Class of 2007 show the way

With the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals kicking off in Sweden on Monday, uefa.com looks at how the class of 2007 have fared since the last tournament in the Netherlands two summers ago. The 184 players preparing for this month's event in Sweden – not to mention their clubs – may note that eight of the 12 players listed have since commanded a combined transfer fee of almost €100m.

Royston Drenthe (Netherlands)
Feyenoord left-back Drenthe was a relative unknown before the last U21 championship but six matches in June 2007 changed all that. The then 20-year-old speedster was the star of the tournament as the Netherlands successfully defended their title – thriving in a more advanced role than usual, he scored one goal and provided assists for Ryan Babel and Maceo Rigters. Later that summer he landed at the Santiago Bernabéu after a €14m move to Real Madrid CF, introducing himself to Spanish football with a stunning goal in the Super Cup against Sevilla FC.

Ryan Babel (Netherlands) 
As with Drenthe, Babel's contribution at the finals led to rapper U-Niq securing his services for a song called Tak Takie. Unlike Drenthe, Babel was already an established name in the Netherlands – a first-teamer for three seasons at AFC Ajax and the Oranje's youngest post-war scorer having registered on his senior debut in 2005. He struck twice at the tournament, including once against Serbia in the final where he was man of the match. Four weeks later Liverpool FC signed the forward for €14m and the 22-year-old has subsequently been an Anfield regular, albeit often from the substitutes' bench. He has more than 30 caps.

Branislav Ivanović (Serbia) 
The defender rose to global prominence with two headed goals in April that enabled Chelsea FC to eliminate Liverpool from the UEFA Champions League, but in truth Ivanović was already on many radars. He was an FC Lokomotiv Moskva player going into the 2007 tournament, and did his reputation no harm as he helped Serbia through to the final, scoring once. In January 2008 he swapped Russia for west London – with €13m travelling the other way – and though he failed to shine in his first English campaign, the now 25-year-old Serbian international centre-back made his mark in 2008/09.

Zoran Tošić (Serbia) 
The winger known as 'Bambi' had just played a key part in FK Banat Zrenjanin's escape from relegation when the 2007 championship began. However, he made a smooth transition from a team of strugglers to a winning one as Serbia got to the final. That increased FK Partizan's desire to sign the talented tyro, which they did that August, and having made his senior international debut the following month, Tošić helped the Belgrade side claim a league and cup double in his first season. He made an €11m switch to Manchester United FC this January and, though still to break through at Old Trafford, the 22-year-old is considered a long-term successor to Ryan Giggs.

Ashley Young (England)
Young had commanded a fee of up to €13m when he traded Watford FC for Aston Villa FC in January 2007, and promptly lived up to the hype as England progressed to the last four in the Netherlands. He received a senior international call-up soon after, making his debut that November. The winger, 24, has missed just a handful of matches for Martin O'Neill's team in two and a half years at Villa Park, becoming a crowd favourite. He became the first player to win three Premier League Player of the Month awards in one year in January, and ended 2008/09 by being named PFA Young Player of the Year.

James Milner (England) 
Described by England manager Fabio Capello as "the future, my future", Milner has actually been around for a fair bit of the past. A week shy of his 17th birthday in December 2002, the versatile wide man became the Premier League's youngest goalscorer with Leeds United AFC (Everton FC's James Vaughan later surpassed him); Milner then joined the U21 set-up in March 2004. Ahead of the finals in Sweden, he had made a record 42 appearances for a team for which he is still eligible. Milner cost Villa €15m when they brought him from Newcastle United FC last summer.

Marouane Fellaini (Belgium) 
With his €18.5m switch from R. Standard de Liège to Everton last September, the midfielder became Belgium and Everton's most expensive player. The ex-RSC Anderlecht youth-teamer had emerged at Standard as a box-to-box player, winning the 2008 championship. He confirmed his potential when Standard caught the eye against Liverpool in UEFA Champions League qualifying. A U21 semi-finalist in 2007, he already had ten senior Belgium caps when Everton came calling. In England last season the 21-year-old gained both cult status for his Afro hairstyle and the best young player award at high-flying Everton.

Giorgio Chiellini (Italy) 
Chiellini went into the 2007 finals after a steady Serie B campaign as Juventus left-back, and being linked with a summer move away from Turin. Eleven days in the Netherlands made all the difference to his career journey, however. Handed the captain's armband as well as an unusual centre-half role by coach Pierluigi Casiraghi, Chiellini thrived – adding gloss to his solid defensive work with two goals in four games. There was no way Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri would let him leave now. The 24-year-old returned to the Bianconeri as a centre-back, and remains a fixture there for both Juve and the full Italy team.

Giuseppe Rossi (Italy) 
Big things had been expected of Rossi ever since he went from Parma FC to Manchester United aged 17. Limited opportunities at Old Trafford caused him to be loaned to Newcastle United in 2006/07 and then back to Parma. There, his nine goals in 19 Serie A outings helped the Gialloblù avoid relegation and earned a call-up to the U21 squad for the 2007 finals. Rossi forced his way into Italy's starting XI in the Netherlands, registering a goal and a red card as the Azzurrini finished fifth. Six weeks later he joined Villarreal CF in a €10m deal, going on to score 28 goals in two seasons for the Spanish club. Rossi, 22, became a senior international in October 2008.

Ben Sahar (Israel) 
Just 17 when he arrived in the Netherlands, Sahar was already a senior international with three top-flight appearances for Chelsea under his belt. Israel failed to make an impact at the finals, being unable even to score as they were eliminated at the group stage. This marked the start of an unsettled period in Sahar's career. Following loan spells at Queens Park Rangers FC, Sheffield Wednesday FC and Portsmouth FC in England, he was sent to Dutch side De Grafschaaf in January. In the Eredivisie he enjoyed the benefits of regular football, plundering five goals. He has made more consistent progress with Israel, boasting a haul of 15 senior caps.

João Moutinho (Portugal)
Sporting Clube de Portugal through and through, 22-year-old midfielder Moutinho has barely missed a game for the Lisbon outfit since his January 2005 debut. He was named newcomer of the season following the UEFA Cup final defeat by PFC CSKA Moskva that May, but in truth he was already part of the furniture at his club. He made his full international bow three months later. By the time of the U21 finals in the Netherlands, Moutinho had collected a first winner's medal by lifting the Portuguese Cup. He helped Sporting defend the title 12 months later and is now a fixture in the Portugal side.

Michal Kadlec (Czech Republic) 
The son of Miroslav Kadlec, captain of the Czech Republic team that reached the EURO '96™ final, Michal Kadlec was a major player at AC Sparta Praha when the 2007 tournament got under way. In total, he helped Sparta to a hat-trick of Czech Cups. It was no surprise when the defender won his first senior cap in November 2007, nor when he joined Bayer 04 Leverkusen on loan last summer. His move to the Bundesliga proved a success, even if the campaign ended in disappointment as the 24-year-old finally experienced a cup upset – Leverkusen losing to Werder Bremen in the German Cup final.