Euro 2020: 5 Players Who Need a Good Tournament to Reboot Their Careers

Now that Euro 2020 is upon us, it’s almost guaranteed that we will see some new stars emerge onto the scene. In the past, players like Karel Poborsky (Euro 96) and Andrey Arshavin (Euro 2008) made their names at the tournament, eventually securing dream moves to the Premier League.

But major tournaments can also be an opportunity for well-known players to remind us of their talents. A good performance can reignite a career or help get a move to a new club. It can be refreshing to star for your country when struggling for your club.

Below we pick out five who need to have a good tournament to secure a move or impress bosses at their club:

Victor Lindelof (Manchester United and Sweden)

We had originally chosen Donny van de Beek for this list, but the midfielder’s nightmare season continued when news broke of an injury that would rule him out of Euro 2020. So instead, we are plumping for his much-maligned team-mate, Victor Lindelof. United fans want a new partner for Harry Maguire in the centre of defence, believing Lindelof to be too slow and error prone. Even a good tournament might not be enough for Lindelof to persuade United not to enter the transfer market for a replacement, but it might help Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keep faith with the Swede eventually.

Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan and Denmark)

In his betting coverage of Euro 2020 Group B, MansionBet’s Chris Rivers has cited Denmark as the classic dark horses for the tournament. The squad, he says, is “packed with talent”, although Eriksen still remains the creative spark. Left out in the cold at Inter, Eriksen (29) will be well aware that he has probably only got one big move left in his career. If he inspires Denmark to a run into the knockout stages, he can get it.

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City and England)

Manchester City had, once again, a hugely successful season, albeit Pep Guardiola’s men still failed to get the holy grail of a Champions League trophy. Nevertheless, Raheem Sterling’s form was one of the few low points. His place in the City starting line-up, which was once guaranteed, now looks in jeopardy. A good tournament for England can help him get back to the form that saw Guardiola put so much faith in him. The question is whether Gareth Southgate will give him the opportunity given England’s brilliant attacking options.

Eden Hazard (Real Madrid and Belgium)

If Manchester United fans feel short-changed by the lack of game time for Donny van de Beek, then consider how Madrid fans feel about €100 million man Eden Hazard. The Belgian played just 533 minutes for Madrid in La Liga last season. It is not only his form but his attitude that has Madrid fans feeling aggrieved. Hazard needs something to happen to get his career back on track. It’s easy to forget, but he was considered one of the best players in the world just a couple of seasons ago.

Aaron Ramsey (Juventus and Wales)

If you want to feel old, then consider that Aaron Ramsey is now 30. He is one of those players that constantly seems to be on the verge of breaking out, but it never quite happens. His tenure at Juventus has been underwhelming, and rumours abound that he might be coming back to the Premier League – with his former club Arsenal heavily linked. He will get plenty of game time for Wales, but will he do enough to secure a move to a big club or impress incoming Juve boss Max Allegri?