After suffering a year long postponement amidst the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the UEFA EURO 2020, the 16th edition of the quadrennial international men’s football championship of Europe is soon to reach its penultimate stage- the semifinals, before the grand finale determines the tournament champion.
EURO 2020 only has three matches remaining and looking back at the tournament, the big superstars of football who were to fulfill their expectations, have more or less ticked the anticipation checkboxes, with a handful of disappointments as well. To bet on football matches and other events, check out ThisWin sport betting.
However, the tournament has been the stage of a number of hidden gems, from teenagers to those in their twenties, to showcase their talents on the pitch and has transformed them into top attractions in the transfer market.
Below here are five of the best finds out of the UEFA EURO 2020:
Pedri (Spain)
18-year-old Spanish central midfielder Pedri has made his debut tournament his shot to success. Coming off as a replacement for the COVID-19 stricken Sergio Busquets, the Barcelona youngster, who became the youngest Spaniard to play in the European championship has proved himself to be pivotal in the Spanish midfield.
Now with Spain prepping to take on Italy for the semis, chances are there for Pedri to secure the trophy on his debut Euro tournament, if Luis Enrique’s squad can repeat their 2008 dream run. Aside from the own goal against Croatia, the Barca teenager has shown tremendous playmaking abilities in the midfield, with a stunning 91% passing accuracy, with 63% of his passes in the medium range.
Patrik Schick (Czech Republic)
Bayer Leverkusen stalwart Patrik Schick had been garnering appreciation in the Bundesliga, but the Czech striker was hardly a famed name outside the German football circuit. However, the EURO 2020 has changed that.
The 25-year-old has scored five goals in five games, and is currently in the tie with none other than Cristiano Ronaldo for the race to the Golden Boot. Although both Portugal and Czech’s campaigns have come to an end, Schick’s clinical finishes, notably his halfway line goal against Scotland in the group stage. You can visit ThisWin cric betting site for waging options.
Jérémy Doku (Belgium)
Despite the star-studded Belgian squad exiting another international tournament as the tragic heroes, their 2-1 quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Italy gave them but just one gain, Jeremy Doku.
The 19-year-old, who plays for Ligue 1 side Rennes, completed eight dribbles against the Italians, the most a teenager has dribbed in an international match since the 1980 Euro as well as the 1966 World Cup. The stunning performance has put Doku on the radar of German heavyweights Bayern Munich.
Manuel Locatelli (Italy)
Sassuolo youngster Manuel Locatelli has been the brightest star out of the Italian garrison, the 23-year-old midfielder who has been grabbing eyeballs for his remarkable feats on the pitch and being one of the driving forces behind Italy’s unbeaten run in the tournament so far. The best thing about the ThisWin app Sport Live is that fans can watch and bet on live sport at the same time as the app has been curated keeping hardcore sports fans in mind.
Along with a brace in Italy’s 3-0 thrashing of Switzerland in the group stages, Locatelli has clocked impeccable status as a deep lying playmaker, completing 92% of passes as well as 12 successful tackles and 6 ball recoveries.
The youngster has peaked interests from Serie A giants Juventus as well as English football elites Arsenal, and of Italy finishes as the tournament champions, it would just be the cherry on top for Locatelli and establishing himself as one of the future greats.
Robin Gosens (Germany)
The Germans lost their round of 16 outing against the Englishmen. They lost their age-old Joachim Loew from the head coach position, and question marks are already placed regarding the futures of Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Thomas Müller and Ilkay Gündogan. Amidst the chaos in the squad, it’s Robin Gosens who has fortified his place in the legendary Die Mannschaft. Head over to ThisWin app download to get a taste of sports betting.
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The 27-year-old left midfielder/left-back, who plays for Serie A club Atalanta, was pivotal in Germany’s 4-2 thrashing of Portugal in the group stage, including a goal. Gosens finished his EURO 2020 campaign with an 83% passing accuracy, 9 tackles, 11 recoveries, and 8 clearances. The stunning performance has even made him a target for La Liga giants FC Barcelona.
