Bulgaria U21 eliminated from Euro 2027 qualification after loss to Czech Republic

The Bulgaria U21 national football team has been eliminated from contention for the 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship following a 0-1 defeat against the Czech Republic in Group B qualification. The decisive goal was scored by Lukas Masek in the 55th minute.

With this loss, the Czech Republic secured second place in the group, moving four points ahead of Bulgaria and ensuring their participation in the play-offs. The Czech team, coached by Michal Bilek, will conclude their qualifying campaign against Gibraltar, while Bulgaria's hopes for a play-off spot have officially ended.

Bulgarian coach Todor Yanchev expressed pride in his talented generation despite the result, noting that the team showed character in previous matches, such as their victory over Portugal. However, he acknowledged the team's struggles with consistency and the impact of missing key players.