré 27/02/1999 22 LOSC - 8 0 0 0 8 - Forwards 8 Alexis Claude-Maurice 06/06/1998 22 Nice - 0 0 0 0 - - 9 Amine Gouiri 16/02/2000 21 Nice - 6 3 0 0 6 3 18 Randal Kolo Muani 05/12/1998 22 Nantes - 4 1 0 0 4 1 22 Odsonne Édouard 16/01/1998 23 Celtic - 8 11 0 0 8 11 Coach - Sylvain Ripoll 15/08/1971 49 - 10 0 0 0 24 - 5 France - Denmark Thursday 25 March 2021 - 21.00CET (21.00 local time) Match press kit Haladás Stadion, Szombathely Denmark Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers 1 Oliver Christensen 22/03/1999 22 OB - 10 0 0 0 10 - 16 Peter Vindhal-Jensen 16/02/1998 23 Nordsjælland - 0 0 0 0 - - 22 Mads Hermansen 11/07/2000 20 Brøndby - 0 0 0 0 - - Defenders 2 Mads Roerslev 24/06/1999 21 Brentford - 2 0 0 0 2 - 3 Andreas Poulsen 13/10/1999 21 Austria Wien - 5 1 0 0 8 1 4 Mads Bech 07/01/1999 22 Brentford - 6 0 0 0 6 - 5 Victor Nelsson 14/10/1998 22 Copenhagen - 10 1 0 0 23 1 12 Sebastian Hausner 11/04/2000 20 AGF S 1 0 0 0 1 - 13 Frederik Alves Ibsen 08/11/1999 21 West Ham - 3 0 0 0 3 - 15 Rasmus Carstensen 10/11/2000 20 Silkeborg - 4 0 0 0 4 - Midfielders 6 Nikolas Nartey 22/02/2000 21 Sandhausen - 9 1 0 0 9 1 8 Jesper Lindstrøm 29/02/2000 21 Brøndby - 3 1 0 0 3 1 11 Anders Dreyer 02/05/1998 22 Midtjylland - 6 0 0 0 11 - 14 Morten Hjulmand 25/06/1999 21 Lecce - 6 0 0 0 6 - 18 Victor Jensen 08/02/2000 21 Nordsjælland - 2 2 0 0 2 2 19 Gustav Isaksen 19/04/2001 19 Midtjylland - 4 0 0 0 4 - 20 Magnus Kofod Andersen 10/05/1999 21 Nordsjælland - 10 0 0 0 12 - Forwards 7 Nikolai Laursen 19/02/1998 23 Emmen - 6 2 0 0 7 3 9 Nikolai Baden Frederiksen 18/05/2000 20 Tirol - 0 0 0 0 - - 10 Jacob Bruun Larsen 19/09/1998 22 Anderlecht - 7 2 0 0 18 5 17 Mohamed Daramy 07/01/2002 19 Copenhagen - 3 0 0 0 3 - 21 Carlo Holse 02/06/1999 21 Rosenborg - 8 0 0 0 8 - 23 Wahidullah Faghir 29/07/2003 17 VB - 0 0 0 0 - - Coach - Alberto Capellas Herms 01/10/1967 53 - 0 0 0 0 - - 6 France - Denmark Thursday 25 March 2021 - 21.00CET (21.00 local time) Match press kit Haladás Stadion, Szombathely Match officials Referee Irfan Peljto (BIH) Assistant referees Senad Ibrisimbegović (BIH) , Davor Beljo (BIH) Fourth official Sandro Schärer (SUI) UEFA Delegate Paul Lyon (GIB) UEFA Referee observer Roberto Rosetti (ITA) Referee Under-21 Name Date of birth UEFA matches matches Irfan Peljto 18/07/1984 4 46 UEFA European Under-21 Championship matches featuring teams from the two countries involved in this match Stage Date Competition Home Away Result Venue reached 07/09/2018 U21 QR Bulgaria France 0-1 Stara Zagora Other matches involving