Harvey Elliott has expressed that winning his second U21 European Championship title with England "means a lot more" than his first. The Young Lions successfully defended their U21 Euro title by defeating Germany 3-2 in a thrilling final that went into extra time.
Elliott played a crucial role in England's victory, scoring the opening goal in the final after just five minutes. He confidently slotted the ball into the bottom right corner after his initial pass was deflected back to him. Throughout the tournament, Elliott consistently performed well, scoring a brace in the semi-final to secure England's place in the final. His contributions led to him being named Player of the Tournament. UEFA's Technical Observer Group highlighted Elliott's tactical awareness, ability to create and score crucial goals, excellent leadership qualities, strong work ethic, and team behaviors. They described him as "a big player for the big stage" and noted he was England's most effective player throughout the tournament.
In the final against Germany, England initially took a 2-0 lead with goals from Elliott and Omari Hutchinson. However, Germany fought back, with Nelson Weiper and Paul Nebel scoring to level the score. Tyler Morton, another Liverpool player, came off the bench and played a pivotal role in England's winning goal, delivering a beautiful cross that was headed home by Jonathan Rowe in extra time.
Elliott was also part of the England squad that won the U21 Euros in 2023. Having been a consistent performer and a key player in both victories, it is understandable why Elliott feels the second title holds greater significance. He has overtaken Alan Shearer and Francis Jeffers to become England's second-highest goalscorer at U21 level with 14 goals. Only Eddie Nketiah (16) is ahead of him.