A glimpse into a bright future was provided in the European U-19 Championship.
The action in Finland culminated, in some style, with Portugal’s 4-3, extra-time triumph against Italy in Sunday’s action-packed final.
Several hot prospects underlined their promise in a tournament with a recent track record of churning out future stars.
Kylian Mbappe ascent to scoring in World Cup 2018’s showpiece began with a prominent role in the 2016 running. New Manchester United signing Diogo Dalot and Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon shone bright a year later.
Here, Sport360 picks out the cream of the crop from this summer’s edition.
JOAO FILIPE
The talisman as Portugal became the first generation of players to win the U-17 and U-19 titles together.
A tally of five strikes – the joint best with team-mate Francisco Trincao – and two assists points to the omnipresent threat poised by a 19-year-old winger who is both lethal on the counter-attack and poised in front of goal.
Saved best until last with double in the final. His first-team bow at Benfica should come soon.
AMINE GOUIRI
The group stages in Finland belonged to the 18-year-old Lyon forward.
Consecutive braces against Turkey and England saw him score four times in 93 electric minutes. This form was not to continue, with Italy keeping him quiet during a 2-0 semi-final win.
But this doesn’t detract from the fluidity in possession and supreme finishing from Gouiri.
Karim Benzema, Alexandre Lacazette and Anthony Martial have recently passed through Lyon. Another name should be added to this stellar collection.
DOMINGOS QUINA
It was easy to see why La Liga behemoths Barcelona are rumoured to be enamoured by the box-to-box midfielder.
Shining on the left side of Portugal’s midfield three, Quina’s array of athletic prowess and technical ability was on show in the group stages when he was twice named man of the match.
First-team opportunities at West Ham have been rare since his 2016 defection from Chelsea. Barca are looking to offer a greater stage for a supreme, 18-year-old talent to shine.
VALERIY BONDAR
Bar a mad 30 minutes against Portugal in the semis when a quick-fire 5-0 thumping was handed out, the 19-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk centre-back was a rock for Ukraine.
The skipper was instrumental to an unbeaten group stage, plus a preceding qualifying process in which only three goals were conceded in six matches.
The way he dealt with the threats of France’s Myziane Maolida and England’s George Hirst will have impressed any watching scouts.
MOISE KEAN
The 18-year-old striker only started twice for Italy, yet this did not stop him becoming the tournament’s second-highest scorer with four goals.
Kean’s strength and refined technique was allied with an ice-cold ability to make a decisive impact.
The Juventus-owned starlet forced a crucial equaliser off the substitutes’ bench in the last Group A-fixture against Norway, added the second in the semis against France and then struck twice in two minutes as a replacement in the final.
