Scouting Notebook: Dani Ceballos Putting His Football to the Fore at Euro U21s

With the notable exception of 2015, Spain have been utterly dominant in Under-21 Championships this decade. 2011 saw them defeat Switzerland 2-0 in the final; in 2013 they beat Italy 4-2; and in 2017, they enter the final against Germany as heavy, heavy favourites.

The calibre of player they've taken to this tournament has been just as remarkable as their collective performances. 2011 saw Thiago Alcantara, Juan Mata, Ander Herrera and Javi Martinez form an all-powerful midfield, while in 2013, Isco, Asier Illarramendi and Koke joined Thiago to make them even stronger.

This year a new crop have shined. In their first game of the tournament—a 5-0 demolition of Macedonia—Marco Asensio, fresh off scoring in the UEFA Champions League final, grabbed the headlines (again) with an eye-popping hat-trick.

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Atletico Madrid's Saul Niguez also scored that day, and he has gone on to bag four more, including a ridiculous hat-trick against Italy in the semi-final, while Marcos Llorente has swept up at the base of midfield in a calm, collected manner.

But one man's name currently in the papers was not on the teamsheet for that opening fixture, and said man was not happy about it.

According to ESPN FC's David Cartlidge, Dani Ceballos—who you may well have seen tear Italy's entire team apart with one slinking dribble on Tuesday—was incredibly disappointed not to have been handed a key role and had to set about changing matters.

It's not the first time this season he's been left sidelined; Gus Poyet, when manager of Real Betis, inexplicably pushed him (and Chelsea loanee Charly Musonda) away from the first-team squad for periods of time before Christmas. From a footballing perspective it made no sense, as Ceballos is the most creative, talented player in that team and they battled relegation from August to April, but then, the decision to drop him may well have had nothing to do with football at all.

Despite being aged just 20, Ceballos already has a chequered past. According to Goal.com, he's made some derogatory comments in the past about different regions of Spain; insulted legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas and his wife; told a just-relegated player that he hopes his club rots in the second division; and even sent a pro-General Franco tweet.

That's been the story of his career to date: off-field issues, distractions and mishaps coming to the fore, with the unfortunate casualty being his football. For one so young to be constantly battling back from adversity is a true shame.

Missing the starting XI against Macedonia was simply the next in a lengthy line of footballing setbacks, but Ceballos made the most of his 27 minutes off the bench against Macedonia and found himself in the starting XI against Portugal for the group's key clash.

They won, he played well, and he found himself back on the bench for the third game—only this time it was alongside Asensio and Saul, as coach Albert Celades rotated his crop ahead of the semi-finals.

Against Italy, he shot to the fore for all the right reasons. His tempo-setting midfield play, so often seen in excellent Real Betis performances this year, were key to Spain controlling the game and controlling proceedings. Saul Niguez may have scored another rocket, but that was almost overlooked due to Ceballos producing the moment of the game.

Credit: Sky Sports

Having already nutmegged Roberto Gagliardini three times and got him sent off for two yellows earned from pure frustration, he embarked on a scintillating run, ducked between two midfielders after an outrageous fake pass sent them the wrong way, beat one more and then nutmegged another poor soul in the box to set up a shot. It left the crowd, the Twittersphere, the universe gobsmacked.

That's what Ceballos is, in pure footballing terms: An electric, exciting, dazzling, smart midfielder. If he can set aside his documented off-field issues and control his emotions, the sky's the limit for him.

That slick fake-pass move to flummox Italy is one of his specialties. He did it to Atletico Madrid last season too, fooling two of Diego Simeone's seasoned warhorses with a quick swish of the leg. In the same game, he smacked the post from distance, then went one better and powered a ridiculous volley in from outside the box after a corner had been headed clear.

But while it's easy to fall for Ceballos' highlight reel moments and simply consider him a difference-maker in the final third, that would do an injustice to his abilities in the other two.

Credit: Sky Sports

He can drop into deeper areas and control games. For long periods against Italy he was level with Marcos Llorente in the base of midfield, playing as a No. 6 and dictating. He set Spain's rhythm and tempo, kept the ball moving and probed for weak points in Italy's formation. From there he was able to either slalom forward and beat markers or launch accurate passes into Gerard Deulofeu or Asensio.

He also put the work in defensively, tracking men back and, on a number of occasions, getting a vital foot in to dispossess just outside his own box. He won't make an elite box-to-box midfielder, nor will he try to, but the graft shown is important—particularly given the circumstances he started the tournament in, and given Barcelona's Denis Suarez is on the bench, itching to reclaim that spot in the team.

The whole world has seen Ceballos at his best during this tournament, and, as if often the case, transfer links have followed. Real Betis' president has been forced to deny reports that Real Madrid are just a step away from signing him, per Canal Sur TV (h/t ESPN's Adriana Garcia), but the fact he has a €15 million buyout clause is public knowledge and can only work against the Andalusian club.

€15 million for a player who can do what he's done this summer, at the age he is? It shouldn't just be Real Madrid interested; it should be every top club on the continent.

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