Football is one of the most glorious forms of entertainment, and the drama that accompanies the sport has made it a hugely profitable international commodity. The UEFA European Under-21 Championship will provide the football lover with a chance to witness some of the best young players in the world. With the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal & Tottenham Hotspur all in the market for bright, young talent, many of these youngsters are auditioning for big money moves. This piece will focus on the prodigies of the beautiful game, the players that make you sit up, wipe the pizza crumbs of your t-shirt, and take notice. Unashamedly, I have focused on players who have the skill to excite, the ability to exhilarate, thus, perhaps it should come as no surprise that showboaters and speed merchants are heavily represented here.
Ian Holloway once suggested he was the unluckiest man in football , if I fell in a barrel of boobs, Id come out sucking my thumb. The lovable Bristolians taste for a quotable quip remains as entertaining as ever. However, it seems his luck changed the day he met the best young player outside the English top flight. Enter Wilfried Zaha, the Ivory Coast-born teenager, a player with more tricks than Derren Brown performing at a circus. Zaha joined Manchester United during the January transfer window but was immediately loaned back to Palace for the rest of the season. This loan proved to be vital, as the youngster helped Palace win promotion to the Premier League. His trickery and pace won the penalty that was expertly converted by Kevin Phillips, a goal that catapulted Palace back into big time football. Despite his tender age of 20, Zaha has had a phenomenal impact on the English second tier. His undoubted technical ability, lightning pace and dizzying dribbling skills have won him high praise. One thing is for sure, it will be fascinating to watch the rise of the Cote dIvoire born youngster at Old Trafford. Move over Nani, move over Ashley Young, there's a new kid in town, and this guy can actually score a goal. Honestly, when I looked at the star-studded Spain Under-21 team, I could have picked out seven or eight players who deserve great praise. However, Cristian Tello is the main man for me, with the young Barcelona star looking for a move out of the Nou Camp, European clubs are on high alert. With Barcelona boasting remarkable attacking talent, numerous La Masia products have been given few opportunities to shine. When given the odd starting role, Tello is one who took his opportunity admirably, and never once looked out of place. Sadly for the youngster, the recent signing of Neymar could well and truly signal the end of his Barca career. A versatile player, the technically proficient attacker has mainly been deployed in wide positions, impressing pundits across the board. What excited me most was Tello's successful baptism in the Champions League, like a duck to water, the youngster thrilled and excelled. If Barca provides too few opportunities for Tello to shine, offers across Europe should be rather plentiful. One could definitely see the frontman in a Liverpool jersey, a player of this ability would compliment Coutinho and Suarez brilliantly. Lorenzo Insigne is a gifted player, the striker plays for Napoli and will represent Italy this Summer. Insigne is small in stature, no, wait, scrap that, he's tiny (5'3"). But what the boy lacks in height he provides with big game. Napoli have had a solid season, Insigne scoredd five goals and chipped in with seven assists. During qualifying for the U21 Championship, the Italian netted three goals and registered five assists. The boy reminds me of a young Zola, and with the striker situation at Tottenham being truly dire (Adebayour, come on, please), Insigne would be an intelligent addition. The player has so much potential, but a big move might come a year too soon. According to his agent, the player doesn't expect to be leaving Napoli any time in the near future, but how many times have we heard similar comments in the past? Patrick Herrmann is a Borussia Monchengladbach player, a youngster who has really excelled in the Bundesliga. A former teammate of Marco Reus during Reus's tenure at Monchengladbach, Herrmann has further excelled since the bleached haired genius departed for Borrusia. Once Reus left the club in the chase for European glory, Herrmann took over, producing some truly remarkable football. A real favorite among fans, they regularly tip him to be the "Next Reus". Usually when a player is tipped to be the "Next Big Thing", this can very often prove to be counterproductive, placing too much pressure on young shoulders. Freedy Adu.. Pele... Ring any bells? However, Herrmann does have the potential to be the next big German star, and this definitely makes him the Germany Under-21 player to watch. One player who knows Herrmann better than most is Netherlands' Luuk de Jong. The Borussia Monchengladbach player can only become more prolific, and is one of the most sought-after players participating in Israel. His statistics might not impress the likes of Van Persie (In 30 games for the German side this season, de Jong scored eight goals and notched up three assists), however, his overall work ethic is truly admirable. A real physical specimen, de Jong is particularly good in the air, making him a real danger from set pieces. Linked with Newcastle on numerous occasions, the Dutchman would certainly be a quality addition, a player that could possibly fit the Alan Shearer mold. God only knows, Newcastle need a decent striker. And finally, we come to my favorite Champions League player of the 2012/2013 campaign. Known simply as Isco, the boy oozes class. Following Malagas finest-ever season in recent history, he was their outstanding player. The young Spanish attacking midfielder proved that he could mix it up with the best of them. From Xavi to Marco Reus, Isco demonstrated technical prowess to rival any of these players. When you consider the turmoil that abounded Malaga at the beginning of the season, Isco's achievements are even more amazing. The gifted Spaniard has prospered under the departing Manuel Pellegrini, and his link up play with Joaquin has been real poetry in motion. Despite being eliminated by Dortmund, there is no ambiguity as to whether Isco belongs on the main stage of European football. With a range of passing right out of the Xabi Alonso academy, the youngster is my La Liga player of the season. One thing must be noted with Isco, youth has been accompanied, naturally, by a lack of consistency, and this is perhaps the one obstacle that he needs to overcome if he is to be considered a true great. Personally, I could see him slotting into the Manchester United midfield rather easily, Isco and Carrick would make quite a team.