While eight nations will be gunning for glory in the European Under-19 Championship this summer, as the continent's top teams gather in Slovakia to fight for the main prize, many scouts and fans alike will have their attention fixed on the talented individuals on show.
Over the years, players such as Andres Iniesta, Mesut Ozil and Michael Owen have all featured at the finals, taking their first steps on the path to international stardom amid the less salubrious surrounds of the youth-level Euros, and others are set to follow in their footsteps over the coming weeks.
Ahead of the final in Trnava, on July 1, two groups of four will be whittled down to two expectant finalists, but between now and then, which starlets will shine brightest?
Assessing some of the most gifted participants at Slovakia 2022, Sports Mole selects five names to look out for this month - and perhaps in the future.
ALAN VIRGINIUS
Since making his debut at Under-19 level last September, the stock of French forward Alan Virginius has continued to rise, as he draws attention from suitors around Europe.
The Sochaux striker can boast a total of 18 caps and four goals with the France youth teams to date, and he has been a fixture in the front three of national coach Landry Chauvin in recent months.
Considered one of the top attacking talents in Ligue 2, Virginius could be set to leave Les Lionceaux this summer, with only a year remaining on his contract, and there are many interested parties set to oblige if the Paris-born prospect decides that life in the second tier no longer fulfils his ambitions.
At 19, he still has a potentially long career ahead of him, but in France alone, both Rennes and Lille are apparently positioned to make a move for his services.
Discussions have apparently already taken place between Belgian giants Anderlecht and the forward's current club, and further impressive displays in Slovakia would surely increase a relatively modest price tag.
Despite their relegation to Serie B last term, Genoa is another rumoured destination for the boy from Soisy-sous-Montmorency, as they rebuild under new ownership.
The Grifone's transfer department will have been impressed by his ability to hold down a first-team place at such a young age - having already made 41 league appearances and scored eight goals for his club, who missed out on promotion to Ligue 1 by finishing fifth last term.
Generally utilised as a winger by Chauvin, playing more centrally also appears to be within the compass of the talented Virginius, who has been named by Slovakia coach Albert Rusnak as France's danger man for the Euros.
CARNEY CHUKWUEMEKA
After a brace against the Republic of Ireland helped England secure an opening victory in qualifying for the Under-19 Euros, Carney Chukwuemeka will now be hoping to cap off a breakthrough season by inspiring his nation to victory in next month's final.
The Aston Villa midfielder was labelled a 'fantastic' talent by club boss Steven Gerrard last season, as the 18-year-old attempted to force his way into the Premier League side's starting XI on a regular basis.
While often finding his way blocked by some more established names in the Villa engine room, a total of 12 appearances was enough to demonstrate Chukwuemeka's raw potential to observers on a stage watched by millions around the globe.
Last winter, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool were all apparently interested in taking advantage of an expiring contract, which runs out in 12 months time, and the matter has yet to be resolved.
Nonetheless, the Austria-born starlet, who signed a three-year deal after he turned 17 back in October 2020, has developed into one of the most imposing midfielders in the English youth set-up, and his maturity on the ball belies his tender years.
Formerly with Northampton Town, until picked up by Villa in 2016, the 6'1 youngster once likened his game to that of Paul Pogba - a previous star of the Under-19 Euros, who went on to lift the game's biggest prize.
MARKO LAZETIC
Yet to register a single Serie A appearance for AC Milan having arrived amid much fanfare in January, Marko Lazetic has experienced a harsh period of adaptation since his move from Serbia to Lombardy, but he will still shoulder the hopes of his nation's Under-19 squad in Slovakia this summer.
The 18-year-old so far has just one appearance for the Rossoneri to his name, which came in the Coppa Italia in mid-April, when Stefano Pioli's side were already 3-0 down and heading for semi-final defeat.
Six appearances in the club's Primavera side came and went without a goal too, but there is good reason why when he arrived from Red Star Belgrade comparisons to compatriot Dusan Vlahovic were bandied around by the Italian media.
Lazetic's £3.3m price tag indicates that he still has some distance to go in order to make his mark in Calcio - particularly with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Olivier Giroud and now Divock Origi ahead of him in the pecking order - but he has already come a long way since making his first-team debut in November 2020 at the age of 16.
After rising through the ranks of the Red Star youth setup and developing a reputation as a hard-working and powerful centre-forward, the contract subsequently signed with Milan lasts until June 2026 - marking a great show of faith in his potential.
Perhaps his move to Italy was written in the stars, as Lazetic's parents once took him to San Siro to watch the Derby della Madonnina between Milan and Inter, and having taken possession of the number 22 shirt once worn by Kaka, expectations are naturally high.
The tall target man, who measures 6'4, scored a crucial goal in Serbia's qualifying win over the Netherlands on the road to Slovakia, and has been a regular fixture up front for Aleksandar Jovic's side since - will this summer's finals now launch him on the international stage?
TIMOTEJ JAMBOR
As captain of the host nation, at an early age, Timotej Jambor will bear the burden of responsibility for extricating Slovakia from a tricky Group A this month, but the signs are that the Zilina striker may be up to the task.
Described as "a wonderful player" by France coach Landry Chauvin - who was impressed with his contribution during last September's friendly between the teams, when he won a penalty in a 1-1 draw - Jambor is the attacking spearhead of an often conservative side.
With four goals in his 13 Fortuna Liga appearances last term, the 19-year-old also made his debut in continental competition for Zilina in the Europa Conference League.
A confident penalty-box operator, Jambor has registered three goals in six games at Under-19 level to date, and skippers the side as one of few players to have garnered experience in senior football.
Perhaps benefiting from playing in familiar surroundings will allow the numerous scouts set to descend upon Slovakia's towns and cities to see him in a good light, and the next week or so could even be transformative for a fledgling career.
However, Jambor has spoken like a true captain ahead of the tournament, by underlining that only collective endeavour will see the Slovaks through to the semi-finals or beyond, and any individual attention is very much secondary in his thinking.
FABIO MIRETTI
While fellow teenage talents Wilfried Gnonto and Giorgio Scalvini were prevented from joining up with Italy's Under-19s ahead of this summer's championships, Juventus midfielder Fabio Miretti has been allowed to participate, following a fine finish to the 2021-22 season.
The 18-year-old was promoted to the senior Juve squad in the final weeks of the campaign by coach Max Allegri, and earned six Serie A appearances, including four straight starts in the Bianconeri's final quartet of fixtures.
Also called up to the Italy Under-21 side ahead of their recent European Championship qualifiers, Miretti has drawn attention for some composed performances while working his way through the Juventus primavera setup.
When making the breakthrough into his club's under-17 squad in 2019, the Pinerolo-born starlet was used mostly as an attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation: scoring 16 goals and providing six assists in just 17 league matches.
While the COVID-19 pandemic soon intervened, Miretti's technically assured displays for the primavera and Under-23 teams last term earned him a first shot at Serie A.
Allegri had already given him his senior debut against Malmo in the Champions League during the autumn, but his recent rise to prominence suggests there is now every chance he could be retained in Turin rather than loaned out to a lower-ranked club.
Italy coach Roberto Mancini concurred with Allegri's assessment, by selecting Miretti for a training camp in May, as an injury replacement, and it is not too fanciful to imagine he could be joining Gnonto in the Azzurri camp in the near future - with this month's finals providing another shop window for his talents. body check tags ::
