by newsroom
The 2024 European Championship is just around the corner and for a month it will be the main showcase of the greatest European talents, ready to shine like never before, in search of personal and national glory in the stadiums of Germany. Competing for the trophy will be 126 players (26 per nation): among them are 10 included in the Golden Boy Football Benchmark Index, who will “take advantage” of the competition to try to climb higher in our ever-evolving ranking and to increase their value when the summer market opens (their total value is 372 million, according to Football Benchmark data).
LAMINE YAMAL, THE BEACON OF A SPAIN SEEKING REDEMPTION
First in the GBFB Index and the first name to be included in any probable lineup of coach De la Fuente, Lamine Yamal is the offensive engine of La Roja. The young Catalan comes to the European Championships strong from a season with 14 goals with Barcelona and 5 in 7 matches with the national team: the right wing will be completely under his control and all Spanish fans dream of reliving the magical nights of 12 years ago when Del Bosque’s national team brought home the trophy. For Lamine, the personal goal is to replicate Pedri’s journey, who was named the best young player of the competition and a few months later the 2020 European Golden Boy.
THE MIDFIELD HAS NEVER BEEN SO YOUNG
Warren Zaïre-Emery (France), Arthur Vermeeren (Belgium), Kacper Urbański (Poland), Kobbie Mainoo (England), and his compatriot Adam Wharton: these are the 5 names that will try to dominate the midfield of the major German stadiums. France will rely on the young veteran from Paris Saint-Germain, established this season as a “box-to-box” player capable of breaking through opposing lines with the ball at his feet and serving the stellar attack of the French. His opponent in the group is Kacper Urbański, who intends to continue his magical moment culminated first with the qualification for the Champions League with Bologna and then with his first ever call-up to the senior national team. Arthur Vermeeren might start slightly behind in the Belgian midfield hierarchy, but he has amply demonstrated that he can play in important scenarios and in a short competition he will know how to impact the matches. Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton represent the new English renaissance, welcomed with open arms by coach Southgate, who has seen in their two more than surprising seasons (Mainoo’s season enriched by a decisive goal for the FA Cup victory, ed.) the opportunity to avenge the lost final in the last edition.
PORTUGAL VS TURKEY: DEFENSE VS ATTACK
On Saturday, June 22, Turkey-Portugal will take place in Dortmund, not only the first match of the European Championship for the two national teams but also the opportunity to see four candidates for the European Golden Boy in action. Defending the Portuguese goal will be the number 2 of the Index, Joao Neves, a pillar of Benfica at 19 years old with already 7 appearances with the Portuguese team, who will have to face the attacks and plays of the three brilliant Turkish talents: Arda Güler, who in this season finale managed to put 100% of his shots on target behind the goalkeeper, Kenan Yildiz, Juventus’ jewel in his first major competition with the national team, and Semih Kiliçsoy, a central forward with 11 goals and 3 assists with Besiktas.
