Over the years, the EUROs have served as a great platform for young talents to showcase their abilities to a broader audience. I vividly recall 20 years ago when a 17-year-old Wayne Rooney, sporting a fuller head of hair and more freckles, took the tournament by storm, netting 4 goals and shouldering the hopes of England's Three Lions. In the 2016 edition, Renato Sanches earned the title of Young Player of the Tournament for his remarkable contributions to Portugal's victory, while the 2020 edition will be remembered as Pedri's breakthrough year. The Young Player of the Tournament accolade is reserved for players who are no older than 21 years at the start of the calendar year. So, for this exercise in identifying the best young players for each position, we'll confine our selections to those specific years. **Best Young Goal-Keeper** There aren’t many young goalkeepers (starters) at the Euros, but one to keep an eye on is 21-year-old Bart Verbruggen (Netherlands). While Verbruggen has yet to fully justify the €20 million fee Brighton paid for his services, he has shown occasional glimpses of his potential. Signed specifically for his passing ability, he boasts an impressive 87% passing accuracy. This skill set aligns well with the Dutch national team's style, and he has been favoured by Ronald Koeman. Verbruggen's ability to play out from the back could be a key asset for the Netherlands in this tournament.
**Best Young Defenders** Nuno Mendes, António Silva, and Illia Zabarnyi are three defenders to look out for in this tournament. Nuno Mendes (Portugal) has been a standout for PSG since his move from Sporting CP. Although a series of hamstring injuries limited him to just 14 appearances this season, he returned in time to help PSG win the Coupe de France, providing an assist in the final. A product of SL Benfica's world-renowned academy, António Silva (also Portugal) will be one of the most sought-after players in the transfer market this summer. The center-back has been incredibly impressive for Benfica this season in the Primeira Liga. Despite missing out on the Liga Portugal title, Silva's talent has been undeniably crucial to Roger Schmidt's system. Nuno Mendes’ speed, technical skills, and defensive ability and António Silva’s solid defensive performances and composure on the ball make them crucial players for Portugal as they seek a second European Championship.
**Illia Zabarnyi (Ukraine)** has been a revelation for Bournemouth since his transfer from Dynamo Kyiv last year. He played in 37 of Bournemouth’s 38 league games last season, completing 90 minutes in each. Zabarnyi is a physically dominant center-back, excelling in the air and effectively neutralising aerial threats. He also possesses the ball-playing abilities that are highly valued in modern defenders, making him a key asset for Ukraine. One of our betting tips for this tournament is for Zabarnyi to help Ukraine qualify from a tricky Group E.
**Best Young Midfielders** There are plenty of thrilling young midfielders in this tournament, including last edition's Young Player of the Tournament, Pedri, who at 21 is still eligible for the award. However, for this post, we'll spotlight Kobbie Mainoo, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Eduardo Camavinga, and Jude Bellingham. Let's start with Jude Bellingham (England). What more can be said about the 20-year-old phenom? The Real Madrid star isn't just a top contender for the Young Player of the Tournament and Best Player of the Tournament awards; he's also a strong favourite for the Ballon d’Or. We haven’t seen someone's stock rise so quickly since Abia State elected Dr. Alex Otti as governor. To secure the Ballon d’Or, Bellingham will need to deliver an outstanding performance at this Euros, as he faces stiff competition from his talented teammates, Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappé. Having just led Real Madrid to a league and Champions League double, we have no doubt in our minds he has the ability to “bring football home” for England.
**Kobbie Mainoo (England)** has had an outstanding season, capping it off by scoring the winning goal for Manchester United in the FA Cup final and being named Player of the Tournament. Mainoo is one of those rare young talents who truly lives up to the hype. At just 19, he is an exceptionally polished midfielder with composure beyond his years. Technically sound and difficult to dispossess, it's no surprise he's affectionately known as "Baby Seedorf." **Eduardo Camavinga (France** is another player set to have a standout tournament. Joining Real Madrid at 17, he had the privilege of learning from midfield legends Casemiro, Toni Kroos, and Luka Modric. While he didn't feature much for France in the 2022 World Cup, he has become an integral player for them over the last two years. His teammate, Warren Zaïre-Emery, is also hoping to make a significant impact in this tournament. The 18-year-old made 43 appearances for PSG this season, starting in nearly 90% of those games. Although he will face stiff competition for minutes in midfield, especially with the return of N'Golo Kante, Zaïre-Emery is definitely one to watch whenever he takes the field.
**Best Young Attackers** Next week, Lamine Yamal (Spain) will make history as the youngest player to compete in the Euros. Despite his youth, Yamal displays the composure of a seasoned veteran and the fearlessness of a lion in the wild. His debut for Barcelona in the 2022/23 season was brief, with just 7 minutes of play, but the recently concluded season marked his breakout. Yamal played 50 games for Barcelona, scoring 7 goals and providing 10 assists—remarkable stats for a 16-year-old. Yamal's senior debut for Spain came against Georgia on September 8, 2023, where he scored in the 74th minute of a 7–1 victory. At just 16 years and 57 days old, he became the youngest player and goal scorer for Spain, breaking Gavi's records. In 6 appearances for La Roja, Yamal has 2 goals and 2 assists, and as the Euros approach, much will be expected from him. Our bet of the day is for him to win the Young Player of the Tournament award and to help Spain out of a challenging Group B that includes reigning champions Italy and Croatia.
Coming off a historic double-winning season, Florian Wirtz (Germany) is definitely a young player worth watching. He's not only a strong contender for the Young Player of the Tournament but also a favourite for the Player of the Tournament award. Again, we have the best odds for our online betting community. Wirtz was arguably Bayer Leverkusen’s most crucial player, as they came just one win short of an unbeaten treble season. The 21-year-old notched up 18 goals and 20 assists, leading Xabi Alonso’s side to victories in both the Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal. Germany's national team head coach, Julian Nagelsmann, has already expressed his intent to build the team around Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala, another outstanding 21-year-old attacker who has been in superb form for Bayern Munich since breaking into the first team. With the added advantage of being the host nation, these two young Germans are expected to make a significant impact.
Keep an eye on Xavi Simons, Arda Güler, and Heorhii Sudakov—three exciting young attackers making waves. **Xavi Simons (Netherlands)** has thrived in two excellent loan spells over the past two seasons, finally meeting the high expectations PSG had when they signed him from Barcelona in 2019. Two seasons ago, he scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in 48 games for PSV. Last season, he added 8 goals and 13 assists in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig. 19-year-old talent **Arda Güler (Türkiye)** endured months on the sidelines during his debut season for Real Madrid but finished strong with 6 goals in 10 LaLiga games, plus league and Champions League winners medals. There are a lot of expectations on his shoulder given his talent but if those 10 LaLiga appearances are anything to go by, Türkiye are in safe hands. **Heorhii Sudakov (Ukraine)** is one of the most exciting young attacking midfielders around. Playing primarily as a number 10 for Shakhtar, he excels in the half-spaces, known for his slick dribbling and precise passing. His technical ability and football intelligence make him stand out. With Ukraine in a challenging Group E alongside Belgium, Slovakia, and Romania, Sudakov's performance will be crucial for their chances of advancing.
BetKing, the best betting site in Nigeria, offers you the chance to win big by betting on hundreds of football matches across the globe.[ Join us](https://m.betking.com/account/registration?redirect=/) today to get value for money.