Euro 2024: Key players to watch including Kylian Mbappe and Champions League winner Jude Bellingham

Here, we take a closer look at the top five players to look out for during the upcoming European Championships.

 

Jude Bellingham

Still only 20, Bellingham has turned himself into a world star with an incredible debut season at Real Madrid.

He scored 23 goals and added 11 assists as Madrid won LaLiga and the Champions League, the latter fittingly for Bellingham at Wembley.

The midfielder was a driving force for his country at the 2022 World Cup but has improved immeasurably since then and will be one of the keys if England are to end their wait for a major trophy.

 

Kylian Mbappe

Mbappe cemented himself at the top of the pile of active players with an outstanding World Cup in 2022 where he scored eight goals for France, including a hat-trick in the final.

The 25-year-old has had a prolific season for Paris St Germain and is likely to have his summer move to Real Madrid wrapped up before the tournament starts.

France will be looking to his pace and power to fire them to a first Euro title since 2000.

 

Jamal Musiala

The Bayern Munich winger is the poster boy for Germany as they try to get their seat back at the top table of international football after a lean few years.

Musiala will bring excitement with his pace and ability to run at players, with his 10 goals and six assists an impressive collection in a disappointing Bundesliga season for Bayern.

He could be the man to light the fire for Germany on home soil.

 

Lamine Yamal

To have played 51 times for Barcelona and still only be 16 shows how good Spain’s Yamal already is.

The winger looks like becoming a generational talent and his skill and confidence is remarkable given his young age.

He is the spearhead of a young Spanish squad and will be hoping to take his country to the Euro 2024 final, which comes the day after his 17th birthday.

 

Phil Foden

Foden had a sensational season for Manchester City as they won a fourth successive Premier League title and he will go into the Euros knowing he is one of the best players in Europe.

The 24-year-old played in a more central role for City last season to great effect so the challenge for Gareth Southgate is to work out how to get the best out of him in an England shirt, while also getting the likes of Bellingham, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka into the team.