[Torque]

Which young talents you think will shine at Euro and are not in the list below?

Just name the player and why do you think he should be there.

Wayne Rooney, Petr Čech and Cristiano Ronaldo were just three of the names whose reputations were established on the biggest stage at UEFA EURO 2004™. Now four years on euro2008.com takes its pick of some the rising stars who hope to follow in their footsteps by shining this month in Austria and Switzerland.

Igor Akinfeev, 22, Russia
Igor Akinfeev travelled with Russia as an 18-year-old to UEFA EURO 2004™. He was his country's third-choice goalkeeper then but now, despite being restricted to just six qualifying appearances through injury, is firmly established again as Guus Hiddink's No1. A UEFA Cup winner in 2005, Akinfeev is among the most exciting young goalkeepers in the European game.

Alberto Aquilani, 23, Italy
Aquilani "could become one of the best players in the world" according to Italy captain Gianluigi Buffon. The AS Roma midfielder was a surprise inclusion for Italy's friendly against Belgium and showed why by setting up Antonio Di Natale in the Azzurri's 3-1 win. The complete midfielder, Aquilani faces tough competition in an experienced squad but could prove a wild card off the bench, especially when Italy need goals.

Karim Benzema, 20, France
Benzema needs no introduction after his 20 goals helped Olympique Lyonnais win the French title and established him as the youngest player to finish top scorer in France's top flight. That, though, is just the beginning for 'The Benz' who has already scored three times in nine appearances for France and will be more than just a foil for Thierry Henry.

Martin Fenin, 21, Czech Republic
Fenin may be the youngest player in the Czech Republic squad but expectations are rising fast, particularly with Milan Baroš far from the form that saw him top the scoring chart at UEFA EURO 2004™. Fenin shone in the team that finished runners-up at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and has continued to impress since leaving FK Teplice for Eintracht Frankfurt in January.

Mario Gómez, 22, Germany
Arguably the most exciting individual to have broken into the Germany fold since the last FIFA World Cup, Mario Gómez has scored 33 league goals in the past two seasons for VfB Stuttgart. Tall, two-footed and with a keen eye for goal, the 22-year-old is wanted by a host of top European clubs and could raise his transfer value considerably at UEFA EURO 2008™. Likely to start alongside Miroslav Klose.

Erwin Hoffer, 21, Austria
Host nation Austria are pinning their hopes on rising star 'Jimmy' Hoffer who caught the eye at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, when his three goals helped fire Austria to an unexpected fourth-placed finish. The dynamic young front-runner further raised his profile by winning the Austrian Bundesliga with SK Rapid Wien this season. Speed is Hoffer's greatest weapon and Austria will need him at his best if they are to spring a surprise in Group B.

Luka Modrić, 22, Croatia
Much is expected of this central midfielder who has rapidly become key to Croatia's chances. One of the most technically gifted players in coach Slaven Bilić's squad, he can pull off passes other players might not even see, and though slim, his pace keeps him clear of more physical opponents. Reminiscent at times of Lionel Messi, he has even been compared with the great Johan Cruyff. Tottenham Hotspur FC fans will be watching their new signing with particular interest.

João Moutinho, 21, Portugal
João Moutinho has been around longer than his age suggests. He made his debut at Sporting Clube de Portugal at 18 and had already played 100 times for the club by the time he was 20. A versatile midfielder who is happy in both defensive or attacking roles, he first played for Portugal three years ago, and is now becoming increasingly influential in Luiz Felipe Scolari's plans.

David Silva, 22, Spain
David Silva may be slight of frame but his fearless attitude and quick feet make him a handful for any defence. Known for his dashes up the left touchline to deliver a dangerous cross, the Valencia CF player is also capable of drifting infield to provide assistance to his attackers. Represented Spain at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup where he scored four goals.

Vassilis Torosidis, 22, Greece
Torosidis will celebrate his 23rd birthday on 10 June, when Greece kick off the defence of their title against Sweden. Nominally a right -back, he plays on the left for his country but is comfortable anywhere across the back line or even as a defensive midfielder. His rise has been rapid since he swapped Skoda Xanthi FC for CFP Olympiacos in January 2007 and his performances in the UEFA Champions League have drawn admiring glances from some of Europe's leading clubs.

Source

I would add Samir Nasri (France). He's got some great abilities, good dribbling, good passes. great technique, pretty good shot. Nasri's still young and has already made a name for himself. So we should expect a lot from this lad if he gets to play.

[dsp87260]

Christiano Ronaldo is young enough that he could still be on that list (rather than spoken of as a "veteran")...how old is Rooney? (he might be young enough that he would compare in age as well)

[Torque]

Yeah, well Ronaldo is already one of the best in the world.

Rooney isn't there because England isn't there Read more carefully the article

[dsp87260]

Originally Posted by ZEUS

Yeah, well Ronaldo is already one of the best in the world.

Rooney isn't there because England isn't there Read more carefully the article

I did read the article...and Rooney and Ronaldo are both mentioned in the first sentence. I was merely making the comment that they are young enough to fit right into that list of youngsters...

Maybe YOU should read more carefully....

[Torque]

mate, take a look at the title! It's "Rising Stars"! You can't say that Ronaldo and Rooney could fit into a list of rising stars

[dsp87260]

Originally Posted by ZEUS

mate, take a look at the title! It's "Rising Stars"! You can't say that Ronaldo and Rooney could fit into a list of rising stars

<shakes head>

read my post again...I was talking about their ages....yes, Rooney and Ronaldo are established stars already, but they are YOUNG ENOUGH to be on the list anyway...making their achievements/talent so far even more impressive...

[Torque]

Yeah, I got that. But the fact is that we are not talking about age here, but about players' statuses as established stars or rising ones.

[dsp87260]

Originally Posted by ZEUS

Yeah, I got that. But the fact is that we are not talking about age here, but about players' statuses as established stars or rising ones.

Yeah, this my fault....my comment was OT and wasn't meant to be a response to

Just name the player and why do you think he should be there.

....it was just a general statement about how young Rooney and Ronaldo are (the same ages as the players on the list)...my first thought after reading the article...

sorry for the confusion and posting OT.

[Torque]

No problem. If you can think of a player that should be on that list, name him and the reason too.

Peace!

[TakeMeHomeUnitedRoad]

Austrian star Jurgen Saumel (23) is being chased by a host of English clubs. ( doubt United).Saumel is also captain of Sturm Graz. Thirty three appearances through the international age groups yielded a bronze medal at the 2002/03 Under-19 European Championship and earnt him his chance with the Sturm Graz first team after a spell at TSV Neumarkt.

Within a year he was handed the club's captaincy at the age of just 20 and another 12 months later he had forced his way into the international set-up under then-coach Hans Krankl.