Football – The End of an Era
Despite the plethora of stunning goals in the group stage games of the 2024 European Championships, there remains a sad feeling in the air. The overwhelming era of football talent, which has seen a myriad of world-class players dominate the sport for over a decade, looks to be coming to a sad end.
Our favourite players, the players that inspired many of our generation, are hanging up their boots or simply not playing at the level they once were. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, argued by many to be the greatest player of all time, is playing his eleventh, and most likely final, major international tournament and football’s all-time top goal-scorer has failed to find the back of the net in any of Portugal’s group stage games.
Ronaldo will likely follow in the footsteps of legends of the game who have retired from international football in recent years, notably the highly respected Italian centre-back partnership of Chiellini and Bonucci, as the Azzurri play their first international tournament since 2008 without either of them in the squad.
Football – The Fading Generation
The fading generation continues to be shown as criticism of 30-year-old Harry Kane’s performances is leaving many to ponder if this, too, should be his last tournament. The famous Croatian midfield, including the 38-year-old Luka Modric, has failed to reach the standards of previous years, seeing the nation go crashing out of the competition and finishing bottom of their group.
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While arguably the two best performances so far have come from 34- and 33-year-olds Kroos and Kante, the former has announced his retirement from football altogether following the competition, and the latter is playing his football in the Saudi Pro League, a league strongly lacking the competitive nature. These wonderful careers all appear to be coming to an end as this remarkable era of football concludes.
Football – A New Generation Rises
Nevertheless, as one generation peters out, a new one rises. This 2024 European Championships has seen the young talent that has emerged to the top of this sport over the last few years unequivocally cement themselves as some of the best players in the world.
This tournament perfectly represents the ‘passing of the torch,’ with extraordinary young players dominating almost every group, except Group E, as they step up to succeed their retiring predecessors.
Group A: Germany’s Young Stars
When analysing the young talent on display during the Euro 2024 group stage, it is hard to look further than the hosts’ performances. Germany has placed significant trust and responsibility in Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, both of whom are 21 years old.
These two stars have lived up to the pressure of being focal players in their nation’s home tournament, scoring three goals between them and controlling their games at an elite level. Their phenomenal club achievements and performances since rising through the ranks of German football make this no surprise. In this tournament, they have indeed come into their own, securing Germany’s progression by finishing first in their group. They will be crucial if Germany can make it far in the competition.
Group A: Switzerland’s Rising Talent
Also, in Group A, a player who has heavily impressed me, one whom I believe is not receiving enough praise, is Switzerland’s Dan Ndoye. The Swiss side have played some excellent football, with their dominant performances surprising many who underestimated them. This is essentially a result of the 23-year-old Bologna attacker who created two key chances and completed six successful dribbles in the group stage, even scoring with a lovely finish against Germany. It would surprise me if he hasn’t earned himself a big move this summer, with clubs like Inter Milan and Manchester United expressing interest in him.
Group B: Spain and Italy’s Commanding Performances
For the young talent in Group B, the pressures of succeeding in the ‘Group of Death’ appear to have had little impact. Both Spain and Italy, who finished 1st and 2nd in the group, have had their performances commanded by their rising stars. At just 16 years old, Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has received overwhelming, yet justified, attention, as the player, who would currently be taking his GCSEs if he were English, has been exceptional.
Delivering a phenomenal assist for Dani Carvajal’s first-ever goal for Spain in their opening game against Croatia, he has demonstrated his talent on the right wing this tournament. At such a young age, it isn’t very comforting to think about how much he can grow over his career. Spain’s devastating young attack is not limited to Yamal, as left winger Nico Williams has also taken the competition by storm.
The Athletic Bilbao winger has been fantastic, winning Man of the Match in Spain’s second game against Italy. As a result, many clubs, such as Chelsea, Arsenal, and even Bayern Munich, have shown interest in him. With both these exciting wingers breaking through, many have forgotten that conductor Pedri, who has been commonly viewed as one of the best midfielders in the world for several years now, is, like Williams, just 21 years old, further highlighting Spain’s exceptional youth talent. Another breakout player in Group B this tournament has been the fantastic Italian centre-back Riccardo Califiori.
Also, from Thiago Motta’s Bologna side, his solid performances against Albania, Spain (despite his unfortunate own goal), and Croatia, as well as his long Maldini and Nesta-like hair, have relinquished many Italian fears about their defensive capabilities without Chiellini, Bonucci, or even Buffon at the back. Alongside the likes of Bastoni and Donnarumma, Califiori will surely be a crucial player in Italian football over the next decade or so, as the Italians have once again produced an elite defence to steer them through competitions.
Group C: England’s Unmet Expectations
Unlike the others, Group C has not lived up to similar standards or the expectations we all had before the Championship. Containing an England squad with the likes of highly regarded talents Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, England’s squad is the third youngest on average in the competition. Just three players (Kyle Walker, Harry Kane, and John Stones) remain from England’s 2016 frustrating European Championship squad, which suffered a humiliating defeat to Iceland in the Round of 16.
However, whether you blame Southgate, the players, or the media, the nation has not performed anywhere near the level that such a talented squad, pipped as the favourites to win the competition, should be playing at. With Group C also seeing young strikers such as Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund and Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko struggle in front of goal, the budding talent in this group appears to have gone to waste.
Despite being the only goalscorer for England versus Serbia, Jude Bellingham, who displayed his outstanding talent at Real Madrid this season, has also failed to carry his club form over to international level as the England team are failing to cope with the pressure being placed on them. The only player who can walk away with their head held high is 23-year-old centre-back Marc Guehi.
Playing in a position that many feared would be England’s issue following Harry Maguire’s injury, Guehi has undoubtedly been England’s star player this tournament, being a rock at centre half.
Similarly, Cole Palmer, the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season, impressed when he was awarded his first minutes in the 71st minute against Slovenia, making Southgate’s selection choices for the following games even more challenging. Likewise, after playing eight minutes against Serbia and coming off the bench at halftime against Slovenia, one player whom England fans would love to see more of is Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
Winning Man of the Match in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City just a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old has been immense in an inferior United side this season and continued this fine form into his England appearances.
England’s significant midfield issues against Serbia and Denmark have led to countless calls for Mainoo to permanently replace Alexander-Arnold at centre midfield, with legendary midfielder Paul Scholes even declaring on TNT Sports that “I think he is, along with Declan Rice, probably England’s best midfielder.” I’m sure almost every England fan would love to see some of the youth prospects in the squad be awarded more opportunities by Southgate, especially if the current starting 11 continues to not play at a high enough level, hopefully giving us England fans something to look forward to for the rest of the competition.
Group D: French Excellence
As we move into Group D, it feels repetitive to continue to discuss Kylian Mbappe’s ability. Playing in his fourth major international competition, it would be unjust to refer to him once again as a young talent despite his once-in-a-generation footballing capability.
Instead, when looking at France’s youth players, it is vital to note the surplus of French defensive and midfield options. Following Raphael Varane’s retirement from international football, Deschamps was in a challenging position, required to select a starting centre-back partnership out of four incredibly gifted young options: Upamecano, Saliba, Kounde, and Konate.
With Kounde being able to fill in at right back, Konate is the unfortunate player, missing out and sitting on the bench in the opening games. With a player of this ability being unable to break into the French first team, it emphasizes their excessive young talent, without even mentioning midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga.
Likewise to England, France also has a lot of youth talent in the squad to look forward to, including the likes of Zaire-Emery and Barcola, both from PSG, who will be hoping to be awarded an opportunity to display their talent at some point this tournament
. The Netherlands’ squad also includes a young star who will soon be a familiar name to many football fans worldwide. PSV’s Jerdy Schouten has been fantastic this season and will be essential in the Dutch side’s chance to go far in the competition.
Group E: Emerging Talent from Poland and Hungary
While Group E does not consist of any established ‘World Class’ talent at the level of Mbappe or Musiala, the group has provided us with a beautiful opportunity to see the emerging talent from some slightly less experienced nations in the form of Poland and Hungary. Playing in his debut major international competition at just 17, the next Polish superstar, Kacper Kozłowski, has been immense. Starring for Union Berlin this season, scoring four goals and assisting three more in just 14 Bundesliga starts, the midfielder has been fantastic for Poland, further highlighting his great potential.
Hungary’s next star, Zoltán Vancsa, has not performed to the level many would have hoped for this tournament. The centre midfielder has completed five key passes and two successful dribbles this tournament, but the MTK Budapest player has not been able to pull through and deliver a goal or assist. However, the 19-year-old remains a significant aspect of Hungary’s success in this tournament. I wouldn’t be surprised if he secured himself a move to a higher-quality league come the end of the transfer window.
Football’s Future Prospects
Ultimately, as this 2024 European Championship sees the careers of many exceptional players conclude, it is undoubtedly true that footballing talent will continue to develop and emerge.
Despite the plethora of stunning goals in the group stage games of the 2024 European Championships, there remains a sad feeling in the air. The overwhelming era of footballing talent that has seen a myriad of world-class players dominate the sport for over a decade looks to be coming to a sad end.
Our favourite players, the players that inspired many of our generation, are hanging up their boots or simply not playing at the level they once were. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, argued by many to be the greatest player of all time, is playing his eleventh, and, most likely, a final major international tournament and football’s all-time top goal-scorer has failed to find the back of the net in any of Portugal’s group stage games.
Ronaldo will likely follow in the footsteps of legends of the game who have retired from international football in recent years, notably the highly respected Italian centre-back partnership of Chiellini and Bonucci, as the Azzurri play their first international tournament since 2008 without either of them in the squad.
The fading generation continues to be shown as criticism of 30-year-old Harry Kane’s performances is leaving many to ponder if this, too, should be his last tournament. The famous Croatian midfield, including the 38-year-old Luka Modric, has failed to reach the standards of previous years, seeing the nation go crashing out of the competition and finishing bottom of their group.
While arguably the two best performances so far have come from 34- and 33-year-olds Kroos and Kante, the former has announced his retirement from football altogether following the competition, and the latter is playing his football in the Saudi Pro League, a league strongly lacking the competitive nature. These wonderful careers all appear to be coming to an end as this remarkable era of football concludes.
Nevertheless, as one generation peters out, a new one rises. This 2024 European Championships has seen the young talent that has emerged to the top of this sport over the last few years unequivocally cement themselves as some of the best players in the world.
This tournament perfectly represents the ‘passing of the torch,’ with extraordinary young players dominating almost every group, except Group E, as they step up to succeed their retiring predecessors.
When analysing the young talent on display during the Euro 2024 group stage, it is hard to look further than the hosts’ performances. Germany has placed significant trust and responsibility in Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, both of whom are 21 years old.
These two stars have lived up to the pressure of being focal players in their nation’s home tournament, scoring three goals between them and controlling their games at an elite level. Their phenomenal club achievements and performances since rising through the ranks of German football make this no surprise. In this tournament, they have indeed come into their own, securing Germany’s progression by finishing 1st in their group. They will be crucial if Germany can make it far in the competition.
Also, in Group A, a player who has heavily impressed me, one whom I believe is not receiving enough praise, is Switzerland’s Dan Ndoye. The Swiss side have played some excellent football, with their dominant performances surprising many who underestimated them. This is essentially a result of the 23-year-old Bologna attacker who created two key chances and completed six successful dribbles in the group stage, even scoring with a lovely finish against Germany. It would surprise me if he hasn’t earned himself a big move this summer, with clubs like Inter Milan and Manchester United expressing interest in him.
For the young talent in Group B, the pressures of succeeding in the ‘Group of Death’ appear to have had little impact. Both Spain and Italy, who finished 1st and 2nd in the group, have had their performances commanded by their rising stars. At just 16 years old, Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has received overwhelming, yet justified, attention, as the player, who would currently be taking his GCSEs if he were English, has been exceptional.
Delivering a phenomenal assist for Dani Carvajal’s first-ever goal for Spain in their opening game against Croatia, he has demonstrated his talent on the right wing this tournament. At such a young age, it isn’t very comforting to think about how much he can grow over his career. Spain’s devastating young attack is not limited to Yamal, as left winger Nico Williams has also taken the competition by storm.
The Athletic Bilbao winger won Man of the Match in Spain’s second game against Italy and has been fantastic, leading to links with many clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal, and even Bayern Munich. With both these exciting wingers breaking through, many have forgotten that conductor Pedri, who has been commonly viewed as one of the best midfielders in the world for several years now, is, like Williams, just 21 years old, further highlighting Spain’s exceptional youth talent. Another breakout player in Group B this tournament has been the fantastic Italian centre-back Riccardo Califiori.
Also, from Thiago Motta’s Bologna side, his solid performances against Albania, Spain (despite his unfortunate own goal), and Croatia, as well as his long Maldini and Nesta-like hair, have relinquished many Italian fears about their defensive capabilities without Chiellini, Bonucci, or even Buffon at the back. Alongside the likes of Bastoni and Donnarumma, Califiiori will surely be a crucial player in Italian football over the next decade or so, as the Italians have once again produced an elite defence to steer them through competitions.
Unlike the others, Group C has not lived up to similar standards or the expectations we all had before the Championship. Containing an England squad with the likes of highly regarded talents Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, England’s squad is the third youngest on average in the competition. Just three players (Kyle Walker, Harry Kane, and John Stones) remain from England’s 2016 frustrating European Championship squad, which suffered a humiliating defeat to Iceland in the Round of 16.
However, whether you blame Southgate, the players, or the media, the nation has not performed anywhere near the level that such a talented squad, pipped as the favourites to win the competition, should be playing at. With Group C also seeing young strikers such as Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund and Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko struggle in front of goal, the budding talent in this group appears to have gone to waste.
Despite being the only goalscorer for England versus Serbia, Jude Bellingham, who displayed his outstanding talent at Real Madrid this season, has also failed to carry his club form over to international level as the England team are failing to cope with the pressure being placed on them. The only player who can walk away with their head held high is 23-year-old centre-back Marc Guehi.
Playing in a position that many feared would be England’s issue following Harry Maguire’s injury, Guehi has undoubtedly been England’s star player this tournament, being a rock at centre half. The Athletic Bilbao winger has been fantastic, winning Man of the Match in Spain’s second game against Italy. As a result, many clubs, such as Chelsea, Arsenal, and even Bayern Munich, have shown interest in him.
Similarly, Cole Palmer, the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season, impressed when he was awarded his first minutes in the 71st minute against Slovenia, making Southgate’s selection choices for the following games even more challenging. Likewise, after playing 8 minutes against Serbia and coming off the bench at halftime against Slovenia, one player whom England fans would love to see more of is Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
Winning Man of the Match in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City just a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old has been immense in an inferior United side this season and definitely continued this fine form into his England appearances.
England’s significant midfield issues against Serbia and Denmark have led to countless calls for Mainoo to permanently replace Alexander-Arnold at centre midfield, with legendary midfielder Paul Scholes even declaring on TNT Sports that “I think he is, along with Declan Rice, probably England’s best midfielder.” I’m sure almost every England fan would love to see some of the youth prospects in the squad be awarded more opportunities by Southgate, especially if the current starting 11 continues to not play at a high enough level, hopefully giving us England fans something to look forward to for the rest of the competition.
Despite the plethora of stunning goals in the group stage games of the 2024 European Championships, there remains a sad feeling in the air. The overwhelming era of footballing talent that has seen a myriad of world-class players dominate the sport for over a decade looks to be coming to a sad end.
Our favourite players, the players who inspired many of our generation, are hanging up their boots or simply not playing at the level they once were. Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, argued by many to be the greatest player of all time, is playing his eleventh and final major international tournament. Football’s all-time top goal-scorer has failed to find the back of the net in any of Portugal’s group-stage games.
Ronaldo will follow in the footsteps of legends of the game who have retired from international football in recent years, notably the highly respected Italian centre-back partnership of Chiellini and Bonucci, as the Azzurri play their first international tournament since 2008 without either of them in the squad.
The fading generation continues to be shown as criticism of 30-year-old Harry Kane’s performances is leaving many to ponder if this, too, should be his last tournament. The famous Croatian midfield, including the 38-year-old Luka Modric, has failed to reach the standards of previous years, seeing the nation go crashing out of the competition and finishing bottom of their group.
While the two best performances so far have come from 34- and 33-year-olds Kroos and Kante, the former has announced his retirement from football altogether following the competition, and the latter is playing his football in the Saudi Pro League, a league strongly lacking a competitive nature. These wonderful careers are all ending as this remarkable era of football concludes.
Nevertheless, as one generation peters out, a new one rises. This 2024 European Championships has seen the young talent that has emerged to the top of this sport over the last few years unequivocally cement themselves as some of the best players in the world.
This tournament perfectly represents the ‘passing of the torch,’ with extraordinary young players dominating every group, except Group E, as they step up to succeed their retiring predecessors.
When analysing the young talent on display during the Euro 2024 group stage, it is hard to look further than the hosts’ performances. Germany has placed significant trust and responsibility in Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, both of whom are 21 years old.
These two stars have lived up to the pressure of being focal players in their nation’s home tournament, scoring three goals between them and controlling their games at an elite level. Their phenomenal club achievements and performances since rising through the ranks of German football make this no surprise. In this tournament, they have indeed come into their own, securing Germany’s progression by finishing first in their group. They will be crucial if Germany can make it far in the competition.
Also, in Group A, a player who has heavily impressed me, one whom I believe is not receiving enough praise, is Switzerland’s Dan Ndoye. The Swiss side have played some excellent football, with their dominant performances surprising many who underestimated them. This is a result of the 23-year-old Bologna attacker who created two key chances and completed six successful dribbles in the group stage, even scoring with a lovely finish against Germany. It would surprise me if he has not earned himself a big move this summer, with clubs like Inter Milan and Manchester United expressing interest in him.
For the young talent in Group B, the pressures of succeeding in the ‘Group of Death’ appear to have had negligible impact. Both Spain and Italy, who finished 1st and 2nd in the group, have had their performances commanded by their rising stars. At just 16 years old, Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has received overwhelming, yet justified, attention, as the player, who would currently be taking his GCSEs if he were English, has been exceptional.
Delivering a phenomenal assist for Dani Carvajal’s first-ever goal for Spain in their opening game against Croatia, he has demonstrated his talent on the right wing this tournament. At such an early age, it is not very comforting to think about how much he can grow over his career. Spain’s devastating young attack is not limited to Yamal, as left winger Nico Williams has also taken the competition by storm.
The Athletic Bilbao winger won Man of the Match in Spain’s second game against Italy and has been fantastic, leading to links with many clubs such as Chelsea, Arsenal, and even Bayern Munich. With both these exciting wingers breaking through, many have forgotten that conductor Pedri, who has been commonly viewed as one of the best midfielders in the world for several years now, is, like Williams, just 21 years old, further highlighting Spain’s exceptional youth talent. Another breakout player in Group B this tournament has been the fantastic Italian centre-back Riccardo Califiori.
Also, from Thiago Motta’s Bologna side, his solid performances against Albania, Spain (despite his unfortunate own goal), and Croatia, as well as his long Maldini and Nesta-like hair, have relinquished many Italian fears about their defensive capabilities without Chiellini, Bonucci, or even Buffon at the back. Alongside the likes of Bastoni and Donnarumma, Califiiori will surely be a crucial player in Italian football over the next decade or so, as the Italians have once again produced an elite defence to steer them through competitions.
Unlike the others, Group C has not lived up to similar standards or the expectations we all had before the Championship. Containing an England squad with the likes of highly regarded talents Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, England’s squad is the third youngest on average in the competition. Just three players (Kyle Walker, Harry Kane, and John Stones) remain from England’s 2016 frustrating European Championship squad, which suffered a humiliating defeat to Iceland in the Round of sixteen.
However, whether you blame Southgate, the players, or the media, the nation has not performed anywhere near the level that such a talented squad, pipped as the favourites to win the competition, should be playing at. With Group C also seeing young strikers such as Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund and Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko struggle in front of goal, the budding talent in this group appears to have gone to waste.
Despite being the only goal scorer for England versus Serbia, Jude Bellingham, who displayed his outstanding talent at Real Madrid this season, has also failed to carry his club form over to international level as the England team are failing to cope with the pressure being placed on them. The only player who can walk away with their head held high is 23-year-old centre-back Marc Guehi.
Playing in a position that many feared would be England’s issues following Harry Maguire’s injury, Guehi has undoubtedly been England’s star player this tournament, being a rock at centre half. The Athletic Bilbao winger has been fantastic, winning Man of the Match in Spain’s second game against Italy. As a result, many clubs, such as Chelsea, Arsenal, and even Bayern Munich, have shown interest in him.
Similarly, Cole Palmer, the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season, impressed when he was awarded his first minutes in the 71st minute against Slovenia, making Southgate’s selection choices for the following games even more challenging. Likewise, after playing 8 minutes against Serbia and coming off the bench at halftime against Slovenia, one player whom England fans would love to see more of is Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
Winning Man of the Match in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City just a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old has been immense in an inferior United side this season and continued this fine form into his England appearances.
England’s significant midfield issues against Serbia and Denmark have led to countless calls for Mainoo to permanently replace Alexander-Arnold at centre midfield, with legendary midfielder Paul Scholes even declaring on TNT Sports that “I think he is, along with Declan Rice, probably England’s best midfielder.” I’m sure almost every England fan would love to see some of the youth prospects in the squad be awarded more opportunities by Southgate, especially if the current starting 11 continues to not play at a high enough level, hopefully giving us England fans something to look forward to for the rest of the competition.
As we move into Group D, it feels repetitive to continue to discuss Kylian Mbappe’s ability. Playing in his fourth major international competition, it would be unjust to refer to him once again as a young talent despite his once-in-a-generation footballing capability.
Instead, when looking at France’s youth players, it is vital to note the surplus of French defensive and midfield options. Following Raphael Varane’s retirement from international football, Deschamps was in a challenging position, required to select a starting centre-back partnership out of four incredibly gifted young options: Upamecano, Saliba, Kounde, and Konate.
With Kounde being able to fill in at right back, Konate is the unfortunate player, missing out and sitting on the bench in the opening games. With a player of this ability being unable to break into the French first team, it emphasizes their excessive young talent, without even mentioning midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga.
Likewise to England, France also has a lot of youth talent in the squad to look forward to, including the likes of Zairre-Emery and Barcola, both from PSG, who will be hoping to be awarded an opportunity to display their talent at some point this tournament.
Another PSG player, Xavi Simons, on loan at RB Leipzig, has also highlighted his ability this tournament, with the Dutch phenom leading Netherlands into the knockout rounds, even after experiencing significant misfortune to have a goal ruled out goal against France in their second game.
Finally, Group F sees the Czech Republic and Türkiye both feature 1st and 2nd for the youngest average age of a Euro 2024 squad, with 25.5 and 25.8 years old, respectively. This is amazing to see, as while many nations have favoured experience and maturity, these two have placed significant trust in their young talents to lead them in the competition, with Türkiye finishing second and advancing into the next round.
The winners of the group are among the favourites for the tournament in Portugal. However, as mentioned, it is not the usual suspect in Cristiano Ronaldo, carrying the side to victory. He failed to score in any of their group stage games, relying on 21-year-old Chico Conceicao’s last-minute winner against the Czech Republic to aid Portugal’s advance into the next round, along with some superb performances from young stars, including Vitinha, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto, and Rafael Leao.
While Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, their only other goal scorers besides own goals, are far from young talents and have displayed their exceptional ability in the Premier League for the last few seasons, the lack of reliance on Ronaldo now is apparent, and the new Portuguese generation is taking over.
With the end of the tournament still 18 days away, the youth dominance already displayed has been overwhelming. A clear “passing of the torch” from the old to the new has taken place, and it is exciting to see who from this developing generation will be victorious on July 14th and in their hopefully long and prosperous careers.
Instead, when looking at France’s youth players, it is vital to note the surplus of French defensive and midfield options. Following Raphael Varane’s retirement from international football, Deschamps was in a challenging position, required to select a starting centre-back partnership out of 4 incredibly gifted young options: Upamecano, Saliba, Kounde, and Konate.
With Kounde being able to fill in at right back, Konate appears to be the unfortunate player, missing out and sitting on the bench in the opening games. With a player of this ability being unable to break into the French first team, it emphasizes their excessive young talent, without even mentioning midfielders Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga.
Likewise to England, France also has a lot of youth talent in the squad to look forward to, including the likes of Zairre-Emery and Barcola, both from PSG, who will be hoping to be awarded an opportunity to showcase their talent at some point this tournament.
Another PSG player, Xavi Simons, on loan at RB Leipzig, has also highlighted his ability this tournament, with the Dutch phenom leading Netherlands into the knockout rounds, even after experiencing significant misfortune to have a goal ruled out goal against France in their 2nd game.
Finally, Group F sees the Czech Republic and Turkey both feature 1st and 2nd for the youngest average age of a Euro 2024 squad, with 25.5 and 25.8 years old, respectively. This is amazing to see, as while many nations have favoured experience and maturity, it is clear that these two have placed significant trust in their young talents to lead them in the competition, with Turkey finishing 2nd and advancing into the next round.
The winners of the group are among the favourites for the tournament in Portugal. However, as mentioned, it is not the usual suspect in Cristiano Ronaldo, carrying the side to victory. He failed to score in any of their group stage games, relying on 21-year-old Chico Conceicao’s last-minute winner against the Czech Republic to aid Portugal’s advance into the next round, along with some superb performances from young stars, including Vitinha, Joao Neves, Pedro Neto,, and Rafael Leao.
While Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, their only other goal scorers besides own goals, are far from young talents and have displayed their exceptional ability in the Premier League for the last few seasons, the lack of reliance on Ronaldo now is apparent, and the new Portuguese generation is taking over.
With the end of the tournament still 18 days away, the youth dominance already displayed has been overwhelming. A clear “passing of the torch” from the old to the new has taken place, and it’s exciting to see who out of this developing generation will be victorious on July 14th as well as in their hopefully long and prosperous careers.
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