Kees Smit from the Netherlands Crowned Euro U19 Player of the Tournament

Dutch star Kees Smit has been awarded Player of the Tournament at the Under-19 European Championships.

The AZ prodigy found the back of the net in each of the four matches leading up to Thursday’s final, where the Netherlands triumphed over defending champions Spain with a narrow 1-0 victory, courtesy of an own goal by goalkeeper Raul Jimenez.

Throughout the tournament, Smit netted four goals and provided one assist. He shared the top scorer accolade with Spain’s Pablo Garcia, who also scored four times, all during Spain’s thrilling 6-5 semi-final win against Germany, along with Germany’s Said El Mala and Max Moerstedt.

Smit’s most memorable moment came in the Netherlands’ 4-2 victory over England, where he executed a clever short corner kick, received the ball back, and expertly curled it from the edge of the box into the far corner.

By earning the Player of the Tournament title, Smit adds his name to a prestigious list of previous winners, including notable figures such as Fernando Torres, Marco Asensio, and Mason Mount.

The 19-year-old, who is reportedly on the radar of Dutch giants Ajax, is expected to carry a price tag of “at least” €25 million, according to various reports from the Netherlands.