Cliff Notes – Euro 2025 breakout stars: Which U21 players will shine
- Sydney Schertenleib (18, FW, Switzerland): A promising forward with strong attacking capabilities, Schertenleib has already made an impact at Barcelona and will be pivotal for the host nation.
- Esmee Brugts (21, LW/LB, Netherlands): Brugts is a dynamic winger with a powerful right foot, crucial for the Netherlands’ offensive strategy, and has shown versatility by also excelling in defensive roles.
- Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (21, GK, Iceland): The standout goalkeeper from Bayern Munich, Rúnarsdóttir boasts an impressive save percentage and is expected to be a key player for Iceland in the tournament.
Euro 2025 breakout stars: Which U21 players will shine?
The 14th edition of the women’s European Championship is set to begin on July 2 in Switzerland and, historically, major international tournaments have proven to be a hotbed of emerging talents.
A showpiece event gives the stars of tomorrow a platform, with young players often catapulted straight to stardom with good performances. Recent success stories include Linda Caicedo (Colombia), Lena Oberdorf (Germany) and Salma Paralluelo (Spain).
Here are five players aged 21 or younger to keep an eye on during this summer.
Sydney Schertenleib (18, FW, Switzerland)
A standout player for Switzerland’s youth sides, Schertenleib’s breakthrough came in 2022 with FC Zürich and Grasshopper, before she joined Barcelona in 2024. In her first season with the star-studded Blaugrana, the 18-year-old recorded four goal contributions in Liga F.
Her senior international debut also came in 2024 and Schertenleib has shown herself to be a valuable attacking weapon, with an ability to cover every blade of grass between the two boxes. Her positioning during the different phases is brilliant as she offers support for her teammates and she has received 6.3 progressive passes per 90 minutes in Liga F this season, which puts her in the top percentile.
She is creative as well, consistently looking to break lines and put in dangerous balls in the final third, and her 6.1 shot-creating actions per 90 this season is among the best in Liga F. Her decision making needs some fine tuning, but her shots are usually a great blend between power and finesse.
At 5-foot-10 she is among the taller women’s players, but she is very agile with good close control. Her trademark long strides allow her to recover possession and carry the ball forward, and she has averaged 3.4 progressive carries per 90 in the league.
Switzerland have been winless in their last six games in the lead up to Euro 2025 and, in absence of much experience in attack, Schertenleib will carry a lot of hopes for the host nation on her young shoulders.
Esmee Brugts (21, LW/LB, Netherlands)
Netherlands are looking to recreate their success from Euro 2017, when a flamboyant left winger (Lieke Martens) terrorized defenses and led them to glory. They now have an electric winger capable of recreating some of that magic.
Brugts has recorded 10+ goal contributions in each of the last two seasons with Barcelona (10 in 2024-25 and 13 in 2023-24). And she is blessed with a thunderous right foot, making her a big threat when cutting inside or shooting from distance.
The former PSV player is an excellent ball carrier with quick feet and close control that allows her to escape from tight spaces, and she has averaged 3.4 progressive carries per 90 at Barcelona this season. Her pace also makes her a nightmare for any opposition full back to deal with.
A natural winger, Brugts has often been started at left-back but takes the chance to charge forward at every opportunity. Indeed, almost 57% of her total touches have come in the attacking third this season. However, she has also improved her defensive contributions in 1-vs.-1 situations, winning 29 of her 37 attempted tackles in Liga F this season.
Netherlands have scored just one goal in their last two games against Germany and Scotland, so they will be hoping that Brugts’ performance can lift them at both ends of the pitch.
Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir (21, GK, Iceland)
Rúnarsdóttir was touted as the most promising player in the Icelandic league in 2020, earning a big reputation at her club Fylkir, and eventually moved to Bayern Munich in 2022. This year, she had a breakout season on loan at Inter Milan as she was voted the best goalkeeper in Serie A (after keeping 10 clean sheets in 23 games) and helped the Italian side finish second to secure European football for next season.
According to FBref, only Portugal’s Inês Pereira (0.4 goals saved per 90) has averaged a better goals-saved rate than Rúnarsdóttir in Europe’s top five leagues this season. With an 82% save percentage, she allowed nine fewer goals than expected based on the post-shot expected goals model.
At 6-foot-2, she is tall but has excellent reflexes to pull off saves from close range and is also quick to get down low when needed. But there are still areas to improve. She doesn’t often adopt a proactive approach to stopping opposition crosses by coming out to claim the ball, and her ability to punch clear isn’t the most reassuring either.
Still, at just 21, she looks set to become a mainstay for Iceland for years to come.
Ellen Wangerheim (20, ST, Sweden)
Wangerheim has been making waves in Sweden since the start of 2025 and the young Hammarby striker has already scored 10 goals in 10 games for her club so far in the Damallsvenskan.
The 21-year-old shares a lot of traits with her compatriot Stina Blackstenius, who scored the winner for Arsenal in this year’s UEFA Champions League final vs. Barcelona, and her main strength is her movement, which allows her to attack a defender’s blind side and appear unmarked at the far post.
Wangerheim has an innate understanding of the timing and path of runs in behind, allowing her to consistently get on the end of high-quality chances. Her pace is also key in being able to generate an extra yard of space for a shot and, despite being 5-foot-6, she is also able to get on the end of crosses and offer an aerial threat.
She has room to improve her ball striking, success rate in duels, and decision making under pressure. But in a Sweden attack that primarily relies on stars from the FIFA Women’s World Cup six years ago, Wangerheim is a breath of fresh air and will help exploit tired defenses this summer.
Emilia Szymczak (19, CB, Poland)
Poland have qualified for their first-ever major competition and while all eyes will be on her Barcelona teammate and Europe’s top goal scorer this season, Ewa Pajor, Szymczak will be tasked with helping to keep things tight at the other end.
The young midfielder-turned-defender has been involved in the lead up to the tournament, playing a part in Poland’s qualifying games against Austria, and has 10 caps for her country despite not making a senior appearance for Barcelona yet.
Szymczak’s main strength lies in her ball-playing ability. She loves to orchestrate play from deep, has the range and vision to launch accurate long balls, and can springboard her side from defense to attack with one swift pass. But she also has a good reading of the game, which allows her to position herself well to disrupt opposition attacks, and is not afraid to use her physicality to bully players off the ball and be aggressive to win her duels.
Of course, at 19 and with little senior experience, she isn’t a finished product yet and can improve her shielding of the ball better, as well as her 1-vs.-1 battles. But if Poland are to continue making history at Euro 2025, she will surely play a large part.