'A great achievement' – Klopp hails Elliott and Jones after U21 Euros glory
Jürgen Klopp has paid tribute to Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones after the Liverpool duo helped England win the U21 European Championship.
The Young Lions beat Spain 1-0 in last Saturday’s final thanks to a goal by Jones, who inadvertently deflected Cole Palmer’s free-kick into the net.
The Reds’ No.17 was subsequently named Player of the Match – just as he was after his team’s victory over Israel in the last four – and was earlier this week included in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament.
Elliott, meanwhile, made five appearances during the competition and scored a spectacular solo goal in England’s group-stage success against Germany.
Klopp told Liverpoolfc.com: “Congratulations – I texted them, obviously, directly after the game. They were by far the best team. Yes, in the final, how it is against Spain, you can get under pressure [and] they got under pressure.
“But a really young group – U21s traditionally are pretty young! – and they did really well, a lot of good performances.
“Yes, Curtis played pretty much each minute of the tournament, one game maybe he didn’t play, but he played a really good tournament in a different role, looked from time to time [like] an adult with kids around him on the other side, he looked really in charge of the things.
“He will play probably a different position and be more offensive orientated and all these kind of things, but a great achievement, a fantastic achievement.
“And Harvey, [he] scored a fantastic goal and when he came on he was a real plus and did a really good job. So, yeah, a big thing.
“What is it, 39 years [since England last won the tournament]? It’s a while ago that England won it, I can’t believe that, but in the moment the generations England have: the U20s, the U21s and the first team not so bad as well, so a good sign. English football is in a good moment, I would say.”