Harvey Elliott has helped fire England Under-21s into the final of the European Championship, scoring twice in a stunning semi-final performance and soaking in a wave of support from the crowd.
Harvey Elliott’s brace in the 2-1 win over the Netherlands ensured England will face Germany in Saturday’s final, and it was the 22-year-old’s celebration — and his reaction to the full-time whistle — that caught the eye just as much as his quality on the ball.
As reported by BBC Sport, Elliott raised his arms in front of a pocket of fans who had spent much of the second half chanting his name, taking in the moment after a testing season in which he made just two Premier League starts under Arne Slot.
The England international admitted his post-goal celebrations didn’t go quite to plan, telling BBC Radio 5 Live:
“I decided to do a silly knee slide which really hurt, but you have to live in the moment.
“You do these things, but I forgot the pitch was ridiculously dry and it is the price I have got to pay. Hopefully it is nothing too silly.”
England brace highlights Elliott’s quality and leadership
Our No.19’s form in Slovakia has been electric, netting four times in the competition — the second-most of any player — and reminding fans back home of what he can offer when trusted in a central role.
“Emotionally and mentally it’s definitely up there,” the former Fulham talent said of his late winner. “There’s nothing better than scoring for your country in front of your family in the stands.”
The 22-year-old’s role could be complicated further by the arrival of Florian Wirtz, who is set to report for pre-season training following his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen.
Before the tournament began, the boyhood Red spoke about not wanting to waste his career sitting on the bench at Anfield – something these performances for England will likely have only increased.
The Euros hero was in tears following the final game of the season, as he appeared to bid farewell yet we still await confirmation of where or when this may be.
Still, Elliott is thriving in his current role as a leader in Lee Carsley’s squad — one of only two players who lifted the trophy two years ago and remains involved.
“We all deserve to be here. The squad is incredible in terms of the quality, in terms of how we play football as a team and the togetherness we have,” he said post-match.
“The moment we have fear within ourselves is the moment it goes wrong. I think now, especially after the Spain game, the fear isn’t there any more. We can take on any team.”
If Elliott can cap his tournament with a trophy on Saturday, his pre-season prospects — whether at Anfield or elsewhere — will be even harder to ignore.
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