Prodigious Bojan shows brilliance

From Francesco Totti to Michael Owen, Nicolas Anelka to Cesc Fabregas, many a household name first made their mark in the UEFA European Under-17 Championship or its U16 predecessor. Few, though, have made quite the immediate impact of Spain striker Bojan Krkić.

Vital goals
Last year, aged just 15, Bojan became joint top goalscorer in the finals with five goals, all as substitute. Spain went out in the last four on that occasion, but this time around, having got to the semi-finals, Bojan had not yet registered. However, with Spain nine minutes from defeat by hosts Belgium, the forward produced a thumping strike from distance that levelled the scores and set off on a celebration that was an evident explosion of relief. Spain came through that game on penalties, Bojan converting, but he had saved his best for last as another emphatic finish 48 minutes into the final against England proved the winner.

'Very happy'
Rarely allowed to speak to the media, FC Barcelona starlet Bojan told uefa.com: "I am very happy after winning the European Championship for the national team. It is really a fantastic feeling for me. I knew England well, I played against them in a tournament in Belgium when we won 3-2, they are a very good team, and it was lucky for us we won today 1-0."

Second chance
In fact, the speedy and skilful frontman scored twice in that friendly encounter back in October, a signal that he intended to make the most of his second chance at U17 level along with midfielder Ignacio Camacho, who captained Spain and lifted the trophy on Sunday. "Me and Camacho were in the squad last year and very motivated to win this year's title," Bojan said. "We had more luck than last year and succeeded, so I am very happy."

Rijkaard praise
Bojan's reputation does not just come from this tournament, though. Rising up the youth ranks at Barcelona he totalled nearly 900 goals in seven years and this season in the senior reserves he struck ten times in 18 appearances. The son of a FK Crvena Zvezda player of the same name who married a Catalan and has been a Barcelona scout for ten years, the still diminuitive Bojan made his first-team friendly bow last month against Egyptian club Al-Ahly, and naturally scored. Juan Santisteban, the Real Madrid CF legend who has coached Spain's junior teams for 20 years, said after Bojan's U17 final heroics: "He is a fantastic player with a lot of potential. The sky is the limit for him."

Keeping his head
This sort of praise could make a young player lose his head, but Barcelona and Spain are looking after Bojan. And the player himself knows how to take the praise. "It is very good what I read in the press and it is fantastic that they write it," Bojan said. "But the moment I go on the pitch, I want to play football, and I forget all about it. All I think about is playing the best game of my life." And he is keen to share the limelight with his team-mates. "I emphasise that because football is a team game not like tennis or an other individual game. You play as a group and you win as a group, not as an individual."