Ahead of England's match against Germany in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship Final, Ben Bloom looks at the key players looking to help Lee Carsley's side to victory and where their journeys began.
A titanic showdown awaits on Saturday night when England face old rivals Germany in the final of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
After lifting the trophy two years ago, Lee Carsley’s reigning champions are bidding to replicate the successive U21 Euros wins they managed in 1982 and 1984.
The top scorers in qualifying for the tournament, England started slowly in the group stage, beating Czech Republic in their opener before a goalless draw against Slovenia and defeat against Saturday’s opponents Germany.
Things improved markedly in the knockout rounds, with wins over Spain (3-1) and Netherlands (2-1) to secure their spot in the final.
Germany, though, head into the game with a 100 per cent record after five straight victories. They lead the overall scoring charts with 15 team goals, while front man Nick Woltemade’s six strikes put him two clear of England’s Harvey Elliott at the top of the individual standings.
Carsley, who played in the Premier League for five different clubs, has been head coach of England U21 since 2021. He served a brief period as interim boss of the senior England side last year before Thomas Tuchel’s appointment.
Here is a guide to the players looking to help England to victory in Slovakia on Saturday (kick-off 20:00 BST).
England's key men
James Beadle (Brighton)
Age: 20 Pos: Goalkeeper
EFL Sheff Wed: P57; Oxford: P25; Crewe: P9
Premier League 2 Brighton: P15
Under-18 Premier League Brighton: P3
Beadle has started every game in goal for England and, although caught out for the Netherlands equaliser in the semi-finals, is certain to keep his spot for the final as he looks to prove himself capable of being a top-level No 1.
Charlie Cresswell (Toulouse)
Age: 22 Pos: Defender
PL Leeds United: P5 G0 A0
EFL Millwall: P28 G4 A2; Leeds: P5 G0 A0
Premier League 2 Leeds: P16 G0 A0
One of only two members (alongside Elliott) of the title-winning squad two years ago, Cresswell has been England’s standout defender during the tournament, scoring in their opening win and relishing his role as a senior figure in the team.
Jarell Quansah (Liverpool)
Age: 22 Pos: Defender
PL Liverpool: P30 G2 A0
Premier League 2 Liverpool: P27 G1 A0
Under-18 Premier League Liverpool: P31 G3 A1
Amid speculation about a potential club switch from Liverpool to the German Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, Quansah has combined with Cresswell to form a dominant centre-back pairing at the U21 Euros, playing every minute of the tournament so far.
Tino Livramento (Newcastle United)
Age: 22 Pos: Defender
PL Newcastle: P63 G1 A1; Southampton: P30 G1 A1
EFL None
Premier League 2 Chelsea: P26 G3 A5
Under-18 Premier League Chelsea: P13 G0 A0
Off the back of an excellent domestic campaign with Newcastle, Livramento has shone in Slovakia, stealing the show in victory against the Czechs and proving himself adept at either end of the pitch, from either left-back or right-back.
Harvey Elliott (Liverpool)
Age: 22 Pos: Midfielder
PL Liverpool: P92 G5 A10; Fulham: P2 G0 A0
EFL Blackburn Rovers: P41 G7 A11
Premier League 2 Liverpool: P14 G2 A5
Under-18 Premier League Fulham: P18 G5 A4
After topping England’s goalscoring charts in qualifying, the Liverpool man has also led the way at the tournament, scoring four times – including both goals in the semi-final win over Netherlands – as he bids for a second U21 Euros medal.
James McAtee (Manchester City)
Age: 21 Pos: Midfielder
PL Sheffield United: P30 G3 A3; Man City: P18 G3 A0
EFL Sheffield United: P37 G9 A3
Premier League 2 Man City: P45 G25 A19
Under-18 Premier League Man City: P27 G11 A7
Having opted out of playing at the FIFA Club World Cup with Man City, McAtee started the U21 Euros slowly, but played a key part in the quarter-final and semi-final victories, and will now captain his country in a major final.
Jay Stansfield (Birmingham City)
Age: 22 Pos: Forward
PL Fulham: P4 G0 A0
EFL Birmingham City: P80 G31 A5; Exeter City: P36 G9 A7; Fulham: P2 G0 A0
Under-18 Premier League Fulham: P25 G28 A4
With Carsley deciding not to use a specialist striker throughout the group stage, Stansfield impressed off the bench sufficiently to be handed starting berths in the quarter-final and semi-final, and is highly likely to lead the line against Germany.
Rest of England's squad
Ronnie Edwards (Southampton)
Age: 22 Pos: Defender
PL Southampton: P1 G0 A0
EFL Peterborough United: P121 G1 A2; Queens Park Rangers: P21 G2 A0
Premier League 2 Southampton: P2 G0 A0
Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough)
Age: 23 Pos: Midfielder
EFL Middlesbrough: P99 G9 A7; Scunthorpe United: P28 G0 A2
Under-18 Premier League Middlesbrough: P27 G5 A7
Tom Fellows (West Bromwich Albion)
Age: 21 Pos: Forward
EFL West Brom: P82 G8 A17; Crawley Town: P38 G0 A2
Premier League 2 West Brom: P2 G0 A0
Under-18 Premier League West Brom: P28 G8 A8
Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest)
Age: 22 Pos: Midfielder
PL Newcastle: P44 G0 A3; Nottingham Forest: P37 G2 A6
EFL Bristol Rovers: P21 G7 A6
Under-18 Premier League Newcastle: P17 G6 A4
Jonathan Rowe (Marseille)
Age: 22 Pos: Forward
PL Norwich City: P13 G0 A1
EFL Norwich City: P35 / G12 / A2
Under-18 Premier League Norwich City: P28 G12 A3
Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town)
Age: 21 Pos: Forward
PL Ipswich: P31 G3 A2; Chelsea: P1 G0 A0
EFL Ipswich: P44 G10 A5
Premier League 2 Chelsea: P21 G7 A7; Arsenal: P18 G6 A5
Under-18 Premier League Arsenal: P20 G7 A7
Brooke Norton-Cuffy (Genoa)
Age: 21 Pos: Defender
EFL Millwall: P40 G2 A4; Coventry City: P21 G0 A0; Rotherham United: P20 G0 A2; Lincoln City: P17 G1 A1
Premier League 2 Arsenal: P13 G0 A0
Under-18 Premier League Arsenal: P14 G0 A1
Tommy Simkin (Stoke City)
Age: 20 Pos: Goalkeeper
EFL Walsall: P40 G0 A0; Stoke City: P1 G0 A0; Forest Green Rovers: P1 G0 A0
Premier League 2 Stoke City: P5 G0 A0
Under-18 Premier League Stoke City: P26 G0 A0
Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur)
Age: 19 Pos: Defender/Midfielder
PL Spurs: P28 G0 A0
EFL Leeds: P44 / G0 / A2
Premier League 2 Leeds: P15 / G1 / A1
Under-18 Premier League Leeds: P10 / G2 / A0
CJ Egan-Riley (Burnley)
Age: 22 Pos: Defender
PL Man City: P1 G0 A0
EFLBurnley: P44 G1 A1
Premier League 2 Man City: P35 G0 A1
Under-18 Premier League Man City: P23 G0 A1
Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton)
Age: 20 Pos: Defender/Midfielder
PL Brighton: P39 G8 A2
Premier League 2 Brighton: P27 G5 A4
Under-18 Premier League Brighton: P30 G6 A7
Samuel Iling-Junior (Aston Villa)
Age: 21 Pos: Defender/Midfielder
Football League Middlesbrough: P16 G1 A2
Under-18 Premier League Chelsea: P9 G0 A1
Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth)
Age: 21 Pos: Midfielder
PL Bournemouth: P43 G1 A1
EFL Bristol City: P83 G5 A6
Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
Age: 18 Pos: Forward
PL Arsenal: P28 G4 A2
Premier League 2 Arsenal: P24 G11 A4
Under-18 Premier League Arsenal: P16 G7 A5
Teddy Sharman-Lowe (Chelsea)
Age: 22 Pos: Goalkeeper
EFL Doncaster Rovers: P46 G0 A0
Premier League 2 Chelsea: P20 G0 A0
Tyler Morton (Liverpool)
Age: 22 Pos: Midfielder
PL Liverpool: P2 G0 A0
EFL Blackburn: P40 G0 A2; Hull City: P39 G3 A5
Premier League 2 Liverpool: P39 G9 A8; Blackburn: P1 G0 A0
Under-18 Premier League Liverpool: P16 G4 A6
