A player who shines in a European Sub-21 is like a new garment in the window of a luxury store. There is no other place to show off more and be pretended. Players like Figo (1994), Cannavaro (1994), Pirlo (2000), Cech (2002) or more recently William Carvalho (2015), Ceballos (2017) and Fabián (2019) can attest to them. They all won tournament MVP and they all had or are having a great career. After the group stage of the championship that this year is being held in Georgia and Romania, there are several players who oppose to be chosen as the Best Player of the European Under-21 2023.
Rodri (Spain).
The Betis player was the MVP of La Rojita’s first two games against Romania and Croatia and was decisive in the third game against Ukraine, in which he assisted Abel Ruiz at the last minute so that the Braga striker tied the game and gave Spain the group lead. Unbalancing one-on-one, he is acting as a right winger, but he can also play as a midfielder. Napoli have kept an eye on him as he did in his day for Fabián.
Smith Rowe (England)
Some discomfort made Carley reserve him in the first game against the Czech Republic and even so, he came out in the last ten minutes and scored a goal. He also led the victory of the three lions against Israel with another goal and with the team classified to the quarterfinals, he rested again against Germany. His big problem at Arsenal is that he plays in Odegaard’s place. Despite this, Arteta does not want him to leave this summer and has refused to listen to offers for his young pearl.
Ndoye (Switzerland)
The Basel winger has also scored twice in the first phase. He was the MVP of Norway-Switzerland on matchday one, in which he scored the decisive goal, and also scored against France, although he could not avoid the defeat of his team. With the Sub-21 he has scored six goals and distributed seven assists in 16 games and is a full international. He is the main culprit that the Spanish Hugo Novoa, also a far right, does not have a leading role in Basel.
Nazarenko (Ukraine)
In Mudryk’s absence, the Dnipro right winger has been the standout player for surprising Ukraine. The last game he played was against Spain and it was a real headache for Manu Sánchez, who didn’t know how to stop him. He assisted Vyunnyk in the 1-0 draw and ended up being chosen the MVP of the match. He has several offers to leave the Ukrainian league and it is more than likely that he will end the summer away from his country.
Perets (Israel)
The best goalkeeper in the championship so far. His performance against Germany was memorable. He made all kinds of saves and even saved Moukoko’s penalty, a decisive action for Israel to manage to scratch a point against the mannschaft. He obviously was chosen MVP of the match. Against the Czech Republic, in the decisive match that qualified his team to the quarterfinals, he also left a clean sheet. He is indisputable in Maccabi Tel Aviv and an absolute international.
Boat (France)
The Lyon winger has two goals and one assist in three games. He gets along perfectly with Kalimuendo, another of the great stars of a French team that aspires to everything. His best game was played against Switzerland, in which he scored a goal and assisted Caqueret in the 1-4 draw that closed the scoring. He has a market value of 18 million euros and this season he has played 31 games for Lyon, for whom he has scored seven goals.