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The UEFA U21 Euros will be held in Hungary and Slovenia this year.
The tournament is an excellent platform for young players to perform on a big stage and showcase their prowess. It is also a great opportunity for clubs to scout talented youngsters and stay ahead in the transfer game.
For fans, it is an opportunity to catch an early glimpse of players who could go on to dominate the game in the years to come.
Five players to watch out for at UEFA U21 Euros 2021:
Despite the UEFA U21 Euros being an age-group tournament, players enter the competition at various stages of their careers.
For some, it is their first taste of the limelight. For others, it is a chance to move ahead in their careers to a new league or a bigger club, etc. Then there are players who are already in the public eye and looking to prove a point.
On that note, let's take a look at five such well-known players who could be ones to watch out for at the 2021 UEFA U21 Euros.
#1 Riqui Puig (Spain)
A lot has been spoken about Riqui Puig this season. The diminutive central midfielder has been touted as one of the best La Masia talents in recent years, but first-team opportunities have taken time to come by.
They only came at the end of last season, and Puig took them with both hands. He looked set to become a starter this season. but things haven't gone to plan.
Ronald Koeman has had a glimpse of what the young Spaniard could offer. But the player has only made 20 appearances across competitions. Despite his limited minutes, Puig has done well whenever he has been called upon.
The U21 Euros could be the stage for Puig to remind the world and especially Ronald Koeman and Barcelona about what he is capable of.
#2 Jules Kounde (France)
There can definitely be a case for Jules Kounde being the best U21 defender in the world.
He could be one , if not the best player in the U21 Euros, so it's a surprise that he hasn't made his senior debut yet.
With a lot of clubs reportedly interested in him, the 22-year-old Frencham could secure a big move to one of Europe's elite clubs by producing a big outing at the U21 Euros.
The last month or so hasn't been the best for him, as both Erling Haaland and Ousmane Dembele ran rings around him. But Kounde's potential is massive, and he'll look for a productive U21 Euros campaign.
#3 Callum Hudson-Odoi (England)
A few summers ago, U20 Euros-bound Callum Hudson-Odoi was a part of one of the brightest crop of England's youth teams ever, as he won the U17 World Cup in India.
Fast forward four years, the likes of Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden have gone on to consolidate their position as one of the game's brightest youngsters. But Callum Hudson-Odoi has seemingly slipped behind the duo.
Although his talent is obvious, Hudson-Odoi hasn't really kicked on yet. Part of that can be attributed to his lack of enough opportunities at Chelsea. In fact, he made his England senior debut before starting a game in the Premier League. A move to Bayern Munich also fell through.
At the U21 Euros, he'll be eager to prove himself, especially to Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate, that he deserves more game-time and can be as good as some of his contemporaries.
#4 Justin Kluivert (Netherlands)
When the father is a legendary footballer, it's very natural for the son to dream of becoming a footballer as well. That is something Justin Kluivert has had to face regularly.
Part of a great generation at Ajax's academy alongside the likes of Frenkie De Jong, Matthijs De Ligt and Donny Van de Beek, Justin Kluivert did well for Ajax - scoring 13 times in 56 games. But he left in the summer of 2018 before Ajax made their fairy tale semi-final run in the Champions League.
The son of Patrick Kluivert moved to Roma where he didn't really do much. Justin Kluivert is now on loan at Leipzig and is truly out of the spotlight. But that's perhaps for the better.
Justin Kluivert is a talented player, and this edition of the U21 Euros could provide him the chance to announce himself on the world stage.
#5 Youssoufa Moukoko (Germany)
The average age of footballers is going down, as more and more young talents are breaking through. But never has a 16 year been spoken about as much as Youssoufa Moukoko has.
Moukoko scored 141 goals in just 88 appearances in the youth ranks, despite only turning 16. As soon as he was of the required age, Borussia Dortmund made sure he debuted for the first team. He has done well, already thrice scoring thrice.
Great things are expected of Moukoko and although he still just 16, there will be a lot of eyes on him.
