The 2023 iteration of the U-21 European Championships have now come to an end, with England’s Three Lions ultimately prevailing and winning the tournament for the first time since 1984.
Of course, not many tipped England’s youngsters to triumph in Georgia and Romania, and those of you with a bonus code for Jack Poker may have preferred to wager on the draw of the cards than back the Three Lions to win a major tournament.
Regardless, the Team of the Tournament has also been confirmed, while people have already reflected on the competition’s standout players and performers. But who are our picks of the best players in 2023, and what could the immediate future have in store for them?
#1. James Trafford, Burnley
Where else but to start with Burnley’s potential record signing James Trafford, who starred in the Euros and became the first goalkeeper in the tournament’s history to keep clean sheets in all six matches through to the final.
He also achieved this in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, saving a stoppage-time penalty (and its rebound) from Spain striker Abel Ruiz in the showpiece final to secure a 1-0-win courtesy of Curtis Jones’ first-half goal.
Even prior to these heroics, newly promoted EPL side Burnley had moved to secured Trafford’s services from Manchester City for an initial £15 million. This is an incredible fee for a player who never made a senior appearance for the Citizens, but he showcased his ability for all to see during the U-21 Euros.
What’s more, the fee could increase to £19 million if certain contractual clauses are met, and there’s no doubt that Trafford can look forward to continual playing time through 2023/24 as he looks to build on the incredible momentum he has created throughout the summer.
#2. Cameron Archer, Aston Villa
While the excellent Jacob Ramsey shone as England’s creator-in-chief prior to breaking his metatarsal in the quarterfinal win over Portugal, his Villa teammate Cameron Archer is another who performed with distinction throughout the tournament.
To this end, the 21-year-old striker scored twice in the Euro 2023 finals, while despite failing to cement a regular starting place for the West Midlands side, he has also scored an impressive 35 goals in 90 career matches to date.
For Villa, Archer has struck four times in 13 matches, and while he has yet to score a Premier League goal, his record of four goals in just four EFL Cup games (including a hattrick on his full debut against Barrow) is indicative of his immense promise.
Archer also struck 11 goals in just 20 EFL games after joining promotion chasing Middlesbrough on loan in January last season, and he’ll hoping that these performances (coupled with a solid showing for the U-21s during the summer) will help him secure considerably more game time for the Villains in 2023/24.
#3. Sergio Gomez, Manchester City
Sergio Gomez joined James Trafford in the 2023 Team of the Tournament after the Euros, with the 22-year-old Manchester City starlet contributing a superb engine, creativity and excellent goal threat from the left-hand side.
Despite not being a central striker, Gomez was the 2023 tournament’s joint-top scorer with three goals, which took his tally for the Spanish U-21 side to nine goals in just 18 appearances.
Prior to joining City in August 2022, Gomez had represented Barcelona B, Borussia Dortmund, Huesca and Anderlecht, while he made an impressive 23 appearances for the Citizens during their historic treble winning campaign in 2022/23.
He’s another who will be hoping to earn more playing time next season, although he arguably faces a slightly tougher challenge than both Trafford and Archer. However, a loan move isn’t out of the question for this left-sided midfielder or full back, while he certainly has the potential to become a top-class player in the near and medium-term.
