Where are they now? England’s U21 Euros winners two years on | OneFootball

England’s Young Lions will take on Spain in the quarter-final of this year’s U21 Euros.

The competition is famous for showcasing the talents of up-and-coming stars on the biggest stage, with players such as Andrea Pirlo, Manuel Neuer, Luis Figo and Petr Cech all being recipients of the competition’s Player of the Tournament award in the past.

A new squad brimming with fresh talent will take to the field in Slovakia, as Lee Carsley looks to replicate the triumph of 2023. That team famously ended England’s 39-year wait for silverware by beating Spain.

But where are those players now?

James Trafford

Arguably the standout in England’s victory over Spain, Trafford’s stoppage-time penalty heroics and consistently strong performances helped earn him a move to Burnley in the Premier League. Despite suffering relegation in his debut season, the young keeper continued to impress, racking up 29 clean sheets in the Championship last season to help the Clarets secure promotion. Now in the summer transfer window, Trafford is being strongly linked with a move to Newcastle United.

Levi Colwill

Levi Colwill has established himself as a key figure at the heart of Chelsea’s defence, earned starts under Thomas Tuchel for the senior England side and has even been tipped as a future Chelsea captain by current boss Enzo Maresca. It is fair to say that Colwill has made significant strides in his career since the summer of 2023.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

The highly rated defender has spent the last two seasons at Southampton, being part of a team that was both promoted and relegated during his time at the club. His future could remain in the Premier League with Burnley and West Ham said to be interested.

James Garner

The Manchester United academy graduate has been playing his football at Everton since 2022, featuring consistently across both seasons following the tournament in Georgia.

Max Aarons

Out of those who started the final against Spain in 2023, Aarons is the player who has been unable to use the tournament as a springboard for their career. He signed for Bournemouth that summer but played only 23 times over two seasons and found himself on loan at Valencia.  He now looks set to sign for Rangers.

Curtis Jones

Liverpool’s local lad was credited with the winning goal in the final against Spain at the U21 Euros. Since then, he has remained part of the first-team setup at Anfield, featuring on a rotational basis amid fierce competition for places in Liverpool’s midfield.

Anthony Gordon

After back-to-back standout seasons, Anthony Gordon will be aiming for a starting spot at next summer’s World Cup. The Newcastle winger has flourished down the left-hand side, forging a dynamic partnership with Alexander Isak that has consistently troubled opposition defences. Their link-up play has been instrumental in securing Champions League football once again for the Magpies.

Morgan Gibbs-White

The creative midfielder for Nottingham Forest made his senior debut for the national side only a year after the U21 success. Gibbs-White is a regular in the England squad now and played a huge role in earning European football for Forest for the first time in 30 years.

Emile Smith-Rowe

Prior to the 2023 championship, Smith-Rowe was already making a name for himself alongside Bukayo Saka at Arsenal. However, after injuries and a lack of game time, the now 24-year-old is playing at Fulham. With nine goal contributions in his first season at Craven Cottage, he is showing glimpses of the quality he showed a few years ago.

Angel Gomes

The diminutive attacking midfielder who came up through the ranks at Manchester United has been playing abroad at Lille for the past 4 seasons. Playing in both the Champions League and Conference League, Gomes’ career has continued to impress since 2023 and he has now moved on to Marseille after making his England debut earlier this season.

Cole Palmer

England’s newest superstar announced himself at this tournament. A move to Chelsea was the next step for Palmer after the U21 Euros and he has not looked back since. In just two seasons in Chelsea blue, Palmer has racked up over 60 goal contributions across all competitions. Remarkably, just a year after his deflected strike in the U21 final, he found the net again, this time on the biggest stage, scoring against Spain in the senior Euros final.