The Under-21 Euros, hosted this year by Slovakia, will offer a showcase of great talents who could be the future of European football. So, which youngsters arrive with the tag of being the tournament's biggest stars?
Mathys Tel
France/Bayern Munich, 20 years old, striker
A strong, fast and versatile player who not only played at the tip of the attack in the youth categories, but also on the wing or in the centre of midfield. Tel is a product of the Paris FC academy, from which he joined Bayern Munich via Stade Rennes in 2022. It was in the jersey of the Bavarian giants that he made history as the youngest ever goalscorer in a competitive match.
He then spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Tottenham, gaining valuable experience in the Premier League. The Euro U21 in Slovakia will be his first major tournament for the national team - he was rejected by Bayern for the U20 World Cup and last year's Olympic Games.
Nick Woltemade
Germany/Stuttgart, 23, forward
A Werder Bremen product who made his Bundesliga debut at the age of 17. However, last season he moved to Stuttgart, where he quickly established himself as a key player. He helped the Swabians to their first trophy since 2007, when they won the DFB-Pokal together, while also becoming the club's top scorer.
Woltemade is the type of striker who can play both on the wing and up top. Tall, strong in personal duels, but also technically gifted and has an excellent reading of the game. Just before the start of the Euros, he also made his debut for the senior German national team, starting against Portugal.
Geovany Quenda
Portugal/Sporting, 18 years old, winger
A typical speedy forward with excellent technique, strong in one-on-one situations but also capable defensively. Quenda excels with an intelligent game that is exceptional for his age. He will be one of the youngest participants at the Euros, yet he is one of the most watched talents of the tournament.
Last season, he started 34 league games as a 17-year-old for Sporting Lisbon, with whom he celebrated winning the Portuguese title at the end of the season. His performances have not escaped the attention of Europe's big clubs - Chelsea were the quickest to pay €52 million for him. Quenda will thus become a new acquisition for the London club next summer.
Pablo Torre
Spain/Barcelona, 22 years old, offensive midfielder
Creative offensive midfielder with excellent technique, game vision and playmaking ability. Started his career at Racing Santander, where he quickly made his way into the first team and contributed significantly to their promotion to the Segunda Division. He signed a contract with Barcelona in March 2022 and spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Girona, gaining experience in La Liga.
After returning to Camp Nou under coach Hansi Flick, he had some notable moments - for example, he scored two goals in their win over Sevilla in October 2024. Although he wasn't given loads of game time, he proved to be extremely effective when called upon.
Ethan Nwaneri
England/Arsenal, 18, offensive midfielder
An offensive playmaker with excellent ball control, quick thinking and the ability to decide games. He will be one of the youngest players in the tournament at the Euros, but despite his age, he has already made his Premier League and Champions League debuts.
In September 2022, at the age of 15 years and 181 days, he became the youngest player in Premier League history. In the 2024/25 season, he began to make regular appearances for Arsenal's first team, where he impressed with his technique, creativity and cheekiness in the attacking third of the pitch.
He scored his first league goal against Nottingham Forest in November, then opened his goal account in the Champions League in January when he scored against Girona. Experts have compared him to a young Messi - and although it's a very ambitious comparison, Nwaneri has the potential to become a world-class star.
Paul Wanner
Germany/Bayern Munich, 19 years old, offensive midfielder
A talented attacking midfielder who excels with technique, movement and the ability to change the pace of the game. Thanks to his versatility, he can also play as a 10 or as a false nine. He made his debut for Bayern Munich back in January 2022 at the age of 16 years and 15 days, making him the youngest player in the club's history and the second youngest debutant in Bundesliga history.
In the 2023/24 season, he went on loan to Elversberg in the second league, where he gained experience, scoring 6 goals in 28 games. The following year, he was already active in the top flight when he went on loan to Heidenheim. He played 29 games in the Bundesliga, scoring 3 goals and adding 2 assists. He will be one of the leaders of the strong German squad at the European Under-21 Championship in Slovakia.
Leo Sauer
Slovakia/Feyenoord, 19 years old, offensive midfielder
A technically advanced offensive midfielder with excellent dribbling, creative thinking and courage in personal battles. Sauer is a product of Slovan Bratislava, from where he is headed to Feyenoord via MSK Zilina in 2022. He made his debut in the Dutch Eredivisie at the age of 17, which underlines his exceptional talent. Last season, he was on loan at NAC Breda, where he was one of the team's best players - he played 31 league games, scoring 7 goals and adding 2 assists.
He made his national team debut in March 2024 against Norway and became the youngest player in the history of the Slovak senior national team. Three months later, he was also included in the nomination for Euro 2024 in Germany. He is expected to be one of the main faces of the Slovak team at the U21 domestic championship.