Future stars and international prospects are forged in youth football, giving patriotic fans a glimmer of hope for upcoming World Cups, European Championships, Copa Americas and so forth.
When a talented tyro bursts onto the scene, we usually can’t contain our excitement, and immediately brand them the new: insert famous player’s name here.
Sometimes it works out, but unfortunately, not always do those precocious prospects fulfil the prophecy and translate their youth success at senior level.
But, Under-21 can be a bit different. To make any Under-21 squad for a top footballing nation you need to already be plying your trade at a decent enough level, with most going on to enjoy blossoming careers.
This is particularly true of prolific goalscorers. Indeed, many fledgling forwards have shone at Under-21 level and shaped illustrious paths for themselves.
With that, we’ve put together a quiz of the all-time top Under-21 goalscorer sfor these iconic footballing nations. Some are household names that you’ll get in a jiffy, but others will really stretch your knowledge to the limit.