- Home >
- Soccer >
- UEFA European Championship >
- Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler: The Euro of Young Promises
Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler: The Euro of Young Promises
The Euro 2024 in Germany has been a showcase for the budding careers of potential football superstars. The teenage rebellion is personified by Spain's Lamine Yamal and Turkey's Arda Güler.
The emergence of Spanish winger Lamine Yamal has stunned all of Europe. Starting from the beginning of the tournament, the 17-year-old Barcelona forward has cemented himself as the most promising figure in world football.
After showing glimpses of his potential during the season at Barcelona, Germany 2024 has witnessed the heights the young footballer can reach, with no ceiling in sight.
It's not just his blistering runs that have caused a sensation at the Euros. His exceptional vision for making the final pass has dazzled everyone, as did his stunning goal against France: the remarkable strike that equalized the semifinal against France is now part of Spanish football history. For Lamine Yamal, the future is not only his but also the present, and he’s not even of legal age yet.
Arda Güler’s Redemption
Arda Güler has also captivated European fans. After an inconsistent season marred by injuries and lack of opportunities at Real Madrid, he arrived at the premier continental tournament eager to prove himself as the promising playmaker that the Whites fought over last summer.
And the challenge has been a success. In his tournament debut against Georgia, he showcased his limitless skills. The attacking midfielder unleashed an unstoppable left-footed rocket that found the back of the net.
His brilliant debut was followed by a benching against Portugal due to fatigue and a quiet game against the Czech Republic. However, the young Turk still had plenty in store for the rest of the competition. Two expertly taken corners by the number 8, his jersey number for Turkey, against the emerging Austria resulted in two goals by Merih Demiral, propelling the star and crescent nation into the round of 16.
But the most precise pass came in the quarterfinals, with a theoretically weaker foot, when he set up Semat Akaydin’s header to score against the Netherlands. Güler had his best minutes of the tournament against the Dutch. Omnipresent, insightful, and decisive, he almost scored the goal that would have sealed the match against the Dutch, but his free-kick hit the post. And Turkey succumbed.
Wirtz: A Half-Completed Consolidation
Wirtz arrived at the Euros intending to confirm an outstanding season. His goal ten minutes into the match against Scotland hinted at a stellar performance from the Leverkusen player, but two inconsistent games against Hungary and Switzerland relegated him to the bench in favor of Sané in the round of 16 and quarterfinals against Denmark and Spain, respectively.
Against Luis de la Fuente’s team, after coming on at the start of the second half, a goal by the young German in the final moments of the match rekindled hopes of qualification among 'Mannschaft' fans. The attacking midfielder even had chances to put the Germans ahead in extra time, but Mikel Merino's late goal settled the match.
Xavi Simons’ Rise
Xavi Simons shined during the Euros. After a minor role in the Qatar World Cup, the Dutchman, owned by PSG, established himself as an emerging footballer by leading his country to the semifinals.
Although he lacked consistency, the Netherlands' best moments in the Euros always came with a great performance from the midfielder who grew up in Barcelona’s youth academy. His best form was seen in the knockout phase. A solid match against Romania was followed by a highly influential game against Turkey, contributing decisively to the comeback.
In the semifinals against England, a Simons cannon shot in the 7th minute opened the door to the final, but the English shut it. Despite this, the tournament increased the midfielder’s value, positioning him as the Dutch standard-bearer and placing his club in a dilemma on whether to loan him out again or finally give him a chance.
Mainoo: Solid for Southgate’s England
The conqueror of Simons and the Netherlands, England, has illuminated who might be their central midfielder for the next decade: Kobbie Mainoo.
Despite starting as a substitute in Gareth Southgate’s uninspiring squad, the passing of matches convinced the questioned English coach to start him from the round of 16 against Slovakia. And the Manchester United pivot has delivered.
Other young players who have made their mark on the championship or shown glimpses of their potential include Portugal’s Francisco Conceição, with his saving goal against the Czech Republic, and Switzerland’s Dan Ndoye, the absolute star in Switzerland’s great Euro performance, reaffirming his extraordinary season at Bologna.