Youngsters who could shine for their country at Euro 2024

26th June 2023

The Euros is one of the best competitions in the world to spot talents, and youngsters emerge from almost every edition of the competition.

In Euro 2020, we saw Bukayo Saka emerge as one of the world’s best players for England as they nearly won the competition on home turf.

The likes of Jadon Sancho, Federico Chiesa and Manuel Locatelli also proved to be very good footballers with their performance in that competition.

This ensured the competition maintained its reputation as one of the tournaments that helped to bring out the best in young players.

Many footballers will head into the next edition as the youngest players in their national team and may not even be starters immediately.

However, eventually, they will win a place on the team and become very hard to drop for their national team managers.

Several countries have a long way to go in terms of qualifying for the finals, while some are already very close to securing their ticket to the competition.

Most national teams are now being led by young players, and these are the people who will form the core of their squads if they qualify for the competition next year.

The major European leagues have seen clubs prioritising young players recently for several reasons.

One is that they offer long-term value, which saves them from spending a huge sum on another professional in the long run.

Secondly, they could be resold for huge fees. Whichever the goal, their development benefits their countries as well, and it would be on full show during the Euros.

In this article, we look at some amazing young players who would be exciting to watch if their country qualifies for the Euros.

Bukayo Saka, Arsenal, England, 21

Saka will get a chance to finally banish the ghost of Euro 2020, where he lost the decisive penalty, and England was defeated by Italy to win the competition at Wembley.

The Arsenal man has been going strong since then and nearly helped the Gunners to win the last Premier League title.

He is one player that Gareth Southgate likes a lot, and the attacker would be eager to make his country proud in that competition.

Everyone who watched him in the last campaign for Arsenal would have no doubt that the Londoner is ready and has matured into a footballer that can be trusted to lead a team to trophies.

With him and the likes of Phil Foden, England would have an attack that most countries would fear in that competition.

Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Norway, 22

Haaland is the player most fans will buy Euro 2024 tickets to watch, and we can all understand why they would do that.

The Norwegian is set to compete for the Ballon d’Or at the next event after helping Manchester City to win the treble in his first season in England.

Haaland was expected to struggle in the Premier League, which is often named the toughest in the world, but he has made a light walk of the competition.

The striker scored 36 goals and provided eight assists in just 35 Premier League games alone. If he takes this form with him to the Euros, Norway will be unstoppable.

Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid, England, 19

Bellingham has become the latest Englishman to play for Real Madrid, and he might have the most successful spell of them all.

The midfielder broke onto the scene at Birmingham as a teenager that was so good the club retired his shirt number when he moved to Borussia Dortmund.

He nearly won the league with the Bundesliga side on the final day of last season, but he was injured, and BVB could not win.

He was one of the star men for the England team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and he could lead the Three Lions to win the next Euro if he hits the ground running in Madrid immediately.

Eduardo Camavinga, Real Madrid, France, 20

Camavinga played 37 league games for Real Madrid last season to show how much of an important player he is for the Spanish club.

The French youngster has developed a reputation for being cool under pressure and knows how to boss the midfield effortlessly.

His form in the Champions League has made him a player most clubs wish they had signed, and France knows the quality he possesses.

Les Bleus would be eager to win the Euros next year, and Camavinga is one player we expect to be on the plane and play a very important part on the pitch for his country.

Phil Foden, Manchester City, England 23

Foden is another Manchester City youngster who will be expected to do well for their country at the next Euros after their recent achievements at the club level.

The attacker is one of the finest players in the Premier League, but Gareth Southgate has often struggled to get the best from him, as was the case with Trent Alexander Arnold.

However, the gaffer would have watched how City used him to conquer English and European football in the last campaign and should make better use of one of the most naturally gifted footballers England has ever had.

Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich, Germany, 20

Musiala is one of the biggest talents that got away from England after deciding to play for Germany following his switch from Chelsea to Bayern Munich.

The attacker makes playing, dribbling and scoring look so easy most of the time and is set to become a German international for several years.

Musiala is just 20, but he has been around the top of the European game for several seasons, and he seems to be a veteran.

The attacker scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 33 league games for Bayern last season, even though the campaign was not the best for them, despite winning the league.

He is a player the club trusts to continue delivering top performances for them, and he will certainly be on the plane when Germany travels for the Euros.

Gavi, Barcelona, Spain 18

Gavi has developed into one of the world’s best midfielders at Barcelona, and he is still just 18, which is remarkable.

The teenager is already a starter for club and country and was instrumental in helping the Catalans win the last La Liga title as he pulled the strings from midfield.

Spain prides itself on the midfielders they have brought through over the years, and we expect Gavi to shine if the country makes a meaningful impact at the next Euros.

Pedri, Barcelona, Spain 20

Pedri is another young Barcelona player we expect to see in fine form at the next Euros because he is simply ready.

At 20, Pedri has already been around first-team football for four full seasons, which makes him seem like a veteran in the game.

Spain has several midfielders they can use in matches, but La Roja is building its midfield around Pedri and Gavi, and it seems to be a smart choice.

Their understanding at the club level will help them partner with each other brilliantly at the Euros; perhaps the Spanish team will end their wait to win another crown.

Xavi Simons, PSV, Netherlands, 20

Simons is one of the most exciting young players who have emerged from the Netherlands in the last few years.

The 20-year-old has continued to do well after leaving PSG for PSV so that he can get regular game time.

He was on the books of Barcelona earlier in his career, which shows how big of a talent he has been for most of his life.

The Netherlands would be eager for him to deliver for them when the next Euros come around. With 19 goals and 8 assists from 34 league matches last season, Simons seems ready to deliver.