European U21 XI – Which youngsters have lit up Europe this season?

While the Neymars and Messis of this world have grabbed the limelight this season, a lot of supremely talented youngsters have gradually made their mark under the shadow of these more illustrious names – some quietly, while others clamorously.

Goalkeeper

Age: 17; Total appearances: 19; Clean sheets: 7; Average saves per game: 2.37

“Gianluigi Donnarumma: short on years but standing tall at Milan” - Paolo Bandini wrote in the Guardian in October last year, and it is the truth, both literally and figuratively. At 6ft 5in, Donnarumma already possesses an intimidating presence inside the box, and to add to that, he seemed to be blessed with the same agility, as his more famous namesake – Gianluigi Buffon. Perhaps the most staggering stat against his name is that he has managed to maintain an average claim success rate of 99%!

Defenders

Nathan Ake (Watford – Netherlands)

It has been a disappointment-laden season so far for Chelsea, and one of the few bright points for them this season has been the development of Nathan Ake, who joined Watford on loan at the start of the season. The newly-promoted club have exceeded all expectations so far, and they boast of having the 5th best defensive record in the league.

Ake has established himself as the first choice left-back under manager Quique Sanchez Flores. Whether he will return to Chelsea remains a doubt, but considering how the club has struggled to find a back-up for Cesar Azpilicueta on the left, retaining Ake could be crucial for the London-based club next season.

Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen – Germany)

Age: 20; Total appearances: 35; Successful tackles per game: 1.7; Interceptions per game: 3.8

Last month, Jonathan Tah put on a masterclass in defending, alongside his partner Omer Toprak, as Bayer held league leaders Bayern Munich to a goalless draw – it was only the second time Bayern had failed to score in a game in Bundesliga this season. That was not a flash in a pan though. In a Bayer side which has had a fairly underwhelming season so far, the youngster has been one of the few headliners. Even at his youthful age, Tah already possesses intimidating physical strength and aerial prowess – as the cliche goes, he is built like a tank.

Age: 21; Total appearances: 32; Successful tackles per game: 2.2; Interceptions per game: 2.6

When Atletico de Madrid defeated Eibar 3-1 in the La Liga last month, Fernando Torres grabbed the headlines by scoring his 100th goal for the club, but the fans reserved special praise for two youngsters – Saul Niguez and Jose Gimenez – who were leading the team from the front, in the absence of suspended Diego Godin, Filipe Luis and Juanfran.

Hector Bellerin (Arsenal – Spain)

Age: 20; Total appearances: 33; Successful tackles per game: 1.8; Interceptions per game: 1.8; Assists: 4

Defensively he will improve a lot more as he matures, but his contribution in attack has proved to be vital for the Gunners in a lot of matches. He has shown the ability to ghost past defenders in the final third and helps in providing the natural width that Arsenal lack in their squad.

Midfielders

Age: 20; Total appearances: 33; Goals: 6; Assists: 5

According to reports, Barcelona are prepared to shell out £29 million pounds for Sane, and Manchester City are ready to outbid them with an offer of £43 million pounds in the summer. While his long-term future at Schalke remains in doubt, Sane is crucial to the German club's short-term goal of making it to the Champions League next season. The 20-year-old, a graduate of the Schalke academy which has produced players like Mesut Ozil, Ivan Rakitic, Manuel Neuer and Julian Draxler, has frightening pace, can dribble past defenders with ease and is supremely athletic. He has also displayed an ability to raise his game at the biggest stage, as shown during his performance against Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund this season.

Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur – England)

Age: 19; Total appearances: 36; Goals: 7; Assists: 8

The 19-year-old has shown versatility both as a holding midfielder, and as an attacking midfielder, and his wonder-goal against Crystal Palace in January, showed exactly why he is touted as a sure fixture in the England squad for the Euro 2016. He established his credentials earlier this season, with a dazzling performance against Arsenal, when he ran rings around Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin, which eventually led to the Spaniard being substituted at half-time by Arsene Wenger. It was a moment of triumph that Alli will hold dear for a long time.

Corentin Tolisso (Lyon – France)

Ligue I might be one of the most one-sided leagues in Europe, but it is still home to some of the most exciting young talents in Europe at the moment, and very few eclipse Corentin Tolisso. Back in the 2014-15 season, an injury crisis forced manager Gueida Fofana to introduce Tolisso in the side, and he has not looked back since. Partnering the likes of Maxime Gonalons and Jordan Ferri at the center of the park.

The youngster is an assured passer, has high stamina and is brilliant is transitioning play from defense to attack. Tolisso is also versatile enough to play as a right-back, and has a healthy knack of scoring goals. The future looks bright for the Tarare-born midfielder, and if Lyon does return to the top echelon of French football, Tolisso is sure to be at the heart of it.

Age: 21; Total appearances: 27; Goals: 12; Assists: 2

"You hear people say 'A black player at Athletic? We've never seen that before.' I just laugh. My name is Iñaki and I'm Basque," the youngster joked last year. But he was right – Inaki does stand out, not because he became only the second black player after Jonas Ramalho to play for Bilbao, but due to his talent.

Forwards

Age: 20; Total appearances: 34; Goals: 10; Assists: 4

The '2015 Golden Boy award' winner grabbed headlines in the summer when he completed his £36 million move – which broke the previous record of the highest transfer fee paid for a teenager - to Manchester United from AS Monaco. While a lot of eyebrows were raised about the staggering transfer fee, which can potentially rise to £58 million, the youngster did not take long to prove his worth. A debut goal against Liverpool in front of the Old Trafford faithfuls made him an instant fan favorite, and he has not looked back since. Back in September, he became the third youngest player to win the 'Premier League Player of the Month' award.

Age: 19; Total appearances: 18; Goals: 10

The former Barcelona graduate returned to Spain in the summer, on loan from Roma, and amidst Sporting de Gijon's struggles to avoid relegation, the youngster has been one of the brightest points of their season so far. Sanabria has shown tremendous character to bounce back from the thigh injury, which kept him out during the start of the season, to become the club's top scorer, with two hat-tricks to his name – against Las Palmas and Real Sociedad.

Substitutes: Pau Lopez (Goalkeeper - Espanyol – Spain); Julian Weigl (Midfielder – Borussia Dortmund – Germany); Ousmane Dembele (Attacking midfielder, forward - Rennes – France); Andreas Christensen (Center back – Borussia Mönchengladbach – Denmark); Carlos Castro Garcia (Striker – Sporting Gijon – Spain)

All stats courtesy Whoscored.com