Santi Denia’s Spain Under-21 side has began the way to potentially earn their sixth Euros title in the category. In the case they were to come out on top, the Spaniards would leave Italy behind and become the stand-alone leaders as the team with the most championships. Players like Thiago Alcántara, Juan Mata, David de Gea, Fabián Ruiz or Dani Ceballos, amongst others, have won the title for them before.
Spain faces the tournament with a well-rounded squad but certainly not as talented as the ones brought to previous editions, making them far from the favorites to win it all. However, it would not be a surprise to see the Spanish roster lift the trophy when it is all said and done.
Santi Denia‘s list presents similar features when compared to the rest of currently assembled Spanish national teams, mostly featuring technically gifted, associative and dynamic players.
This time around, it could be said that there is not a certified star on the roster, unlike when Fabián Ruiz, Thiago Alcántara or Marco Asensio played for the team. Nevertheless, Spain does have a great pool of talent, with many of its players having already made their debut in the first division. The result of that: a very competitive side.
Among the Spain Under-21 squad members, Gabri Veiga and Arnau Martínez stand out as two of the main revelations of the season in LaLiga. Rodrigo Riquelme, Álex Baena, Oihan Sancet or Aimar Oroz are some other names to follow.
All of them are skillful footballers with great offensive impact that can make a difference and prove to be important over the course of the tournament. But it is hard to imagine that any of them will become world class players down the line.
Players like Antonio Blanco, Rodri Sánchez, Ander Barrenetxea or Adrián Bernabé make up the rest of the squad. Bernabé may be one of the least known players on the list, but his season in the Italian Serie B has been outstanding.
The Catalan youngster is a product of Barça’s academy, but left ‘La Masía’ to play for Manchester City. He had very little opportunities with the English Premier League squad, making most of his appearances as a left back despite naturally playing in the midfield.
International level players like Madueke, Curtis Jones, Cole Palmer, Simakan, Olise or even Sandro Tonali will take part in the competition. Talents who have proven themselves at the highest level and who mostly play for big clubs, proving the tournament to be as challenging as ever.
It is also important to remember that four spots for the next Olympics are up for grabs in the championship. Three of them are for the top three finishers and, the remaining, belongs to the host, France.
¿Will Santi Denia’s pupils perform?
Translated by Nuño Alonso.
Main image: @SEFutbol.
At ELXIIDEAL we have a great opportunity to advertise your business via our website and social media network.
