2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

This tournament is coming up in a few weeks, it's held in Israel. They're airing it live in my country, as we're competing in it. Only 8 countries in total, but with England, Germany, Russia, Spain, Netherlands and Italy in it it should be pretty interesting. The tournament starts the 5th of June.

My country, Netherlands, is taking the tournament pretty seriously. Many younger players that are part of the actual national team already will be competing in this, it's seen as preparation for the 2014 World Cup for them, to gain some extra experience. Players like Adam Maher, Kevin Strootman, Bruno Martins Indi, Stefan de Vrij, Marco Van Ginkel, Jordy Clasie, Ola John, Ricardo van Rhijn and Tonny Trindade de Vilhena are all part of the preliminary squad and should also make the final one.

For England Wisdom, Jonjo and Henderson are in it from us. Tom Ince will also be in it. For Spain players like Isco, Iker Munian, Tello, Canales, Deulofeu. For Germany Draxler, Gundogan, Herrmann, Holtby. For Italy El Shaarawy, Verratti, maybe our Borini too? Not all squads are final yet.

I'm excited to see some of these games.

Some very good players on show there. Will try to watch a good bit of this if I can, even if it is to just try watch players I wouldn't be able to see too much of before that have a lot of potential, like Veratti, Hermann, Strootman & de Vrij. The names that keep cropping up.

Sounds like it's gonna be a good competition.

For Italy El Shaarawy, Verratti, maybe our Borini too?

I hope Borini gets selected. I think Borini needs some morale boosting games with good performances of his own to reinvigorate his confidence for next season. This tournament is filled with renown established young players and it's going to be competitive with some high quality football produce. I'm not supporting any team just will be watching our young players who are involved and see how they all fare.

Very much looking forward to this. Are those times local, Bier? Or CET?

Only England have confirmed their squad so far it seems.

Very much looking forward to this. Are those times local, Bier? Or CET?

CET mate.

Live on Sky Sports in the UK

Group B looks so much stronger! Germany, Netherlands and now Spain usually have quite a lot young talents. Should be an interesting competition.

Group B looks so much stronger! Germany, Netherlands and now Spain usually have quite a lot young talents. Should be an interesting competition.

Our scouts should pretty much be watching every single player in this group. Some future superstars in there.

Final squads:

Spain squad


Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Manchester United FC), Diego Mariño (Villarreal CF), Joel (Wigan Athletic FC).

Defenders: Marc Bartra (FC Barcelona), Dani Carvajal (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Nacho Fernández (Real Madrid CF), Álvaro (Real Zaragoza), Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad de Fútbol), Marc Muniesa (FC Barcelona), Martín Montoya (FC Barcelona), Alberto Moreno (Sevilla FC).

Midfielders: Thiago Alcántara (FC Barcelona), Ignacio Camacho (Málaga CF), Sergio Canales (Valencia CF), Asier Illarramendi (Real Sociedad de Fútbol), Isco (Málaga CF), Koke (Club Atlético de Madrid), Pablo Sarabia (Getafe CF).

Forwards: Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid CF), Rodrigo (SL Benfica), Iker Muniain (Athletic Club), Cristian Tello (FC Barcelona), Álvaro Vázquez (Getafe CF).


England squad

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City FC), Declan Rudd (Norwich City FC), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough FC).

Defenders: Steven Caulker (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton FC), Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion FC), Tom Lees (Leeds United AFC), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Luke Shaw (Southampton FC), Adam Smith (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool FC).

Midfielders: Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford FC), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool FC), Tom Ince (Blackpool FC), Henri Lansbury (Nottingham Forest FC), Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers FC), Josh McEachran (Chelsea FC), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool FC), Andros Townsend (Queens Park Rangers FC).

Forwards: Marvin Sordell (Bolton Wanderers FC), Connor Wickham (Sunderland AFC), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace FC).


Germany squad

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (SC Freiburg), Bernd Leno (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Timo Horn (1. FC Köln).

Defenders: Tony Jantschke (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sebastian Jung (Eintracht Frankfurt), Jan Kirchhoff (1. FSV Mainz 05), Sead Kolasinac (FC Schalke 04), Matthias Ginter (SC Freiburg), Oliver Sorg (SC Freiburg), Stefan Thesker (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Lasse Sobiech (SpVgg Greuther Fürth), Shkodran Mustafi (UC Sampdoria).

Midfielders: Christian Clemens (1. FC Köln), Patrick Funk (FC St Pauli), Patrick Herrmann (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Christoph Moritz (FC Schalke 04), Sebastian Rode (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sebastian Rudy (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Emre Can (FC Bayern München).

Forwards: Pierre-Michel Lasogga (Hertha BSC Berlin), Peniel Mlapa (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sebastian Polter (1. FC Nürnberg), Kevin Volland (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim).


Netherlands squad

Goalkeepers: Marco Bizot (FC Groningen), Nick Marsman (Go Ahead Eagles), Jeroen Zoet (RKC Waalwijk).

Defenders: Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse), Daley Blind (AFC Ajax), Mike van der Hoorn (FC Utrecht), Kelvin Leerdam (Feyenoord), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Bram Nuytinck (RSC Anderlecht), Ricardo van Rhijn (AFC Ajax), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord).

Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (FC Twente), Marco van Ginkel (Vitesse), Adam Maher (AZ Alkmaar), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Tonny Trindade de Vilhena (Feyenoord).

Forwards: Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven), Ola John (Benfica), Luuk de Jong (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Florian Jozefzoon (RKC Waalwijk), Jürgen Locadia (PSV Eindhoven), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven).

Germany and England have yet to call up replacements for the injured Arslan and McManaman. Italy and Russia haven't announced their final squads yet.

Spain's squad looks very strong, so much talent.

Strootman in the Dutch team.
I presume that's because they are eligible from the start of the qualifiers.
He'll be head and shoulders above the other midfielders,
apart from Isco.

Strootman in the Dutch team.
I presume that's because they are eligible from the start of the qualifiers.
He'll be head and shoulders above the other midfielders,
apart from Isco.

Yeah, players are eligible if they were born on or after 1 January 1990.

Our Jack Robinson have been included in the squad as replacement for Luke Shaw of Southampton. Hope all our young players will be involved and have key involvements from the start.

Begins today with the first game between Israel and Norway kicking off at 5pm. England play Italy at 7:30pm. Both games live on Sky Sports 2

Henderson, Shelvey, Robinson, Wisdom and Borini could all be in action.

Begins today with the first game between Israel and Norway kicking off at 5pm. England play Italy at 7:30pm. Both games live on Sky Sports 2

Henderson, Shelvey, Robinson, Wisdom and Borini could all be in action.

Please don't get injured.

Henderson, Shelvey, Robinson, Borini will be all in action today and Wisdom is on the bench. No injures please!

I will watch this game.

England U21: Butland, Clyne, Dawson, Caulker, Robinson, Henderson, Lowe, Redmond, Shelvey, Sordell, Wickham. Subs: Steele, Smith, Wisdom, Lees, Chalobah, McEachran, Zaha, Lansbury, Delfouneso, Rudd.

Italy U21: Bardi, Donati, Bianchetti, Caldirola, Biraghi, Florenzi, Marrone, Verratti, Insigne, Borini, Immobile. Subs: Colombi, Capuano, Gabbiadini, Destro, Sansone, Bertolacci, Paloschi, Saponara, Regini, Rossi, Crimi, Leali.

Definitely going to watch this.

good to still have some decent football to watch! young jonjo out there as the CAM, captain henderson in central midfield, robbo at left back and fabio borini the young italian should be up and about.

borini paired with 'immobile', so it's good that he has great movement.....

Insigne is a fantastic talent. Rafa has a gem there at Napoli.

All of them played decently. Henderson was calm playing as a caption. Robbo needs to think more before tackle players.

just getting ready to watch spain u21s take on russia, lots of familiar names in the spanish team

The Dutch look sensational

The Dutch look sensational

They do indeed.

Hope they're sh*te in the 2nd half though.

Waitin on Germany to score for a bet!