Harvey Elliott makes history in U21 Euro semi-final | OneFootball

When England needed a hero, Harvey Elliott stepped up. With the clock ticking into the 85th minute of a nervy UEFA Under-21 Euro semi-final against the Netherlands, Elliott pulled a moment of pure class out of the bag.

Gliding past a defender at the edge of the area, the Liverpool midfielder bent a sensational strike into the far corner to clinch a 2-1 win and book England’s place in their second consecutive U21 Euro final.

It was Elliott’s second of the night as he’d already broken the deadlock in the 62nd minute with a thumping finish after being played through one-on-one. And just when it looked like extra time might be on the cards in the Bratislava heat, he made sure it wouldn’t be.

Now set to face Germany in Saturday’s final, Lee Carsley’s side can thank Elliott for stepping up when it mattered most. His brace didn’t just seal the win and it also cemented his place among the tournament’s top scorers, with four goals so far, trailing only Germany’s Nick Woltemade (6).

Those two goals also move him into joint-second on England’s all-time U21 scorers list with 13 - level with Alan Shearer  and Francis Jeffers, and just behind record-holder Eddie Nketiah (16).

He’s even made a bit of history: Elliott is now the first English player to score twice in a European U21 semi-final.

A natural leader in this squad, Elliott is one of just two players - alongside Charlie Cresswell - still involved from the team that lifted the trophy back in 2023.

The big question now: what does the future hold for him at club level? With competition at Liverpool intensifying, especially after the arrival of Florian Wirtz, Elliott may have to fight for game time. But performances like this prove he has the quality to stake his claim - whether that’s at Anfield or elsewhere.