Curtis Jones helped make history on Saturday evening and by doing so, followed in the footsteps of a fellow Scouser and former Liverpool player.
For the first time since 1984, England were crowned U21 European Champions thanks to Jones’ deflected goal against Spain in a 1-0 win.
The Liverpool man may not have had any idea about his involvement at the time after Cole Palmer’s free-kick deflected off his back, but it proved a historic moment.
The goal was his and it proved to be the winner for the Young Lions, meaning Jones had helped his side become “history makers” on a “night [he’ll] never forget.”
Not only that, but he follows in famous Scouse footsteps, as the last player to score in an U21 Euros final for England before Jones was Howard Gayle.
Gayle played five matches for Liverpool, was the first black player to play for the Reds, was an academy graduate and was born in Toxteth – as was Jones.
He scored the final goal for the Young Lions in their 3-0 aggregate championship win over Spain in 1984, with Jones following in his footsteps 39 years later.
Gayle was a Birmingham player at the time of his final having left Anfield permanently in 1983, but he was a trailblazer and a member of the club’s 1981 European Cup-winning side.
Scousers know how to rise to the occasion.
Jones was awarded the Man of the Match in the final, for the second consecutive game, with the UEFA panel crediting his role on the ball and his leadership when making their decision.
The panel said: “He was always on the ball at the right time, he played excellently between the lines and showed himself to be a real leader of the team.”
Both Jones and Harvey Elliott will now be expected to take a short break before joining up with Jurgen Klopp‘s squad for what is left of pre-season.
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