Euro 2020 is edging closer and it’s sure to be a memorable tournament with big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski in action.
But it’s also going to be intriguing looking out for the young talents who’ll hope to make a name for themselves at this tournament, as we saw some greats do in the past.
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Michael Owen is still perhaps best known for his stunning solo goal for England when he was still just 18 years old at the 1998 World Cup, while Wayne Rooney also lit up Euro 2004 as a teenager.
Mbappe was also at that stage of his career when he helped France to World Cup glory three years ago, but as he’s now a more seasoned and experienced pro, here’s a look at some other up-and-coming talents to watch out for at the Euros this summer…
Phil Foden (England)
In fairness, Phil Foden is a player who needs no introduction as he’s already a star player for Manchester City. Still, this is the 21-year-old’s chance to establish himself on the international stage, and there’s no guarantee he’ll get into the team due to so much competition from the likes of Mason Mount and Jack Grealish, so it will be intriguing to see if he can grasp the opportunity if it comes along.
Pedri (Spain)
Still only 18 years of age, Pedri is in the Spain squad this summer after an outstanding breakthrough season in the Barcelona first-team. It’s going to be hard for Spain to ever replace that Golden Generation that won three international tournaments in a row, but in Pedri they have a huge prospect for the future. Another elite youngster in Ansu Fati will, however, miss the tournament through injury.
Ryan Gravenberch (Netherlands)
Already a key player for club and country at the age of just 19, Ryan Gravenberch is definitely a player we might be hearing a lot more about after Euro 2020 is done. The teenager established himself as a starter for Ajax in the season just gone and recently scored his first goal for his country as he gets warmed up for the big matches coming up.
Bukayo Saka (England)
Another England player we know a lot about, Bukayo Saka is becoming one of Arsenal’s most important attackers after a superb season at the Emirates Stadium. It remains to be seen if the 19-year-old can definitely get into Gareth Southgate’s starting XI on a regular basis, but he has the potential to be something of a secret weapon at the Euros.
Dejan Kulusevski (Sweden)
After impressing on loan at Parma from Atalanta, Juventus didn’t miss the chance to snap up Dejan Kulusevski last summer, and his first season in Turin has shown what he’s capable of. Still only 21 years of age, the classy attacking midfielder is now Sweden’s big hope as they look to life beyond the ageing Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Joao Felix (Portugal)
Long considered an outstanding prospect, Joao Felix’s career has perhaps stalled slightly after struggling to show his best form at Atletico Madrid. The 21-year-old may be more comfortable in this Portugal side, so could be as important to their bid to retain the trophy as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva are.
Jude Bellingham (England)
A player who won’t turn 18 until later this month, Jude Bellingham has enjoyed a truly remarkable rise in the last year or so. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder is a real all-rounder who arguably already looks like he could be a key player for England despite having just four caps to his name. Not bad for a player who was bossing it in midfield for Championship side Birmingham City when he was just 16 years old. There seems to be no limit to how far this kid can go.
Orkun Kokcu (Turkey)
A player that will be well known by Eredivisie viewers, Orkun Kokcu has long looked an elite prospect with his performances for Feyenoord. Now the 20-year-old has the chance to show what he can do for the Turkish national team on the big stage this summer, and it’s hard to imagine he won’t have transfer suitors queuing up if he can perform in these high-profile matches.
Adam Hlozek (Czech Republic)
Despite still only being 18 years of age, Adam Hlozek has been a first-team regular for Sparta Prague for the last three seasons, and scored an impressive 15 goals in 19 league matches in the campaign just gone. This exciting wonderkid surely has what it takes to emerge as a surprise star for the Czech Republic if they’re brave enough to throw him into the team this summer.
Billy Gilmour (Scotland)
Finally, we’ve not seen that much of Billy Gilmour for Chelsea, but the 19-year-old has shown flashes of real quality and might get more opportunities to play in the Scottish national team. It’s the first time in a while that we’ve seen Scotland at an international tournament, but with talented players like Gilmour in their squad, they shouldn’t be underestimated.