Top 10 - U21 Golden Player

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Chris Burton takes a look at how the U21 Golden Player award has proved to be a ticket to greatness - for some

Since 1978, the U21 European Championship has bestowed the 'Golden Player' award upon those stars that have shone brightest throughout the tournament.

The roll of honour over the years makes for impressive reading, with a host of big names from past and present using the tournament as a stepping stone to global fame.

Not all of those who have taken the crown have gone on to bigger and better things, admittedly, but catching the eye at this level does appear to be an indication of what is to come.

Here skysports.com takes a look back at ten of those players who got a taste for greatness during their days in the U21 ranks, before going on to conquer the senior game.

1982 - Rudi Voller

After catching the eye of Europe's top scouts, Voller secured a switch to Werder Bremen after being named star man in 1982. He would win his first cap for the senior side in the same year, and would go on to win a further 89 over the course of a distinguished career. Only the legendary Gerd Muller has scored more goals for Germany then Voller, who can also boast Coppa Italia, Uefa Cup and UEFA Champions League winners' medals among an impressive haul of honours collected during his days at Bremen, Roma, Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen. He also won the World Cup with West Germany in 1990, while a successful managerial career has taken in spells with Germany, Roma and Leverkusen.

1986 - Manuel Sanchis

A Real Madrid legend, Sanchis was put on the road to stardom with his showings at the 1986 tournament. A product of the Santiago Bernabeu academy system, the centre-half was already an established member of the Madrid first-team squad before he helped Spain to international glory. He would spend his entire playing career, spanning 18 years, in the Spanish capital, making over 700 appearances for Los Blancos. He captained the side for 13 seasons and secured six league titles, two UEFA Champions League and two Uefa Cup triumphs during that time. He made 48 appearances for Spain and appeared at Euro 88 and the 1990 World Cup.

1988 - Laurent Blanc

Regarded as a talented youngster during his time at Montpellier, Blanc shot to prominence in 1988. His first experience of life abroad, at Napoli, came about three years later, but he was soon back in France with Nimes, St Etienne and Auxerre. His laid-back demeanour and casual approach to the game soon attracted interest from Barcelona, but he spent just one year in Spain before heading home once again to join Marseille. He sat atop of the world as France tasted World Cup glory on home soil in 1998, before trying his luck in Italy for a second time with Inter Milan. He announced his retirement from the game in 2003 while on the books of Manchester United and has since gone on to lead Bordeaux to the 2009 Ligue 1 title.

1990 - Davor Suker

Few who had the pleasure of watching Suker in action at the 1990 U21 European Championship will have been left in any doubt that he was destined for great things. Arguably the finest player to have ever emerged from Croatia, the deadly frontman enjoyed a goal-laden career. He found the target with unerring regularity for Osijek, Dinamo Zagreb, Sevilla and Real Madrid, before rounding off his playing days with short-lived spells at Arsenal and West Ham and 1860 Munich. Best remembered for his achievements at the 1998 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot, his sublime lob over Denmark's legendary keeper Peter Schmeichel will live long in the memory of football fans everywhere.

1994 - Luis Figo

The leader of the much-touted 'golden generation' of Portuguese football, Figo has come a long way since his humble beginnings at Sporting Lisbon. Unsurprisingly, having proven himself to be the best his age group had to offer, Figo did not stick around long in his homeland after shining at the 1994 Championships. Just 12 months later he was off to the bright lights of Barcelona, where he would spend five productive seasons. A record-breaking move to Real Madrid followed, before he landed the Ballon d'Or in 2000 and the Fifa World Player of the Year crown in 2001. He is Portugal's most-capped player of all-time, having made 127 appearances for his country, and can boast an envious medal collection. He recently decided to hang up his boots after seeing out his career at Inter Milan.

1996 - Fabio Cannavaro

Standing just 5feet 9inches tall, Cannavaro did not appear equipped to go on to become one the world's most distinguished defenders during his early years. That, though, is precisely what he has done, having risen to the summit of his profession. Promise was apparent during his time at Napoli and Parma, but it was not until he moved to Inter Milan and ultimately Juventus, in his late 20s and early 30s, that Cannavaro's career really began to take off. In the summer of 2006 he then achieved the ultimate goal, World Cup glory, as he skippered the Azzurri to the title in Germany. Fifa World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or honours followed as he opted for a move to Real Madrid. The silverware continued to flow in Spain, but he will be heading back to his homeland this summer as he makes an emotional return to Juve.

2000 - Andrea Pirlo

A brace in the 2000 final against Spain, including a sublime free-kick, announced Pirlo's arrival to the world. Having already been snapped up by Serie A giants Inter Milan, he appeared destined to become a legend with the Nerazzurri. As it happens, he is held in high regard at Giuseppe Meazza, but by supporters of AC Milan not Inter. A cross-city switch in 2001 allowed him the opportunity to fulfil his unquestionable potential, and he has not looked back since. A league title, two UEFA Champions League crowns and numerous other accolades have followed, while he is also an established member of the Italian national side. He played a key role in their 2006 World Cup-winning campaign and will be expected to shine again when the tournament heads to South Africa next summer.

2002 - Petr Cech

Having made a name for himself in his homeland with Sparta Prague, Cech was on the move to France, and Rennes, in the summer of 2002. It was also during that time that he shone brightest on the international stage with the Czech Republic youngsters. A number of outstanding performances, including penalty shoot-out heroics in the final, saw Cech help his country to Euro glory and earn global acclaim in the process. With his development having continued further at Rennes, it came as no surprise when Chelsea and Roman Abramovich's riches came calling in 2004. A move to Stamford Bridge duly followed and Cech is now widely regarded as one of, if not the best goalkeeper on the planet.

2004 - Alberto Gilardino

A slow start to his professional career gave no indication of what was to come, but the potent frontman soon found his shooting boots upon his arrival at Parma in 2002. He managed a strike rate of more than a goal every other game during his time at Stadio Ennio Tardini, while he also illuminated the U21 European Championships during the most productive spell of his career to date. A big-money move to AC Milan followed, but he failed to reproduce his electrifying form with the Rossoneri. He opted to join Fiorentina in 2008, having fallen out of favour at Milan, and has begun to show signs of his old self with Viola. A member of Italy's successful World Cup squad in 2006, he will be hoping to be awarded the opportunity to defend that title in 12 months time.

2006 - Klaas Jan Huntelaar

The worst kept secret in Dutch football for a number of years, Huntelaar was at the peak of his powers at the 2006 Championships. Having risen through the ranks, only to be passed over, at PSV Eindhoven, 'The Hunter' made a name for himself during a brief spell at Heerenveen before being snapped up by Eredivisie giants Ajax. A remarkable goalscoring record followed, while he quickly progressed out of the Dutch U21 side and into the senior set-up. He finally got his big move to a European superpower during the winter transfer window when Real Madrid brought him in as cover for the injured Ruud van Nistelrooy, and he made steady progress in Spain towards the end of the 2008/09 campaign.

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