Eurosport - Mon, 11 Jun 06:42:00 2007
Euro 2007 Under-21 - The Championship kicks off this afternoon in the Netherlands. Its your chance to see some of the brightest young talent in world football. Eurosport.yahoo.co.uk highlights the key players that could become the superstars of tomorrow.
The Fiorentina forward (pictured) could hardly have announced his arrival on the international scene in finer style.
The 22-year-old scored the first goal and the first hat trick at the new Wembley Stadium, scoring all of Italy's goals in the 3-3 draw against England U21s. His first strike, after only 28 seconds, is also the fastest ever in Wembley history.
With his former team mate Luca Toni leaving for Bayern Munich, Serie A fans can expect to see a lot more of this powerful striker next season.
Huddlestone was just 16 when he made his first team debut for Derby County in the Championship back in 2003.
Despite being a towering presence in the centre of midfield, the 20-year-old is highly adept at controlling the tempo of a game. His composure and the full range of passes at his disposal make him a master distributor.
Huddlestone only began to make an impact for Tottenham this season, but he has gained a wealth of experience in that short time, and his star looks set to rise much higher next season.
This quick and skilful midfielder is no stranger to English fans now, following his big money move to Premiership champions Manchester United.
Like his countryman Cristiano Ronaldo, the 20-year-old can play on both wings, as well as centrally behind the strikers, and also has an eye for goal.
As a key player in a very strong Portuguese team, this will be a good opportunity to see this dynamic player in action before he takes the Premiership by storm.
Born in Nigeria before moving to Israel at the age of six, Tamuz has established himself as a star of Israeli football.
The strong centre forward won the Israeli league with Beitar Jerusalem in 2006. Following his match winning display on his under 21 debut, the 19-year-old earned a call up to the senior national side, and a start against England back in March.
After beating the much fancied France in the play-off to qualify for this tournament, Israel will be a formidable side, with striker Tamuz promising to be a real threat up front.
An adaptable defender who can play both as a centre back or full back, Vermaelen has established himself as a regular for Dutch giants Ajax.
The 21-year-old appeared 23 times for the Amsterdam side in the 2006/07 season, and has played for the full Belgium side on six occasions.
Playing alongside defensive great and club captain Jaap Stam can only be beneficial for an already talented and reliable player.
Babel is the latest in the seemingly never ending line of technically gifted Dutch forwards.
The versatile 20-year-old already has a major tournament behind him, as he was part of the Netherlands squad for the 2006 World Cup.
With his height, pace and ability, it seems inevitable that Babel will become a world class player in the not too distant future.
Though this left back is one of Czech football's brightest prospects, he already has a lot of pressure on his shoulders.
His father, Miroslav, was captain of the national side that finished runners up to Germany at Euro 96.
However, Michal's strength, pace and his contribution to his team's attacks should all ensure that the Sparta Prague player forges a good reputation all of his own.
Krasic, at 22 years old, has already crammed a lot of experience into his fledgling career.
The technical right sided midfielder has won two league titles with CSKA Moscow, and also appeared in the Russian side's UEFA Cup final defeat at the hands of Sporting Lisbon.
After impressing in the senior side's Euro 2008 qualifying match against Portugal with his pace and composure, it looks like Krasic has a bright future ahead of him.
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