The European U21 Championship kicks off this week in a year that has rocked football in terms of business as usual, and to celebrate the occasion which is being held in Hungary and Slovenia we have picked 8 players to watch in this year’s tournament using Football Manager to guide us in terms of their key attributes, strengths, playing style and potential - some of whom you may recognise and some of whom may not be so familiar, but all of whom we are tipping to have a big tournament ahead of them in terms of performance and opportunity on one of European Football’s biggest stages.
by MaddFM
1. Pedro Gonçalves (Portugal)
When Bruno Fernandes left Sporting Lisbon to join Manchester United in January 2020 he left big boots to fill. Step forward Pedro Gonçalves, who has very much risen to the occasion this season bagging 15 goals and 4 assists so far to help Sporting create a 10 point gap at the top of Liga Nos with 24 games played. Wolves fans reading this will rightly be facepalming given the fact that Gonçalves spent two seasons at Molineux but was only handed one senior appearance before being allowed to leave on a free transfer to Familicao whom he helped achieve their highest ever league finish last season, and since completing a €6.5m move to Sporting he has been formidable in the absence of their former talisman and even more impressively, all of his goals have come from open play which adds further weight as to why he has already been linked with a host of top European clubs.
In Football Manager terms, Gonçalves can play in any of the more attacking midfield roles as well as out wide or up front, and his excellent Vision, Technique, Off the Ball and Finishing make him almost certain to feature highly in the goals and assists charts.
In terms of this tournament - despite being given one of the tougher groups alongside England, Croatia and Switzerland, Portugal are tipped as one of the favourites behind the likes of France and Spain with players such as Rafael Leão, Florentino Luis and Francisco Trincao all expected to shine at this years tournament, however Gonçalves is ideally placed to be the key man for Rui Jorge’s side and if he can replicate his club form right from the beginning of the Group Stages, expect Portugal to go far and Gonçalves’ name to be featured highly by the time the competition ends in June.
2. Amine Gouiri (France)
This man’s name has been on almost everyone’s lips both in the Football Manager community as well as among French and European football commentators alike since his emergence from the youth ranks at Lyon where he went on to be Top Scorer for France at both the U17 Euros and World Cup, before sealing a €7m move to Nice last summer when opportunities at Lyon appeared limited behind the likes of Rayan Cherki and Moussa Dembele. Despite Nice somewhat struggling this season which ultimately led to manager Patrick Vieira losing his job in December 2020, Gouiri has been instrumental in their recent revival scoring 6 goals since February bringing his total to 12 goals and 6 assists so far this season. Capable of playing on the left or up front, it will be interesting to see how he is deployed in this France team with the likes of Odsonne Eduoard, Moussa Diaby and Jonathan Ikoné all competing for a forward spot for Les Bleus, however with 4 goals in 8 games for the U21 side Gouiri looks certain to feature prominently in this year’s competition.
In Football Manager terms - aside from the fact that he has been outstanding for me in my Angers save, Gouiri is equally adept playing as an Inside Forward or as an Advanced Forward/Lone Striker and his attributes in terms of Pace, Off the Ball, Composure and Finishing make him one of the best Strikers in this year’s game particularly with regard to his value and output, and he is ready-made to walk into almost any top side at the start of a save.
If Gouiri can be equally ready for France’s opening group games against Denmark, Russia and Iceland then he might even be in with a shout of the Top Scorer accolades should manager Sylvain Ripoll favour him up front in this France side which already boasts the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Houssem Aouar behind in midfield. His recent club form has shot him right up the Ligue 1 scoring charts just eight goals behind Kylian Mbappe at the top and only two shy of Memphis Depay in second - if you see his name listed in France’s starting XI then you can be almost certain he will appear in the top scorer charts if France progress to the final as expected.
3. Teun Koopmeiners (Netherlands)
Another man who is no stranger to Football Manager enthusiasts - Teun Koopmeiners is arguably one of the most experienced players in this year’s competition having already been capped for the Senior team as well as having four full Eredivise seasons under his belt at AZ where he is already club captain despite being one of the younger members of their talented squad. Capable of playing either as a Centre Half or Centre Midfielder, Koopmeiners is unique in that he possesses both defensive and attacking qualities which are cleraly highlighted by his 15 goals and 5 assists for AZ this season - interestingly 9 of which have come from the penalty spot which might just come in useful in an International tournament.
In Football Manager terms - Koopmeiners is an ideal signing for almost any club given his all round attributes and versatility in either defence or midfield. At 22 years of age when you start a new save, he already has the necessary physical, mental and technical attributes to warrant a starting spot and depending on where you need him most, he could be quickly moulded into an exceptional Defender or Midfielder if given the right individual training and development - nice to see his Set Piece ability also reflected which is always favourable in match situations.
Why Koopmeiners is one to watch this year is not that the Netherlands are guaranteed to go far in this tournament especially considering the fact that much of their eligible players have been drafted into the Senior set-up e.g. Calvin Stengs, Ryan Granvenberch and Donyell Malen, but rather it is a chance for him to prove himself on a much higher global level outside of the Dutch Premier League which in turn may lead to him sealing a much deserved move to a bigger club and league having been linked with the likes of Everton, Leeds and more recently Inter in recent weeks. With the likes of Sven Botman, Justin Kluivert and Myron Boadu around him, the ingredients are most certainly there for Holland to have a good tournament should they progress from their group as expected against Germany, Romania and Hungary.
4. Callum Hudson-Odoi (England)
When you consider how long Callum Hudson-Odoi (whom we will now name CHO for convenience) has been spoken about and been in the limelight among English and German footballing circles (throwback to Bayern Munich’s failed pursuit of his signature back in 2019) - it’s hard to believe that CHO is the first 2000’s born player to get a mention in this list especially considering he has already been fully capped for England as well as being a first team player for Chelsea for the past three seasons. The reason for him making this list is that after so much hype and promise since he emerged from the Chelsea academy, he has slightly struggled to live up to his potential at Chelsea, finding it difficult to nail down a regular first team place both under Frank Lampard and Thomas Tuchel as well as lacking when it comes to either goals or assists as part of his overall output with just 2 goals and 2 assists so far this season, and although this is clearly a highly talented England side with the likes of Mason Greenwood, Curtis Jones, Eberechi Eze and Emile Smith Rowe, when we compare to sides with names such as Trincao, Aouar, Puig and Moukoko then you would argue it’s about time that CHO made his stamp as a truly gifted footballer of this generation and fully rise to the occasion to elevate this young England team accordingly.
In Football Manager terms, CHO is one of those players that (similar to his current IRL situation) may not rack up the goals and assists but can be a game changer purely based on his speed and technical ability - akin to the likes of Kingsley Coman and Ousmane Dembele who are a joy to watch in the match engine based on their speed and movement in wide areas.
England are up there among the favourites in this year’s Euro U21 Championship, largely based on the fact that the vast majority of the squad are first team regulars in the Premier League giving them a very solid all-round squad full of experience and pedigree, however if they are to have any hopes of winning and competing with the likes of Spain, France and Portugal then they will definitely need big performances from CHO as one of their star players in the absence of the likes of Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Buyako Saka who all make the Senior squad for their upcoming qualifiers, and hopefully he seizes this opportunity to prove his worth and fulfil his undoubted potential as a top English winger.
5. Nicolò Rovella (Italy)
Taking a slight gamble here given that Rovella only made his U21 debut last November and arguably we should be speaking about either his more well-known international midfield team-mate Sandro Tonali or his colleague at Genoa, Gianluca Scamatta - however based on his rise to prominence at the heart of Genoa’s midfield which has recently led to a €20m move to Juventus at the end of the season, this tournament could be a breakthrough moment for Rovella on the European stage. While both he and Tonali are quite similar in their strengths and footballing ability, Rovella offers more in terms of breaking up play and operating as a proper defensive midfielder, racking up an average of 3 tackles & interceptions per 90 mins in 2020.
In the Football Manager world, Rovella is most suited as either a Secundo Volante or a Box to Box Midfielder, but aged just 18 years at the beginning of FM21 he is primed and ready to be trained and developed in almost any midfield role available especially combining his attributes with his Resolute personality and 17 Determination rating.
With Manuel Locatelli called up to the Senior squad and Nicolo Zaniolo out of contention due to a long term injury, Rovella has the perfect opportunity to try and break into the Italy first XI for their group games against Spain, Czech Republic and Slovenia assuming manager Paolo Nicolato finds a way to include him alongside Tonali - either way Rovella has a bright future ahead of him and will need to continue to improve to compete with an incredibly talented generation of Italian Centre Midfielders.
6. Mohamed Daramy (Denmark)
Moving slightly away from some of the more mainstream international sides, one of the younger and most exciting prospects in this year’s tournament is FC København’s Mo Daramy, who despite not having a Danish name was born in Denmark to Sierra Leonean parents and declared for the national side pretty much immediately after bursting on the scene to become FC København’s youngest ever goalscorer. He has been top scorer throughout his rise in the academy teams in the Danish capital, although in recent times he has mainly played as a Winger or Inside Forward rather than in the Striker role bagging 3 goals and 2 assists so far this season.
In Football Manager terms - it is clear to see where Daramy’s strengths lie, with strong Pace, Acceleration, Agility, Technique and Dribbling meaning he is definitely geared towards a wide role or as a pacey Striker. His Finishing needs work and some intensive individual and positioning training would be needed to see him succeed as a forward, however he definitely has bags of potential and would be a shrewd signing for most sides even if he is still a few years away from competing at the highest level.
Considering Daramy is yet to make his debut for the U21 side having never featured for any underage Denmark team, he could be considered to be a somewhat unknown quantity when it comes to his impact on an international tournament however if is club performances are anything to go by along with his lightning pace which will trouble any defender, he could prove to be the catalyst that sees Denmark advance from Group C ahead of Russia as they both compete for a likely runner-up spot behind France.
7. Marc Cucurella (Spain)
Aside from the fact that his hair makes him resemble a young Carles Puyol when he dons a Spanish jersey, Marc Cucurella is one of the hottest prospects in Spain at the moment which perhaps has dropped off from people’s radar since he made a permanent move from Barcelona to Getafe in search of regular first team football following a successful loan move. Equally adept either at Wing Back or as a Left Winger, he has been ever present for Getafe this season contributing 3 goals and an assist in 27 games played, with definite room for improvement compared to his 6 assists last season.
In Football Manager 2021 Cucurella is the stand-out player in an average Getafe team, and generally ends up making the move to a much bigger European club (currently rocking it at PSG in my Angers save) and his excellent all round attributes combined with his versatility make him a star Wing Back or Winger in-game.
Capped at all age groups for Spain bar the Senior squad, one would argue that this tournament is a golden opportunity for Cucurella to not only shine on the international stage and put himself out there in terms of potential suitors, but also to stake a claim for the full Spain setup as they begin their World Cup qualification campaign - most likely he will be deployed as a Left Midfielder with Juan Miranda likely to occupy the Left Back spot. With the likes of Pedri, Bryan Gil and Ansu Fati called up to the full squad, it will be up to the likes of Cucurella, Brahim Diaz and Riqui Puig to ensure Spain hit the ground running and live up to their potential as tournament favourites.
8. Youssoufa Moukoko (Germany)
I mean, how can we not mention him. Fully aware that he is arguably the most talked about youth prospect in football and Football Manager circles alike, at just 16 he became the youngest player and goalscorer in Bundesliga history as well as the youngest player ever to play in the Champions League, and he has already managed to score 3 goals in 14 appearances for Dortmund this season (largely as a substitute).
Moukoko sent ruptures through the Football Manager community when he was finally included in the game following the January update for FM21, and his attributes combined with the fact that he has the highest potential ability in game alongside Eduardo Camavinga mean he is destined for greatness no matter what save universe you embark upon (click here to watch our own Dave Azzopardi review Moukoko’s outstanding ability and potential).
Cameroon-born Moukoko has stirred a media frenzy in world football and all eyes will be on him assuming he is named in Stefan Kuntz’ starting XI for their opening game against hosts Hungary. At 16 he is the youngest player in the tournament and looks set to be the shining light of Germany’s campaign with the likes of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz called straight up to the senior squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, and if the likes of Joshua Vagnoman, Arne Meier, Jonathan Burkhardt and Lukas Nmecha play well around him, this Germany team has the potential to go far in this competition.
Honorable Mentions
Of course the above are only 8 of 368 players named for this tournament, we may be right and we may be wrong but overall if we look at ability, potential, importance and opportunity then each of these players all have the chance to make a huge impact on this competition in their own right and stake a claim either for a move to a bigger club or to be in the reckoning for a Senior call-up in the near future. Some of the more well-known players that we haven’t listed would be the likes of Houssem Aouar (France), Mason Greenwood (England), Brahim Diaz (Spain), Gianluca Scamacca (Italy), Myron Boadu (Netherlands), Eberechi Eze (England) and Rafael Leao (Portugal) while we may also see a few less familiar faces rise to the occasion such as Brian Brobbey (Netherlands), Radu Drăgușin (Romania), Adam Karabec (Czech Republic), Sveinn Aron Guðjohnsen (Iceland), Fyodor Chalov (Russia), Domagoj Bradarić (Croatia) and Noah Okafor (Switzerland). Interestingly this year will also see teams given the opportunity to bring in new players after the group stages, with the final group games scheduled for 31st March before a 2 month break until the Knockout stage on 31st May. This means we may see a number of players that were left out due to injury or Covid restrictions return to their sides for the Quarter Finals meaning the likes of Joško Gvardiol (Croatia), Andrea Pinamonti (Italy) and Adam Hložek (Czech Republic) could all yet feature despite not being named in their countries’ initial 23 man squads. One thing is for sure - this tournament looks set to be a cracker and will hopefully set us up nicely for the full-fat competition later this year.
It’s also worth mentioning that this year’s competition looks like it’s straight out of the Football Manager world when we look at a few of the Managers at the helm of some of these U21 squads - Igor Biscan (Croatia), Adrien Mutu (Romania) and Zoltan Gera (Hungary) are all former internationals currently leading their nations’ U21 sides and as Football Manager players, we absolutely love to see this 🔥.
Thanks for reading, enjoy the tournament!
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