UEFA Euro 2016 demonstrated the degree of competitiveness in the continent and, Croatia and Poland were in the thick of it as both the nations made it past the group stages before being knocked out by tournament winners Portugal in the pre-quarters and quarters respectively.
The Polish and the Croats have shown that they have what it takes to compete with the powerhouses in Europe as they are blessed with some exceptional footballers. Some of their stars ply their trade with the biggest clubs in Europe and names like Robert Lewandowski, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic are more than just familiar for football fans.
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The people of Croatia and Poland will be hoping that their team’s performances in the previous European championship was just a sign of things to come and they have every reason to hope so. Both the nations doesn’t have a dearth of talent as they have some fine young players coming through the ranks. These youngsters have already found themselves in the top tiers of European football and this piece mentions five of the best among them.
#5 Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb, 19)
The lanky youngster is labelled as one of the hot prospects in Europe and he has the eyes of the European elite on him. Coric currently plays for Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb and the 19-year-old is one of the first names on the team sheet of his side making 21 appearances in all competitions for the club this season.
The Croat plays in the number ten role for his club but is versatile enough to play as a typical number eight as well. He is a delight to watch when on the ball as he leaves defenders for dead using his agility and sudden burst of pace.
His passing is majestic and he is calm and composed while in possession of the ball. Coric has drawn comparisons with compatriot Luka Modric as his physique and style of play are similar to the Real Madrid superstar.
The 19-year-old has always ignored offers from the biggest clubs in Europe ever since he was a 12-year-old. Back then, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Chelsea were battling it out to lure him to their respective youth academies but the Croat decided to join the academy of Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. He then moved to Dinamo Zagreb in 2013, saying no to the big boys again, and there were rumours linking him with a move to Liverpool in the previous summer transfer window but Coric decided to stay at his current club.
However, he might be playing his last season in the Croatian top flight as a move to one of the top clubs is beckoning and it will be really interesting to see who wins the race for his signature.
#4 Piotr Zielinski (Napoli, 22)
The Polish central midfielder plays his club football for Italian side Napoli after he had moved to the Gli Azzurri from Udinese over the summer. Zielinski is a regular for club and country at 22, which exemplifies his talent.
He joined the youth academy of Udinese in 2011 from Polish side, Zaglebie Lubin and he made his senior debut for the Zebrette in November 2012. Zielinski spent the previous two seasons on loan at Empoli and he made 66 appearances for the club scoring five times and providing nine assists.
The best part of Zielinski’s game is his distribution of the ball and it helps him to dictate the tempo of the game. He links up with his teammates quite well and is known for his excellent work-rate. The 22-year-old has some impressive dribbling skills in his locker as well and he can play on both the wings or just in behind the lone striker. He is also aware of his defensive duties and doesn’t hesitate to lunge in for a tackle.
Zielinski has 23 international caps to his name and he certainly is a player whom Poland can count on in the future.
#3 Marko Pjaca (Juventus, 21)
The 21-year-old spent the early stages of his youth career at Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian champions let him go in 2009. He then joined Lokomotiva Zagreb and made his HNL debut for the club in 2012.
In the 2014 summer transfer window, Dinamo ironically came calling and he made 91 appearances for the club scoring 28 times before moving to Serie A Champions Juventus in June for €23 million. Pjaca’s move to The Bianconeri was the most expensive transfer in the history of the Croatian top flight.
The Serie A champions had to see off competition from AC Milan, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund to secure the services of the youngster and when all these clubs are after a 21-year-old it becomes apparent that he is quite special.
The right footed Croat loves to play on the left flank as it would allow him to cut in from the wings and take on defenders. Pjaca has exceptional dribbling skills and often leaves opposition defenders chasing shadows. The 21-year-old can also play as a secondary striker and he has a good range of passes that unlock defences. Pjaca is clinical in front of goal and is intelligent enough to make runs in behind the opposition defence.
He has represented Croatia at various youth levels and has 12 senior caps to his name. It is no doubt that Marko Pjaca is a name that would resonate through Europe in the coming years as he has all the tools in his arsenal to deliver talismanic performances for both club and country.
#2 Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli, 22)
The Polish international is a self-confessed fan of Manchester United and has often said that it would be a dream come true to play for the Red Devils one day. Judging by the rapid progress visible in his career, the Manchester club might as well come calling for him someday.
The 22-year-old started his career at Polish club, Rozwój Katowice in 2010 and he moved to German club Bayer Leverkusen in 2012. The German club loaned him out to FC Augsburg and Ajax during the next three seasons and Milik made a permanent move to Ajax in 2015.
The Polish international bagged 21 goals in the Dutch Eredivisie last season and when Gonzalo Higuain left Naples for Turin during the summer, Napoli knew who they wanted to bring in as the replacement for the Argentinian. Milik joined Napoli for £30 million and has justified his price tag by scoring 7 goals in 9 appearances for the club this season.
The 22-year-old pops up at the right place at the right time and is a real poacher with sublime finishing skills. Milik loves to run with the ball at his feet and helps his side out defensively when necessary. He has a deadly left foot which Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp labelled as ‘unique’.
Polish fans see him as the successor to star striker Robert Lewandowski and Milik is already a fan-favourite among the Poles after he scored the first goal in a 2-0 triumph over Germany in 2014, the nation's first win against the Germans. Milik has already made 33 appearances for the national team and has 11 international goals to his name.
#1 Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid, 22)
Dinamo Zagreb’s youth academy has produced some incredible talents over the years and Kovacic is one of the very best among them. He joined the youth academy of the Croatian champions in 2007 and made his senior debut for the club in 2010.
The 22-year-old’s exploits in the Croatian top-flight caught the eye of many big clubs and Inter Milan signed him in January 2013. He made 97 appearances for the club and after 18 months in Italy, he moved to the Spanish capital as Real Madrid came calling.
Kovacic changed colours from black and blue to an all white shirt as the 11-time European champions paid €29 million for his services, a sum that raised the eyebrows of many, but Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was more than convinced of Kovacic’s prodigious abilities and maybe Perez was preparing for life after Luka Modric as the former Tottenham player has recently turned 31.
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Kovacic has made 47 appearances for The Los Blancos but most of them have been from the bench. To be fair to the 22-year-old it’s not easy to break into the starting lineup when Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are ahead of him in the pecking order.
Kovacic’s versatility enables him to operate anywhere in midfield and he is regarded as a player blessed with an excellent technique. The Croat loves to receive the ball deep in the midfield and then make surging runs forward. His impeccable dribbling skills allow him to skip past opposition defenders with ease. Being a talented, dynamic, and intelligent footballer, Kovacic will transform into a world class player if he does complete justice to his talents.
The youngster has already made 32 appearances for his nation and is considered as the one destined to pull the strings in the Croatian midfield in the future.
Honourable mentions – Alen Halilovic (Hamburger SV, 20), Bartomiej Dragowski (Fiorentina,19)
