Young blood: Portugal and Italy among nations needing injection of youth

As Portugal and Sweden contested the UEFA Under-21 Championship earlier this summer, fans could be forgiven for thinking the future was bright for these two nations. Yet, their exciting youth seem a long way off any real impact on the senior stage.

For winners of that prestigious crown Sweden, there has long been an over-reliance on experience and the old guard, despite modest returns. In their recent defeat to Russia in Euro 2016 qualifying, which leaves them just one point ahead of their victors and clinging on to second spot in a unspectacular Group G, the Blue-yellow fielded just one player under 25 but seven aged 30 or over.

With a reputation for drab football and being tournament also-rans, what do the Swedes truly have to lose? Few expect the Scandinavian side to compete in France with their current roster, relying unhealthily on ageing but still acrobatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Of course, no country wants to pile the pressure on future prodigies too quickly, and making the transition from Under-21 tournament to the senior showpiece in one year may appear too hasty a leap.

Though, how many of the Swedish starting XI will still be playing at the required level come 2018? Surely it would be better to blood their silverware-laden young-guns now.

Besiktas centre back Alexander Milosevic, energetic midfielders Oscar Lewicki and Abdul Khalili plus powerful forward Isaac Kiese Thelin from that heralded Under-21 team are, to be fair, on the senior side’s fringes. Though, as some of the more memorable performers in the Czech Republic, just 14 caps between the four 23-year-olds, no longer spring chickens, is a poor haul.

While there is no future Ibrahimovic lurking in the fledgling quartet, their exuberance, fresh legs and sheer willpower could certainly benefit the spark-less Swedes right now.