Jonathan Rowe etched his name into history, scoring with his third touch after entering as a substitute against Germany.
At nine years old, Jonathan Rowe walked out onto the hallowed Wembley turf alongside the England and Brazil national teams, fulfilling a dream shared by football-obsessed children worldwide.
As a youth player for AFC Wembley, he was selected as a mascot for the visit of the five-time world champions in 2013. He subsequently watched Frank Lampard score the decisive goal in the second half, securing a memorable 2-1 victory for the Three Lions.
Fast forward twelve and a half years, and it was Rowe’s turn to become England’s match-winner.
The Marseille forward emerged from the bench to secure a dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Germany in the final of the European Under-21 Championship.
While a senior call-up may still be on the horizon, this was a night the 22-year-old will forever cherish.
With England manager Thomas Tuchel observing from the stands, Rowe told Channel 4, “I approached the game with the mindset of doing anything I could to help the team.”
“I’m incredibly happy I managed to achieve that in front of some important people tonight.”
But who exactly is England’s new U21 hero, and what led him to Marseille in France?
Football Daily podcast: England beat Germany to retain Euro U21s title
According to his coach at AFC Wembley, Rowe “didn’t fully grasp how talented he was,” although everyone else recognized his potential.
“That’s what we admired about him. He possessed both talent and humility,” Gary Graham told Sky Sports.
“Many boys in our team were skilled, but lacked that humility, which ultimately prevented them from progressing to the next level.”
Rowe joined Norwich City’s academy in 2014, but the transition was not without its challenges. He endured three-hour daily commutes from London to East Anglia, while also assisting in the care of his ill mother and helping to raise his sister. He was only 11 years old at the time.
During his developmental years, he faced further obstacles in the form of injuries, including Osgood-Schlatter disease, a common cause of knee pain. He eventually made his first-team debut for the Canaries in 2021.
He spent the subsequent two seasons in and out of the Norwich side before establishing himself during their 2023-24 campaign, which saw them reach the Championship play-off semi-finals, scoring 13 goals.
However, with other clubs expressing interest, Rowe decided it was time for a change.
After having several previous bids rejected, Marseille successfully secured the forward on a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy for a reported fee of £17 million.
Norwich expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the transfer unfolded, with Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup stating that Rowe had declined to play in their 2-0 opening-day defeat at Oxford United amid interest from the Ligue 1 club.
Rowe is one of three players in England’s U21 Euros squad who play their club football abroad, alongside Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell and Genoa’s Brooke Norton Cuffy. Jobe Bellingham, now at Dortmund, was also initially named in the squad.
There are numerous other recent success stories of young English players venturing outside of the UK, including Angel Gomes at Lille and Conor Gallagher at Atletico Madrid.
However, Rowe’s move has once again presented him with challenges.
He started only six league games last season, making a further 22 appearances from the bench.
“It’s been a difficult season for me personally,” said Rowe. “The transition from Norwich, where I was a key player, to here has been a significant challenge, with the expectation to perform.”
“I have embraced it, but it has been difficult. I have often been left out of the starting XI, which has obviously affected me, as I think everyone could see. However, I have persevered, and that’s the most important thing.”
“Even though I felt down on some days, I had to focus on the bigger picture, which is that we have a collective goal as a team, and I have to contribute as much as I can.”
Speaking after the win over Germany, Rowe reiterated that this season had been “up and down” and acknowledged that he had not even been selected for the previous England U21 camp.
However, he also stated that “I always back myself,” and his international coach, Lee Carsley, has undoubtedly played a role in that.
“We emphasize to all the players, regardless of how much they play for their clubs, that we are constantly monitoring them,” Carsley told BBC Sport’s Nick Mashiter. “I maintain contact with the players, particularly when they are not playing, to keep them motivated and focused.”
“Moving abroad requires a different kind of character. Jonathan has performed exceptionally well when given the opportunity at Marseille, and he fully deserves to be in our squad.”
“He probably thought at some point that he was out of contention, but he more than deserves to be a part of it.”
“He has made a real impact, and his enthusiasm around the hotel and during training has been infectious.”
And on Saturday, he made the greatest impact of all: scoring the winning goal for his country in a tournament final.
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