UEFA U21 Euros: five players to watch and stand out players so far

The Under-21 European Championship is a competition which is known for catapulting the careers of some of football’s brightest young talent.

Over the years some of the sport's greatest stars have risen to prominence in this competition and the likes of Juan Mata, Petr Cech, Fabio Cannavaro, Luis Figo and Rudi Voller have all been recipients of the competition’s Player of the Tournament award.

The Under-21 tournaments also give player’s the opportunity to showcase their skills ahead of Euro 2024 in Berlin and they will no doubt be of interest to England boss Gareth Southgate who is hoping for glory next summer.

Equally the competition could play an important role in this summer's transfer window and a number of top scouts from the world’s biggest club’s will be hoping to unearth a generational talent.

With that in mind we have taken a look at some of the standout players of the tournament so far, who could become future stars in years to come.

Who are the best players to watch out for at the Under 21 European Championship?

Emile Smith Rowe - England

Emile Smith Rowe will be a familiar name to many Premier League fans particularly those of Arsenal and he enjoyed a sensational breakthrough campaign with The Gunners in 2021/22 which saw him score 10 Premier League goals.

The young midfielder struggled with injuries and form over the last 12 months and largely watched on from the sidelines as The Gunners missed out on the title.

Smith Rowe has reportedly committed his future to Arsenal despite a disappointing campaign and he looks to be showing signs of reigniting his old form and he has scored in two of England’s opening three games.

The Gunners will undoubtedly need depth next season as they return to the Champions League and Smith Rowe’s return to form could prove a huge boost for Arsenal.

Maxence Caqueret - France

The French national team has a large pool of talent particularly in midfield and another player tipped for success is Lyon star Maxence Caqueret.

The 23-year-old has been a regular fixture in Ligue 1 for three seasons and he has made a total of 23 appearances for France at Under-21 level.

He is praised for his stamina and positional sense and is seen as a future first team player for Didier Deschamps side. He currently acts as captain for the team in this year’s tournament and has scored one goal from midfield.

Khephren Thuram - France

France are one of the favourites to win this year’s competition and a huge reason for this is the strength in their midfield and another player to watch is 22-year-old Khephren Thuram.

He is the son of former France World Cup winner Lillian Thuram and brother to Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram.

Thuram is a long term target for Liverpool, according to reports. He made his full France international debut this year and has been praised for his performances in the midfield for Nice over the last three seasons.

Noni Madueke - England

Despite signing for a fee of £29 million in January, Noni Madueke was one of the Chelsea signings that went under the radar, amid their frantic transfer activity.

However, he proved to be one of the bright sparks in a dismal end of the season for The Blues and he is continuing to showcase his talent at this year’s Under 21 Championships, most recently winning man of the match in a 2-0 victory over Germany.

Madueke is blessed with pace, flair and creativity and he could potentially force his way into the Chelsea team on a regular basis under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Joao Neves - Portugal

Benfica have developed a habit of producing young prospects in recent seasons and the latest appears to be 18-year-old Joao Neves.

The central midfielder made his first team debut for Benfica in December 2022 and also featured in their Champions League victory against Club Brugge. In total he has made 17 first team appearances as his team lifted the Premeira Liga.

Neves helped Benfica’s under 23 side win the UEFA League in the 2021/22 season and he is targeting further success at youth level in this tournament.

The youngster has starred in every game so far and scored a crucial volley for his side against Belgium to set up a quarter-final clash with England. 

He is rumoured to be a transfer target for Manchester United this summer.