If you really pay attention, there is always a major tournament going on across the globe. The footballing calendar never relents. There is little respite for world class players. They deal with grueling seasons for their clubs. Instead of summers on holiday, internationals usually spend their time in training camps and tournament play. There is always something to qualify for, always something on the horizon. This doesn’t just go for the senior teams. Interest in youth competitions has grown over the years, as the race for talent in an increasingly rich global marketplace intensifies. The UEFA U21 Euros will conclude today and some very recognizable names took part in the competition. But there are some little more under the radar who had brilliant showings that could propel them to bigger clubs and potential senior call-ups ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Saúl Ñíguez (Spain/Atletico Madrid)
Gerard Deulofeu is the elder statesman of the Spanish U21 side. Marco Asensio rose to prominence this year with Real Madrid. However, the star of La Rojita at this tournament has been Atletico’s Saúl. Now, this isn’t me saying Atletico Madrid is a small club. They just aren’t in the spending stratosphere of Europe’s elite cash splashers. Saúl is the leading scorer at the U21 with five goals. Three of those came in a master class showing against Italy in the semi-final. He is deployed in a more holding role with his club, but these past two weeks have shown that Saúl, when given the opportunity, is deadly in front of net. It’ll be interesting to see if his work in Poland catches the eyes of a big fish on the continent willing to give him that role on a more permanent basis.
Max Meyer (Germany/Schalke 04)
Gary Lineker once famously said “Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.” With the U21 side in their final and the senior team in a similar position at the Confederations Cup, the reigning World Cup champions have cupboards stockpiled. With that being said, it is easy for players not at Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund to get lost in the shuffle. That isn’t so with Max Meyer. The Schalke man has been the fulcrum in the German midfield, making the transition from defense to attack as smooth as silk. Tottenham and Liverpool are preparing for a bidding war for the 21-year-old. More will come calling after 2018 when I can see him inevitably being on Germany’s roster for Russia.
Andrea Conti (Italy/Atalanta)
AC Milan may end up losing Gianluigi Donnarumma, their all-world teenage keeper. However, the blow of his departure could be softened by the arrival of one of Italy’s U21 standout defenders, Andrea Conti. As more teams across Europe try to emulate Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3, players of Conti’s ilk become more and more valuable. Conti was sorely missed in the Azzurrini’s exit from the U21 Euros, as a second yellow card kept him sidelined against Spain. Before that, he was a terror as a right wing back. Italy has always been known for developing world class defenders, but most of those are centrally based. As the game evolves, Conti will surely help his nation adapt and keep that tradition alive.
Bruma (Portugal/Red Bull Leipzig)
Portugal is a polarizing team in international football. The reigning European champions don’t play the prettiest of football, but have some of the world’s finest attacking specimens. When teams look to unearth hidden gems, they look toward Liga NOS. Bruma broke out in 2013 with one of Portugal’s big 3, Sporting Lisbon. He’s plied his trade with Galatasaray in Turkey over the past 5 seasons, torching the opposition with his see-it-to-believe-it pace. He just made a move to Red Bull Leipzig in Germany, one that the club hopes will keep them in the high company they kept in the 2016-17 Bundesliga campaign. Bruma isn’t just a burner though. He can beat you off the dribble with skill and combination play. He’s shown both facets of his game in scoring thrice during the U21 Euros. A repeat at RB Leipzig will surely give him bigger and better opportunities continentally.
Who else starred at the U21s? Let us know in the comments and follow the game on GameView!