The Soviet Union national under-21 football team was the Under-21 football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist on the break up of the Union.
Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1976, the USSR Under-21 team was formed. The team had a good record, winning the competition twice, reaching the last four once, but failing to qualify for the last eight on five occasions.
After the dissolution of the USSR (on December 26, 1991), the senior team played out its remaining fixtures, which were the finals of Euro 92. Because the USSR U-21s had, by December 26, already failed to qualify for their version of the 1992 European Championship, the former Soviet states didn't play as a combined team at U-21 level ever again.
Of the former Soviet states, only Russia entered the 1992-1994 competition. However, the Russian U-21 team should not be considered as a continuation of this team; a large percentage of the team's players came from outside Russia (Russia still provided the most). A total of 15 former Soviet states play international football today; 11 in Europe under UEFA, 4 in Asia under the AFC.
Since the under-21 competition rules insist that players must be 21 or under at the start ot a two year competition, technically it is an U-23 competition. USSR's unparalleled record in U-23 competitions is also shown.
Read more about Soviet Union National Under-21 Football Team: UEFA U-23 Championship Record, UEFA U-21 Championship Record, 1990 European Championship Squad, National Teams of The Former Soviet Republics
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—Russian saying popular in the Soviet period, trans. by Vladimir Ivanovich Shlyakov (1993)
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—Martina Navratilova (b. 1956)
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