Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil, Sami Khedira, Andrea Pirlo, Luis Figo and Thiago. Some of Europe’s biggest stars all have one thing in common: they all announced themselves on the U21 European Championship stage. As always, there will be scouts everywhere at EURO 2015 searching for Europe’s future stars. DFB.de has picked out a player from each of the eight teams for you to watch out for.
1. Germany: KEVIN VOLLAND (1899 Hoffenheim)
The captain of the German team, according to manager Horst Hrubesch, is a leader “both on and off the pitch”. Volland can play almost anywhere in attach; he’s quick, agile, dribbles brilliantly and can deliver great crosses. He went to the 2013 Euros in Israel, where he watched most of Germany’s group-stage exit from the bench. Now the 22-year-old wants to fire the U21s to the title and make a case for a call up into Joachim Löw’s team.
2. England: HARRY KANE (Tottenham Hotspur)
From substitute to Tottenham’s goal machine: the 21-year-old exploded onto the Premier League scene last season, scoring 21 goals and coming second on the top-scorers list. Even more astonishing – he scored on his England debut just 80 seconds after being subbed on. Dubbed “Golden Boy” by his team mates, it’s no wonder that Manchester United have him at the top of their transfer wish list.
3. Italy: DOMENICO BERARDI (Sassuolo)
Berardi was already making history at just 19 years old: in January 2014 he scored four goals for Sassuolo in their 4-3 win against giants AC Milan – a first in Serie A history. Now the 20-year-old Italian is already being compared to the likes of Filipo Inzaghi and Francesco Totti. Last season, his 15 goals went a long way to ensuring Sassuolo’s survival in the league. In any case, however, the hot-headed south-Italian is not shy of controversy. One time, he failed to show up for an Italian U19s training camp and was subsequently banned for nine months by the association. Where he will be playing next season remains to be seen, with 50 percent of the eventual transfer fee belonging to Juventus.
4. Portugal: BERNARDO SILVA (AS Monaco)
When AS Monaco singed Bernado Silva on a loan basis in the summer of 2014, he had very little first-team experience to boast about. Six months later, Monaco paid a fee of €15.7 million to Benfica to keep the attacking player in France. The striker came of age in the French principality, scoring nine goals in 32 games. The 20-year-old arrived late in the Czech Republic, having been involved with the Portugal first team for their European Championship qualifier. “He can decide games himself”, said national team coach Fernando Santos.
5. Czech Republic: VACLAV KADLEC (Eintracht Frankfurt/Sparta Prague)
The name Kadlec stands for quality in the Czech team, though Vaclav is in no way related with the former defender Miroslav, or his son Michal. Since October 2010, Vaclav Kadlec has held the record as the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Czech national team. In the second half of last season, Eintracht Frankfurt loaned him out to Sparta Prague where he excelled with nine goals. Now the 23-year-old will head back to Eintracht, where he is contracted until 2017, though first he will wants to fire the host nation to the Olympic Games.
6. Denmark: PIONE SISTO (FC Midtjylland)
"Place of birth: Sudan or Uganda" it reads in the 20-year-old’s biography, which says a lot about the life the attacking midfielder has lived to date. His parents fled from civil-war torn Uganda with six-month old Sisto and his eight siblings, to Denmark. Since December 2014 he has had Danish citizenship and has been a part of the Danish senior team ever since. Last season, Sisto played an important role as FC Midtjylland secured their first ever league championship. He scored a delightful goal in the decisive crunch match against FC Copenhagen, taking it round four players in the box before finishing clinically.
7. Sweden: JOHN GUIDETTI (Celtic)
The “Swedish Wayne Rooney" scored 15 goals in 35 competitive matches for Celtic last season, before falling out with manager Ronny Deila and being dropped to the bench. Guidetti (22) has been a Manchester City since 2008, though in that time he has played for five other clubs on loan. Which club he will play for next is something he can influence himself during the upcoming European Championship. Fun fact: Guidetti, who has Italian roots, has an unusually long name - John Alberto Fernando Andres Luigi Olof Guidetti.
8. Serbia: FILIP DJURICIC (Benfica)
Djuricic was known as the "Johan Cruyff of the Balkans” during his youth and once came close to signing for Manchester United; but at 23, he is still waiting for his big breakthrough. During the first half of last season, he had just as little of an impact for Mainz 05, as with Southampton in the Premier League during the second. Now he is back at Benfica, where he is standing at a crossroads. Whether or not he will make his big break or not, we will soon find out at the Euros.
created by mmc/jm
Manuel Neuer, Mesut Özil, Sami Khedira, Andrea Pirlo, Luis Figo and Thiago. Some of Europe’s biggest stars all have one thing in common: they all announced themselves on the U21 European Championship stage. As always, there will be scouts everywhere at EURO 2015 searching for Europe’s future stars. DFB.de has picked out a player from each of the eight teams for you to watch out for.
1. Germany: KEVIN VOLLAND (1899 Hoffenheim)
The captain of the German team, according to manager Horst Hrubesch, is a leader “both on and off the pitch”. Volland can play almost anywhere in attach; he’s quick, agile, dribbles brilliantly and can deliver great crosses. He went to the 2013 Euros in Israel, where he watched most of Germany’s group-stage exit from the bench. Now the 22-year-old wants to fire the U21s to the title and make a case for a call up into Joachim Löw’s team.
2. England: HARRY KANE (Tottenham Hotspur)
From substitute to Tottenham’s goal machine: the 21-year-old exploded onto the Premier League scene last season, scoring 21 goals and coming second on the top-scorers list. Even more astonishing – he scored on his England debut just 80 seconds after being subbed on. Dubbed “Golden Boy” by his team mates, it’s no wonder that Manchester United have him at the top of their transfer wish list.
3. Italy: DOMENICO BERARDI (Sassuolo)
Berardi was already making history at just 19 years old: in January 2014 he scored four goals for Sassuolo in their 4-3 win against giants AC Milan – a first in Serie A history. Now the 20-year-old Italian is already being compared to the likes of Filipo Inzaghi and Francesco Totti. Last season, his 15 goals went a long way to ensuring Sassuolo’s survival in the league. In any case, however, the hot-headed south-Italian is not shy of controversy. One time, he failed to show up for an Italian U19s training camp and was subsequently banned for nine months by the association. Where he will be playing next season remains to be seen, with 50 percent of the eventual transfer fee belonging to Juventus.
4. Portugal: BERNARDO SILVA (AS Monaco)
When AS Monaco singed Bernado Silva on a loan basis in the summer of 2014, he had very little first-team experience to boast about. Six months later, Monaco paid a fee of €15.7 million to Benfica to keep the attacking player in France. The striker came of age in the French principality, scoring nine goals in 32 games. The 20-year-old arrived late in the Czech Republic, having been involved with the Portugal first team for their European Championship qualifier. “He can decide games himself”, said national team coach Fernando Santos.
5. Czech Republic: VACLAV KADLEC (Eintracht Frankfurt/Sparta Prague)
The name Kadlec stands for quality in the Czech team, though Vaclav is in no way related with the former defender Miroslav, or his son Michal. Since October 2010, Vaclav Kadlec has held the record as the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Czech national team. In the second half of last season, Eintracht Frankfurt loaned him out to Sparta Prague where he excelled with nine goals. Now the 23-year-old will head back to Eintracht, where he is contracted until 2017, though first he will wants to fire the host nation to the Olympic Games.
6. Denmark: PIONE SISTO (FC Midtjylland)
"Place of birth: Sudan or Uganda" it reads in the 20-year-old’s biography, which says a lot about the life the attacking midfielder has lived to date. His parents fled from civil-war torn Uganda with six-month old Sisto and his eight siblings, to Denmark. Since December 2014 he has had Danish citizenship and has been a part of the Danish senior team ever since. Last season, Sisto played an important role as FC Midtjylland secured their first ever league championship. He scored a delightful goal in the decisive crunch match against FC Copenhagen, taking it round four players in the box before finishing clinically.
7. Sweden: JOHN GUIDETTI (Celtic)
The “Swedish Wayne Rooney" scored 15 goals in 35 competitive matches for Celtic last season, before falling out with manager Ronny Deila and being dropped to the bench. Guidetti (22) has been a Manchester City since 2008, though in that time he has played for five other clubs on loan. Which club he will play for next is something he can influence himself during the upcoming European Championship. Fun fact: Guidetti, who has Italian roots, has an unusually long name - John Alberto Fernando Andres Luigi Olof Guidetti.
8. Serbia: FILIP DJURICIC (Benfica)
Djuricic was known as the "Johan Cruyff of the Balkans” during his youth and once came close to signing for Manchester United; but at 23, he is still waiting for his big breakthrough. During the first half of last season, he had just as little of an impact for Mainz 05, as with Southampton in the Premier League during the second. Now he is back at Benfica, where he is standing at a crossroads. Whether or not he will make his big break or not, we will soon find out at the Euros.
