Thursday 9 June 2016 12:19, UK
After Roy Hodgson named the youngest England squad for a competitive tournament for 58 years, fans have been getting all hot under the collar that this could be the dawning of a new, vibrant era.
Five wins in the last six in the run-up to Euro 2016, including a thrilling comeback success over world champions Germany, has only heightened pre-tournament anticipation, and with few other squads possessing a more youthful look than the Three Lions' - 25 years and 10 months on average - this is very much a new generation to pin hopes upon.
Slovakia coach Jan Kozak has already began the mind games ahead of his team's meeting with Hodgson's side on June 20 in Saint-Etienne, questioning whether it is a good thing to have so many inexperienced starlets in the ranks.
"Each team has got its weaknesses, however there is quite a number of young English players in the team so let's see how they cope with the pressure of the public, the pressure of expectations, the pressure of the media," Kozak said.
"There are experienced players in the team, however, most of them are quite young."
Does Kozak have a point? Do squads with the youngest average age fall flat when it really counts? It seems experience may not always be the bellwether of success.
Youngest squad - Germany (24.52 years old on average)
Result: Semi-finalists
Germany's Euro 2012 line-up was the youngest squad ever named for a European Championships. Boss Joachim Low was starting to build a team capable of securing a second trophy as a unified country, and after negotiating a tough-looking group with a 100 per cent record and cruising past 2004 winners Greece in the quarter-finals to book a last-four clash with an unfancied Italy, glory seemed to be on the horizon.
However, two goals from the enigmatic Mario Balotelli secured Italy yet another victory over Die Mannschaft to send Low's young guns crashing out - continuing the miserable record of having never beaten the Azzurri in a competitive international tournament. However, the seeds were planted as many of the same players went on to taste World Cup success in Brazil two years later.
Youngest squad - Russia (26.15 years old on average)
Result: Semi-finalists
Almost every European Championship throws up a surprise package to further enhance the excitement - Denmark and Greece's fairy-tale wins in 1992 and 2004, respectively, Republic of Ireland's showing at Euro '88 and Czech Republic's appearance in the Euro '96 final to name but a few.
Euro 2008 was no exception. Guus Hiddink's Russia came with a squad of players relatively unheard of to the masses, but left with a host of suitors chasing these young, exciting stars. It took eventual winners Spain to bring the exhilarating Russians to a standstill in the semi-finals.
Youngest squad - Spain (25.47 years old on average)
Result: Out in the group stages
The only nation in the last 20 years with the youngest squad not to make the knockout stages of a European Championships were Spain in 2004. It was an anomaly of a tournament in general, with Greece winning with the second oldest squad, and Germany and Italy also crashing out at the group stage.
Much of the blame for Spain's poor showing in Portugal was laid on inexperienced coach Inaki Saez, who was demoted back to the U21s after the tournament.
Youngest squad: Spain (26.55 years old on average)
Result: Quarter-finalists
The France "Golden Generation" were very much still in their prime when they knocked a talented Spain side out at the quarter-final stage. Jose Antonio Camacho's men recovered after a shock opening defeat to Norway to top their group, before being defeated by the eventual winners in Bruges.
The first tournament of the 21st century was not one for youth, with 26.54 being a surprisingly high youngest squad average age. A one-capped unknown by the name of Iker Casillas helped to bring the average down.
Youngest squad: England (25.68 years old on average)
Result: Semi-finalists
We had the song, were hosting the tournament for the first time and had a talented team with age on their side, but once again penalties were England's undoing at Euro '96. Twenty-one-year-old Gary Neville had already made the right-back slot his own, Sol Campbell (21) and Gareth Southgate's (25) inclusion at the expense of an injured Mark Wright, and Robbie Fowler's (21) emergence all helped the Three Lions possess the youngest squad average age.
England's semi-final conquerors Germany went on to win the tournament, while Scotland certainly didn't fancy giving youth a chance, with an average squad age of 29.31.
Whether Kozak actually believes what he is insinuating only he knows, it could easily be a ploy to try and get under the skin of their upcoming opponents.
History suggests there is very little to back the Slovakia coach's claims, with three of the last five youngest squads reaching the semi-finals. A late tweak to the Germany squad means England will go into the tournament with the second-youngest group - but can take confidence from the efforts of previous tournaments.
