After months of feverish excitement and perpetual drama that included a dethroned UEFA president, the glorious European showpiece is finally upon us. Many memorable moments will be created, and bitter rivalries spanning decades will be rekindled as the cream of the continent vye for glory in a tournament that is assured to be a thoroughly exciting spectacle, with supporters around the world promised a flurry of goals and 30 days of ceaseless frenzy.
The Euros have always served as a great launching pad for young prospects looking to improve their credentials, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wesley Sneijder, Wayne Rooney and Bastian Schweinsteiger having received their big breaks in previous versions of the tournament.
Here’s a look at seven such prospects who have the capability of becoming the breakout stars of the Euros 2016:
#7 Breel Embolo – Switzerland
The 19-year-old wonderkid currently plying his trade in Switzerland for perennial champions FC Basel is one of the most sought after prospects in world football and like his Swiss compatriot Granit Xhaka, could soon earn himself a move to a European heavyweight.
Combining pace, vivacity and clever movement, the Cameroon-born centre-forward has enjoyed two highly successful seasons in the Swiss Premier League, grabbing 13 goals and 7 assists in just 27 appearances in their most recent title-winning campaign, and earning himself a long list of admirers which reportedly includes the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham.
The Swiss possess a young and spirited squad, and this summer could prove to be a great opportunity for Embolo to showcase his talents and announce himself on the international stage.
#6 Jason Denayer – Belgium
An impressive spell at Galatasaray on loan from Manchester City, combined with injuries to defenders Vincent Kompany, Dedryck Boyata and Nicolas Lombaerts, means that 20-year-old Jason Denayer now has an assured place in the heart of Belgium’s defence.
The RSC Anderlecht academy player first made a splash on the European scene with a great loan spell at Celtic in 2014, which culminated with the Scottish club winning the title and League Cup, and Denayer walking away with the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Nicknamed “the new Kompany” due to the similarities between both their career graph and their style of play, Denayer is a physically imposing, and fast ball-playing centre half cut from the same cloth as the injured Belgian captain whom he is replacing.
While the unenviable task of shackling tricky Italian forwards and an in-form Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the group stages might be arduous given his lack of international pedigree, a good showing could very well cement his place in the national squad and also guarantee a big future at the club level, and a chance to impress incoming Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
#5 Arkadiusz Milik – Poland
Poland were a force to be reckoned with during the qualification campaign and have been touted by many as one of the genuine dark horses of the tournament. Many fans tend to attribute their recent startling successes entirely to elite striker Robert Lewandowski, while forgetting the equally vital role that Arek Milik played in them. They finished merely 1 point behind Germany, scoring a whopping 33 goals, to which Milik’s contribution of 6 included vital strikes against Germany and Scotland.
The 22-year-old Pole has flourished internationally as the second striker in a 4-4-2 formation, playing Robin to Lewandowski’s Batman. Domestically too he has been in fine form, netting 21 goals in 31 appearances for Ajax in the Eredivisie, with coach Frank De Boer comparing him to previous Ajax stars Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Luis Suarez.
Many pundits have even hailed him as an outside bet to be the top goalscorer in the tournament, and if he carries over the scoring form that he showcased domestically and during qualification, it would definitely cement his position as one of the best up and coming centre forwards on the continent.
#4 Hakan Calhanoglu – Turkey
The 23-year-old dead-ball specialist has a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders going into the tournament. Making it out of a group which includes heavyweights Spain, a talent-laden Croatian side, and a Czech Republic side that definitely won’t be a pushover, is assured to be an onerous task. Calhanoglu, along with the influential captain Arda Turan, is probably their best hope of making it into the knockout stage.
The Bayer Leverkusen man will act as the creative hub of the team, and his performances will be vital to spurring on a side that was extremely goal-shy in the qualifiers, managing only 9 goals in 10 games. He won’t be a stranger to the role, though, having been the creative focal point of a brilliant Leverkusen side that managed to finish third in the Bundesliga this season.
Often regarded as the best free-kick taker currently active in the world, the fleet-footed midfielder is also a potent goal threat, as he proved in an international friendly against England last month. Influential performances in the tournament would alert multiple European big guns, with Liverpool and Barcelona being known admirers of the player.
#3 Kingsley Coman – France
The Frenchman probably boasts the best track record of the lot, having won three titles with three different clubs in the past three seasons. However, it has been in the past season with Bayern Munich that the 19-year-old speedster has genuinely proven his mettle. Under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, Coman featured heavily both domestically and in Europe, with his extra-time winner against parent club Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinals arguably being the highlight.
He has shown great maturity on either flank for the Bavarians, combining to devastating effect with Brazilian winger Douglas Costa, and has been touted as the long-term replacement for the mercurial Franck Ribery.
Although he is a rookie at the international level with only 3 caps to his name, his blistering pace, direct approach, and mesmeric dribbling rightly sees him in the squad for the Euros. Since France are stacked with brilliance in the wide areas, his initial appearances might come as an impact sub, a role that he revelled at with Bayern Munich.
#2 Dele Alli – England
It’s remarkable to think that the PFA Young Player of the Year of the 2015-16 English Premier League, who is all but confirmed to be a starter for England’s opening match against Russia, was a League One player only last year. Such has been the meteoric rise of Dele Alli.
Recalled by Mauricio Pochettino from his loan at MK Dons at the start of the season, he looked at home in the top flight from the very beginning of what turned out to be a season that dreams are made of, as Alli became a key component of the North London side’s phenomenal "nearly" season.
The towering midfielder became the youngest midfielder to score 10 goals, racking up 11 in total, and assisted a further 9 times, thus firmly established his place in the attacking midfield of the Tottenham team.
His England career story is just as stunning, with him scoring a belter in his first appearance for the national team, against France, and later winning the Man of the Match accolade against reigning world champions Germany. Blessed with the ability to drive the play forward, while also possessing the work rate to shield the back four, he will be hoping to translate his fine domestic form into the Euros.
#1 Anthony Martial – France
While Manchester United endured a hugely frustrating season both in the Premier League and Europe, the spectacular rise of Anthony Martial was one of the few bright spots in their otherwise turgid campaign. Bought from Monaco for (what was then perceived to be) an eye-watering amount of £36M, his performances have proven him to be an exceptional bargain.
Initially regarded as a risky panic buy, he immediately earned the adulation of fans and critics alike after a stellar debut against Liverpool that saw him make a mockery of Martin Skrtel with a stunning strike.
He proceeded to go from strength to strength in his maiden campaign in the English league, notching 11 strikes in 28 appearances, showcasing maturity and technique beyond his years, and walking away with the coveted European Golden Boy award in December.
While comparisons with Thierry Henry might yet be premature, the likeness is there for all to see, and a good showing in the Euros would cement the notion that we are witnessing the emergence of a bonafide superstar.
