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The U-21 Euro Championship or UEFA European Under-21 Championship is conducted every two years. It is a showcase for the outstanding talent of bright young footballers from throughout Europe.
These up-and-coming players use the competition as a stage to show off their abilities against their contemporaries and gain priceless experience on the international stage.
The tournament acts as a talent pool for scouts and managers to find potential stars who may go on to make a huge impact on the senior international stage in addition to offering exhilarating matches and intense competition.
The 2023 U-21 Euro kicked off on June 21. After a gruelling set of fixtures, England and Spain have booked their berths in the final which will take place today (8 July, 2023).
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the best players in the competition this time around.
#5 Levi Colwill (England)
England are yet to concede a single goal at the U-21 Euro and it is in, no short part, thanks to the exploits of young centre-back Levi Colwill, who was on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion from Chelsea last term.
Comfortable with the ball at his feet, Colwill is a confident centre-back who is as assured about distribution as he is when it comes to making excellent tackles. The young left-footed defender is capable of playing line-breaking passes with ease and is also a physically dominant presence.
He has dominated aerial duels and has shown the ability to keep up with some of the fastest attackers at the tournament. Colwill has impressed fans and pundits with his maturity and decision-making as well.
#4 Curtis Jones (England)
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones has done a great job for England at U-21 Euro. He has exhibited his leadership qualities and game intelligence to help make England a juggernaut of sorts at the competition.
He is quite press-resistant thanks to his close control and dribbling skills and is a technically gifted footballer. Jones has also stuck in when it comes to duels and has been a combative presence in the centre of the pitch for the Three Lions.
He has shown considerable improvement since the turn of the year and was a standout performer for Liverpool in the closing stages of the 2022-23 season. It's safe to say that he has definitely carried that form into U-21 Euro for England.
#3 Rodri Sanchez (Spain)
Spanish midfielder Rodri Sanchez has been one of the most impactful players in the tournament. He has registered the most number of key and smart passes at U-21 Euro. Smart passes are essentially line-breaking passes which give the player's team an advantage inside the attacking third.
Sanchez has impressed with his dribbling, close control and ability to deliver balls into dangerous areas in the final third. The Real Betis man definitely has all the tools to grow into a top player in Europe and has been critical to Spain's journey to the final of U-21 Euro.
In addition to his creativity, the sheer composure he displays in the attacking third makes him a player to watch out for in the future.
#2 Morgan Gibbs-White (England)
Morgan Gibbs-White missed a penalty in the 17th minute of the semi-final against Israel but made up for it by opening the scoring for his side 25 minutes later. He has been in fine form throughout and has produced top performances against the likes of Israel and Portugal.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder has scored one goal and provided three assists for England at U-21 Euro so far and is expected to be a key player for them in the final against Spain on Saturday.
#1 Sergio Gomez (Spain)
Dynamic Manchester City youngster Sergio Gomez has been a revelation at U-21 Euro. He has done a really good job on the wings for Spain U-21 and has been one of their most influential players in recent times. Gomez has scored nine goals and provided eight assists in his last 16 games for Spain U-21.
He has scored three goals and provided two assists in the tournament and is the joint-top scorer alongside Heorhiy Viktorovych Sudakov of Ukraine. Gomez has impressed with his dribbling, passing and finishing.
In addition to being a vital cog in attack, he has also done very well in defensive transitions and could prove to be a huge asset for Manchester City in the future.
