Who played the last time England under-21s lost a qualifying match?

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England under-21s defeated their Andorran counterparts last night, avenging a recent draw with the minnows that represented a rare blip for this age-group of England players. 

Indeed, England’s under-21s have now gone 44 games without losing a qualifying match. 

Not since a dramatic 2-1 loss to Belgium in November 2011, exactly nine years ago to the day, have England’s Young Lions tasted defeat in a qualifier.

So what happened to the group that lost that game with Belgium after Omar El Kaddourri struck a stoppage-time winner?

Where are they now?

Jack Butland

Many pundits had this lad pegged as the next Gordon Banks and he did go on to become an England international and starred for Stoke City in the Premier League. 

Unfortunately, Butland’s form has dipped in recent times and he joined Crystal Palace on a cut-price deal in the summer where he now plays back-up to Vicente Guaita. 

Adam Smith

The then Tottenham defender filled in at left-back that night and has since gone on to have a fantastic career with Bournemouth following seven loan spells away from Spurs. 

Still at the Cherries and pushing for a return to the Premier League.

Nathaniel Clyne

Another player who went on to win senior caps the Crystal Palace youngster looked a future star when with the Young Lions. Stints at Southampton and Liverpool have followed but injuries have derailed his career somewhat. Returned to his boyhood club on a free transfer this summer.

Martin Kelly

The goal scorer on the night and a player considered a future Liverpool first-team regular. 

However, he was actually assisted by a future Liverpool captain for his goal and although he did win one England cap in 2014 Kelly is now a team-mate of Clyne’s at Palace where he is a trusted member of the squad.

Craig Dawson

The no-nonsense defender has never played for England but was a major part of the Great Britain team at the London 2012 Olympics.

Now at West Ham United on loan from Watford.

Jason Lowe

Considered the gem of Blackburn Rovers’ academy the holding midfielder was expected to go far in the game. 

Unfortunately, injuries started to impact his career and he was released by Blackburn in 2017. Stints at Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers have followed and Lowe is now plying his trade in League Two with Salford City. 

Jordan Henderson

Probably the biggest success story of the team that played that night. Henderson set up his then Liverpool team-mate Kelly for the goal that evening just a few months after joining the Reds. 

Nine years later and he is a Champions League and Premier League-winning captain at Anfield. 

Josh McEachran

Tipped for greatness by the late great Ray Wilkins the technically-gifted number 10 was one of those players many said would have been better off being Spanish, or Italian, or German. Somewhere where his gifts would be better appreciated. 

His time at Chelsea was a merry-go-round of loan deals before joining Brentford in 2015. After four years at Griffin Park, he joined Birmingham City in 2019 where he has, unfortunately, battled serious knee injuries.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

The youngest player in the starting XI that night the electric winger had only just joined Arsenal the previous summer.

Has since gone on to make 35 senior caps for his nation and is a big favourite of Jurgen Klopp’s at Anfield. If it wasn’t for injury trouble, who knows what he might have achieved but at just 27-years-old there is plenty of time to find out. 

Sammy Ameobi

Despite caps for the Nigeria under-20’s, the nation which his brother Shola represented with aplomb, Ameobi made five appearances for the England under-21s including this one. 

Spells at Middlesbrough, Cardiff and Bolton have led the former Newcastle United graduate to Nottingham Forest where he is terrorising full-backs to this day. 

Unfortunately, has never gone on to represent either the Three Lions or Super Eagles at senior level – despite declaring for Nigeria in 2014.

Marvin Sordell

Considered a future England regular in attack the Watford talent has had the most interesting career since. 

He joined Bolton in 2012 before stints at Charlton, Burnley, Colchester, Coventry City, and Northampton Town. Sordell retired from football at the young age of 28 last summer citing his mental health. 

Has since become an advocate for mental health, especially in young men, and appears far happier away from the game. 

Jason Steele

Middlesbrough’s young goalie has since played for Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, and now finds himself as the main back-up for Brighton since sitting on the bench that night nine years ago. 

Jon Flanagan

Threatened to become an England stalwart at one stage being dubbed the ‘Scouse Cafu’.

But after one England cap, his career at Liverpool was decimated by injuries. 

After spells with Burnley, Bolton, and Rangers the 27-year-old is now playing his football in Belgium with Sporting Charleroi.

Gary Gardner

The midfielder hung around at Aston Villa until 2019, spending much of that time on loan with the likes of Coventry, Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Barnsley. 

His last loan spell was at city rivals Birmingham City who he subsequently joined permanently in 2019 and remains today.

Lewis Dunk

The Brighton defender never actually got a game for the under-2s but that did not hold him back. Helped the Seagulls find their way to the Premier League and even got his own senior England cap in 2018. 

Ross Barkley

The Everton talent was supposed to be the next Paul Gascoigne. Whilst he has not quite lived up to that level of hyperbole he is finding form once again on loan at Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea.

Jacob Butterfield

The Barnsley youngster never got a chance to play for the England under-21s and has had a journeyman’s career ever since a big move to Norwich City did not pan out in 2012. The midfielder has called Bolton, Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough, Huddersfield, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford City, and Luton Town home since then. 

Last month, he decided enough was enough and made the great escape to Australia, where he will be playing his football with Melbourne Victory in the A-League.

Will Keane

The talented striker has had a career blighted by injury but has settled into life as a Football League frontman. 

Joined Wigan Athletic in October where he has shown early signs of promise and has now declared himself for the Republic of Ireland national team.