England

Image source, FA

In 2013, aged 10, Jonathan Rowe was a mascot when England played Brazil in a friendly at Wembley.

"Not many people know but I walked out with the Brazilian team," Marseille's former Norwich forward tells Englandfootball.com., external

"That was the first time I was at Wembley."

Twelve years on, Rowe starts for England at the European Under-21 Championship.

What a journey!

Image source, PA Media

Who would you like to see from Lee Carsley's Class of 2025 force their way into Thomas Tuchel's World Cup thinking?

Is it too soon for exciting 18-year-old forward Ethan Nwaneri, who does not turn 19 until next March but has already rattled up 28 Premier League appearances for Arsenal?

And what about Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), Tino Livramento (Newcastle) and Archie Gray (Tottenham) - who have all played a part in helping their respective clubs win a major trophy in 2024-25?

As ever, send all your thoughts this way.

#bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply).

John Murray
BBC Radio 5 Live chief football correspondent in Slovakia

Lee Carsley's England team, the defending champions, will play their first group match in the south western Slovakian town of Dunajska Streda near the Hungarian border.

Their opponents will be the Czechs, as was the case in their first group match two years ago, when England won 2-0 and went on to win all six matches without conceding a goal to collect this title, the first time in 39 years.

Whether this squad is as good as that one is debatable. For one reason or another they have lost the services of Liam Delap, Jobe Bellingham, Adam Wharton, Jarrad Branthwaite and Rico Lewis.

But it still has a wealth of Premier League talent and the expectation is for them to make a winning start.

England are, of course, the holders after going all the way in 2023.

Lee Carsley's squad two years ago included Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Curtis Jones, Anthony Gordon, Levi Colwill and Morgan Gibbs-White.

All played for Thomas Tuchel's senior side in at least one of the two recent games against Andorra and Senegal.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

England

Some quick maths and I make it 467 Premier League appearances in that England starting XI - who have scored 21 top-flight goals between them.

Alex Howell
BBC football news reporter in the DAC Arena

Head coach Lee Carlsey said that he would have to get creative with his team line-up and he has definitely done that.

He's named a team packed with attacking talent and found space for James McAtee, Harvey Elliott, Omari Hutchinson and Jonathan Rowe.

England XI: Beadle, Livramento, Quansah, Cresswell, Gray, Scott, Anderson, Elliott, Hutchinson, McAtee, Rowe.

Subs: Simkin, Sharman-Lowe, Edwards, Hackney, Fellows, Norton-Cuffy, Egan-Riley, Hinshelwood, Iling-Junior, Stansfield, Nwaneri, Morton.

Czech Republic XI: Hornicek, Chaloupek, Prebsl, Spacil, Hadas, Vydra, Stransky, Suchomel, Danek, Sejk, Fila

Subs: Borek, Koutny, Pauluska, Mricfalusi, Halinsky, Karabec, Labik, Sojka, Visinky, Langhamer, Kozeluh, Vecheta

Hello and welcome along to our coverage as England get their European Under-21 Championship campaign under way.

Let's face it, Thomas Tuchel's seniors have left fans feeling pretty miserable after a couple of unimpressive performances.

Lee Carsley's young class of 2025 intend to raise spirits over the next couple of weeks - and show the future is indeed bright.

Their first test in this tournament is against the Czech Republic and we're half an hour from kick-off.

Shall we get some team news?

Image source, Reuters

After the Three Lions failed to impress against Andorra and were booed off after losing to Senegal, it's the turn of the Young Lions to show what they can do.

This time next year the World Cup will be under way.

Will anyone from England's under-21 set-up force their way into Thomas Tuchel's plans for North America?