Euro 2024 promises to be a thrilling tournament showcasing some of the best football talent from across Europe. Among these stars are seasoned veterans whose names have become synonymous with greatness and emerging talents who are set to take the football world by storm. Here, we profile six of the most exciting players to watch:
Kylian Mbappé
The French sensation continues to dazzle fans with his extraordinary pace, clinical finishing, and exceptional dribbling skills. With a World Cup, 7 Ligue 1 titles and a Champions League final under his belt, he’s already established as one of the greatest players of all time, even garnering a feature length documentary on BBC iPlayer.
At Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappé has cemented his status as one of the world's best, contributing significantly to PSG's domestic dominance, although failing to deliver any European glory in the Champions League.
He’s already announced a long-awaited free transfer to his boyhood dream club of Real Madrid. His eye-watering €150 million sign-on fee makes him one of the highest paid footballers in the world. We expect that is certain to translate into trophies, given Madrid’s consistency of winning both in Spain and Europe, and their unbeatable squad of world class players.
Off the pitch, Mbappé is known for his philanthropy, particularly his work with children's charities in France and Africa. He recently advocated for the young generation to vote against extremism in France.
After an unfortunate nose-break in France’s first game against Austria, he’ll be missing their second game against the Netherlands, but we’re sure he’ll be back! Will he finally win at Euro 2024?
Jude Bellingham
This prodigious English midfielder has quickly established himself as one of the brightest talents in world football. Bellingham began his career in his home town of Birmingham City before making a high-profile move to Borussia Dortmund, turning down a host of major clubs because he wanted to start every match.
This decision is sometimes the downfall of many a young player – it can be important to be surrounded by experienced, quality team-mates, but for Bellingham it has worked out a dream. Dortmund had a prolonged period of reaching new heights, and even after Jude’s departure they have continued, which is perhaps a testament to the club’s stature at this time, and shows how he made the right decision to play there.
After 4 seasons of impressive football he moved to Real Madrid, where he established himself as one of their key players and a leader in just one season, at just 20 years old. His performances whilst winning La Liga and the Champions League have been nothing short of sensational, showcasing his box-to-box abilities, vision, and composure beyond his years, as well as scoring 23 goals.
Off the field, Bellingham is known for his humility and strong family values, often speaking about the support of his parents in his career. We expect he’ll be one of England’s most valued players for years to come.
Lamine Yamal
A name that has recently been on everyone's lips – although perhaps not his full name (Lamine Yamal Nasraoui Ebana), is an emerging talent from Spain who has already shown flashes of brilliance, breaking the record for the youngest player at a Euros at the age of 16.
Lamine is lauded for his quick feet, vision, and ability to take on defenders with ease. He operates primarily as a winger at his current club of FC Barcelona, who spotted him when he was just 7, playing in the deprived area of Rocafonda where he’s from.
A highlights reel of his 51 caps for FC Barcelona is mind blowing – he shows the quality and speed of a much older player, as well as incredible finishing ability when under pressure.
This remarkable maturity on the pitch has ensured his development is eagerly followed by fans and pundits alike.
Kevin De Bruyne
The Belgian midfield maestro, also known as KDB, is renowned for his vision, passing, and ability to orchestrate the game from the center of the pitch.
Born in Drongen, Belgium, De Bruyne's football journey began at Genk before a move to Chelsea where he was often snubbed from the starting line up and ended up back on loan at Genk. After being passed around by Chelsea, Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg over 2 years, he eventually moved to Manchester City, where he truly blossomed, becoming the creative force behind their fluid, attacking play.
At Manchester City, De Bruyne has been instrumental in the club’s unprecedented success under Pep Guardiola – which consists of an unbelievable 6 Premier League titles, 1 Champions League, 2 FA Cups, and 5 EFL Cups.
He has also been recognised individually, receiving the PFA Players' Player of the Year award twice, in 2020 and 2021. Known for his precise crosses, powerful shots, and ability to pick out teammates with inch-perfect passes, De Bruyne remains one of the most influential players in world football.
Off the pitch, he is admired for his humble demeanor and commitment to various charitable causes, including initiatives to support children's hospitals and local community projects in both Belgium and Manchester. However, he did make a blunder before the Qatar World Cup in 2022, saying publicly that he thought the Belgium squad were too old to win a tournament.
He’s now 32, and showing real signs of age. He’s spoken about his desire to play outside of the UK due to family reasons, and we’re sure his comments about Belgium are still ringing in his team-mates ears. Their shock 1-0 loss to Slovakia speaks volumes.
Nevertheless, KDB is one of the most valued players in the world, and we expect him to have a real impact at Euro 2024.
Virgil van Dijk
The Dutch colossus, remains a defensive stalwart and a leader on and off the pitch. Born in Breda, Netherlands, van Dijk's journey saw him rise through the ranks at Groningen, Celtic, and Southampton before his transformative move to Liverpool.
Under Jürgen Klopp, he has been pivotal in their Premier League and Champions League triumphs, earning a reputation as one of the best defenders in the world. Van Dijk's playing style is characterised by his impeccable positioning, aerial dominance, and composure under pressure.
He’s also known for his leadership skills, which show themselves in the consistently well organised back line at Liverpool which has taken may shapes over the years.
Beyond football, he is known for his charitable endeavors, including significant contributions to cancer research and youth sports initiatives in the Netherlands.
We wonder if a move away from Liverpool might be expected after Klopp’s departure this May, maybe not this summer but next. Either way, he’ll be one of the Netherlands’ key players this Euro 2024.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Often simply known as CR7, continues to defy age and remain a potent force in football. Born in Madeira, Portugal, Ronaldo's illustrious career has taken him from Sporting CP to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, back to Manchester United, and then to Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.
As one of the best players of all time, Ronaldo broke many goal scoring, assist and cap records, despite playing in the same league as Lionel Messi. Renowned for his versatility across the attacking front, Ronaldo excels both as a winger and a central striker, known for his speed, aerial prowess, and clinical finishing.
His tenure at Real Madrid was particularly notable, where he became the club’s all-time top scorer and won four Champions League titles. Off the pitch, Ronaldo is a global icon with a substantial presence on social media, and he is also deeply involved in charitable activities, including significant donations to hospitals and disaster relief efforts.
In recent years he’s become something of a pariah, with doubters left, right and centre calling him out for his on and off pitch antics. His spot in the Portugal squad is frequently contested, with some saying he’s managed to cling on to it using his immeasurable power as a celebrity and multi-millionaire.
But we have to say, he did play well against Czechia in their first match at the Euros, and while over 50 goals in one season in the Saudi Pro League can’t be regarded as a top-flight achievement, it’s a testament to the fitness and physicality that he still shows despite being 39 years old.
