Following the realignment of UEFA's youth competitions in 1962, the USSR Under-18 team was formed.

In 1980, UEFA competitions for under-18 teams were officially restyled as the European Under 18 Football Championship.

The team had a good record, winning the competition sixth times, reaching the final once, but failing to qualify for the last five on 26 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-18s 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-19 level ever again.