The Three Lions who won the U21 EUROs

England’s success at the UEFA European Under-21 Championships has seen a number of Young Lions make the step up from the youth setup to the senior fold.

In a new England Original documentary, ‘Back to Back’, available on the official England app, go behind the scenes of the Young Lions’ triumph at last year’s EUROs as England retained their title.

And here, we look at where the Three Lions that represented the senior side after winning the tournament – securing consecutive trophies under Lee Carsley – are now.

James Trafford

A member of the EURO-winning squad three years ago who was included in the Team of the Tournament, the goalkeeper helped England to secure bronze at the recent FIFA World Cup 2026 after making Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Trafford – who completed a switch to Leeds United this summer – made his Three Lions debut came back in March against Uruguay.

Levi Colwill

The Chelsea defender, who was coming off the back of a season-long loan with Brighton & Hove Albion ahead of the 2023 edition of the tournament, was rewarded with his senior bow later that year against Australia. He broke into the Blues first team, going on to win the Conference League, Club World Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

Now of Southampton – the club he joined after captaining England to victory in the 2023 tournament – Harwood-Bellis was handed his Three Lions bow by MU21s boss Lee Carsley, marking his debut against Republic of Ireland in November 2024 with a goal. At club level, he added a second Championship promotion to his CV with Saints.

Morgan Gibbs-White

The Nottingham Forest midfielder, who also won the U17 World Cup back in 2017, stepped up to the senior squad, also under Carsley, coming off the bench to make his debut against Ireland in September 2024. And he has turned out for the Three Lions under Tuchel, making his last appearance in a 3-0 win over Wales in October last year.

Emile Smith Rowe

A starter in the 2023 final, Smith Rowe – then on the books of Arsenal – had made his senior debut prior to the U21 EUROs against Albania, scoring his first international goal in a 10-0 win over San Marino. The midfielder departed the club where he came through the Hale End ranks to join Fulham in the summer of 2024 as a club record signing.

Anthony Gordon

Part of the World Cup squad for the recent tournament in North America, Canada and Mexico, most notably, Gordon made the scoresheet in England’s semi-final against Argentina. He also made an impact in other games, providing two assists against DR Congo, helping the Three Lions to achieve their best-ever finish at a tournament on foreign soil. And this summer, the former Newcastle United man made the move to Barcelona.

Jarrad Branthwaite

Around a year after being crowned a European champion with England, Branthwaite made his Three Lions bow against Bosnia and Herzegovina – his only cap to date, having narrowly missed out on a place in the EURO 2024 squad. Still on the books of Everton, the defender has clocked close to 100 appearances for the Toffees.

James Garner

A fellow Evertonian, Garner received his first senior call-up under Tuchel earlier this year. He made his debut in March in a 1-1 draw with Uruguay at Wembley, impressing on his first appearance as he went on to win the Player of the Match award. He also featured in the second game of the camp against Japan.

Curtis Jones

The standout performer in the 2023 U21 EURO final, Jones built on his Young Lions career, making his Three Lions debut under Carsley in November 2024 and scoring a stunning goal against Greece while making his bow with a back-heel finish. This summer, he departed Liverpool for Inter Milan, ending a 16-year stay at Anfield.

Cole Palmer

The 2023-24 England Men's Player of the Year, Palmer helped the Three Lions to qualify for EURO 2024 – making his debut against Malta – before making Gareth Southgate’s final squad. He assisted the winner against the Netherlands in the semi-final before scoring against Spain in the final in Berlin. He has also won a number of trophies with Chelsea, having linked up with the Blues after winning the U21 EUROs.

Angel Gomes

Another U17 World Cup winner with the Young Lions, having played for England at U16s through to U21s, Gomes made his senior debut in September 2024, later becoming the first player to start for England while playing for a French club since Trevor Steven in 1992. Formerly of Lille, the midfielder made the switch to Marseille last year, spending the second half of last season on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Noni Madueke

Part of Tuchel’s squad for this summer’s World Cup, Madueke featured in all six of the Young Lions’ games at the 2023 U21 EUROs. Having made his debut in November 2024 against Greece, he found the back of the net in a 5-0 win over Serbia en-route to the 2026 World Cup, going on to make five appearances at the tournament, including a start in the quarter-final against Norway.

Tino Livramento

A member of the 2025 U21 EURO-winning side that went back-to-back in Slovakia, Livramento brought experience from the senior set-up to the team, having made his Three Lions debut in November 2024. On the back of the tournament, he moved to Newcastle, helping the club to win their first domestic trophy in 70 years. He made Tuchel’s World Cup squad this summer but was forced to withdraw through injury.

Jarell Quansah

Coming into the 2025 U21 tournament on the back of a loan spell with League One Bristol Rovers, Quansah – a two-time European champion with England, winning the tournament with the U19s in 2022 – made his debut against Albania during England’s World Cup qualifying campaign. A Premier League winner with Liverpool, the defender – now of Bayer Leverkusen – was part of Tuchel’s World Cup squad that achieved a third-place finish.

Elliot Anderson

Another former Bristol Rovers loanee, Anderson made an impressive start to his senior England career, making his debut in a 2-0 win over Andorra in qualifying. The midfielder – who was included in the Team of the Tournament at the 2025 edition of the U21 EUROs – came away with a bronze medal at his first senior major tournament, starting seven of the eight games. At club level, after making the move from Newcastle to Nottingham Forest in 2024, the 23 year old put pen to paper with Manchester City this summer.