Who among England’s U21 Euro Champions Could Ascend to the Senior Team?

The 2023 Euros saw England emerge victorious in all six matches, impressively without allowing a single goal.

For the first time in almost four decades, England’s U21 team has clinched the European championship title, following a thrilling, nail-biting finale against Spain in Georgia.

This triumph adds to England’s youth setup’s achievements, which include the U17s’ Euros victories in 2014 and the U19s in 2017 and 2022, as well as the U17s and U20s World Cup wins in 2017.

The present winners are just a step away from joining Gareth Southgate’s team. Speculation is rife regarding which players might advance to assist their country in ending its lengthy drought for major trophies, beginning with the upcoming Euros in Germany next summer.

While England’s senior team has yet to achieve a significant breakthrough moment despite coming close in 2020, there’s no denying that player development for the national team has significantly improved in the past decade, thanks to enhanced infrastructure and processes.

Previously, the country often looked enviously at the young talents produced abroad, who successfully transitioned from youth squads to their national senior teams.

Countries across Europe including Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain have successfully mastered this transition. Although not always resulting in major tournament wins, these countries have successfully equipped their young talents with the necessary tools, providing them with an opportunity to excel.

It’s hardly surprising to see these nations thriving at U21 Euros, paving the way for their senior teams to secure major titles.

To cite an example, Italy’s U21 Euros team, featuring Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, won the championship in 2000. Fast forward six years, and the same duo was at the core of the Azzurri’s World Cup-winning team. Similarly, Germany’s 2014 World Cup win boasted five members from their U21 Euros-winning team of five years prior.

England has seemingly tried to mimic France’s approach in terms of their player development strategy, despite France’s lackluster performance at the U21 level. However, France’s senior team continues to enjoy an influx of emerging talent.

Following the unsuccessful 1998 World Cup campaign, England took a keen interest in the strategies employed by France’s Clairefontaine academy, established in Paris in 1988. This led to England modeling its approach based on the academy’s strategies, which had notably aided the French team in winning the global tournament a decade later, and the Euros two years after that.

St George’s Park, completed in 2012, has been at the heart of the English game’s complete makeover, facilitating the country’s success at various age groups. To validate this investment, however, major victories at the senior level are essential. Southgate’s squad already boasts several young players who have tasted success at the youth level, including Phil Foden, Mason Mount, Reece James, Aaron Ramsdale, Marc Guehi, and Conor Gallagher. Will any U21 players join them by next summer?

Players closest to being promoted to Southgate’s senior team are those who have already had a taste of it. Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe and Chelsea’s Levi Colwill, both having displayed commendable performances in Georgia and Romania, are the potential contenders. However, their prospects for senior involvement next summer rely on their 2023-24 club season performance.

Among other potential contenders are Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa, Liverpool’s Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, and James Trafford, who is set to become the third most expensive English goalkeeper. All of them have proved their mettle at the U21 level, and the upcoming season could very well determine their potential inclusion in the senior team.

However, the challenge faced by all these emerging talents, such as Morgan Gibbs-White, Gordon, and Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, is the wealth of talent already present in the senior team. The current roster boasts world-class players like Foden, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, and Marcus Rashford, and top-notch players like Jadon Sancho and Jarrod Bowen vying for spots.

With the senior team needing talent at the centre-back position, this may work in Colwill’s favor if he can shine in his club games. Similarly, there might be room for Ramsey or Jones in the central midfield if Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham remain the first-choice pair, and if Kalvin Phillips continues to struggle for playing time at Manchester City.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about England’s U21 Euro Champions

More about England’s U21 Euro Champions

• England U21s win Euro 2023
• St George’s Park and England’s Football Development
• History of France’s Clairefontaine Academy
• Emile Smith Rowe’s performance at Arsenal
• Morgan Gibbs-White’s contribution to Nottingham Forest