U21 Team of the Month: Sancho, Mbappe and Alexander-Arnold make the XI
Here we run through the best WhoScored rated XI for December from Europe's top five leagues comprised of players aged 21 and under. Players qualify for the team if they were 21 or under at the start of December.
Goalkeeper: Markus Schubert (Schalke) - 6.93 rating
Drafted into the team as a replacement for suspended Alexander Nubel, Markus Schubert did his stock no harm with some solid displays in December. The Schalke youngster made a save every 13.4 minutes of playing time in the league last month, more frequently than 94 of the other 95 goalkeepers that made at least three appearances in Europe's top 5 leagues in December.
Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) - 7.65 rating
December was another terrific month for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who continues to grow into one of the Premier League's best players. Alexander-Arnold's best display came in Liverpool's 4-0 win at home to Leicester where he played a direct hand in three goals (one goal, two assists). The 21-year-old was unsurprisingly the WhoScored Man of the Match and followed that up with another star man display against Wolves in Liverpool's next league outing.
Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) - 7.70 rating
RB Leipzig cemented their place at the top of the Bundesliga last month and Dayot Upamecano played a key role at the back despite reports linking the youngster with a move to Arsenal. Upamecano was the heartbeat of the side, ranking second for both most passes completed (290) and most accurate long balls (25) of outfielders aged 21 and under in Europe's top five leagues last month.
Centre-back: Dan-Axel Zagadou (Borussia Dortmund) - 7.53 rating
Dan-Axel Zagadou finished December with a WhoScored rating above 7.00 in three of his four league appearances and also registered his first assist of the season after embarking of an incredible run from the half-way line to Mainz's penalty box in a 4-0 victory. The 20-year-old completed more long balls than any other outfielder aged 21 and under in Europe's top 5 leagues last month (26).
Left-back: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) - 7.67 rating
Alphonso Davies continues to impress out of position for Bayern Munich and slots in at left-back in our best rated XI. The 19-year-old registered one assist in four league appearances in December and completed 16 dribbles.
Right wing: Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma) - 7.69 rating
Nicolo Zaniolo picked a great moment to deliver his best display of the campaign, as the Italy international scored or assisted in Roma's stunning 4-1 win at Fiorentina before Christmas. Zaniolo registered eight key passes across his three league appearances; completed nine dribbles and was fouled 11 times.
Central midfield: Oscar Rodriguez (Leganes) - 7.57 rating
Real Madrid loanee Oscar Rodriguez ended a nine-game streak without a goal with a brace in Leganes' 3-2 win over Celta Vigo last month and also followed that up with an assist two games later. Those contributions earned Leganes an extra four points and without them they would be bottom of the league and five points adrift of safety.
Central midfield: Eduardo Camavinga (Rennes) - 7.51 rating
17-year-old Eduardo Camavinga is the youngest representative in the XI but the Rennes midfielder has certainly been making headlines this season. Last month, the French teenager scored his first senior goal, the winner away to Lyon. Camavinga also made more tackles and interceptions combined (34) than any other player aged 21 and under in Europe's top five leagues last month.
Left wing: Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) - 8.63 rating
Borussia Dortmund teenager Jadon Sancho concluded 2019 in terrific fashion to fuel talk of a January return to the Premier League. Sancho impressively scored and assisted in three of his four league appearances in December and completed 14 dribbles in that time. The 19-year-old finished the month with four goals and three assists.
Striker: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain) - 8.64 rating
No player aged 21 and under in Europe's top five leagues scored or assisted more goals than Paris Saint-Germain wonderkid Kylian Mbappe last month (7). The France international scored in all four of his appearances and won attacking possession in the attacking third more times than any other player in Ligue 1 (7).
Striker: Josh Maja (Bordeaux) - 7.77 rating
Josh Maja was one of only two players aged 21 and under in Europe's top 5 leagues last month to garner a perfect WhoScored 10 rating in a single game. Maja scored a hat-trick and registered one assist in Bordeaux's 6-0 win over Nimes to achieve the feat. The former Sunderland striker has now played a direct hand in five goals in five league starts this season.
