Champions League breakthrough team of 2020

UEFA.com picks out a team of young players who have broken through in the UEFA Champions League this calendar year.

In order to narrow the field, we set the following strict criteria:
i) aged 24 or under;
ii) UEFA Champions League debut in 2020 or only limited prior experience and made a major leap this year.

This team was selected by UEFA.com reporters and editors and is not intended to rival more established awards.

Goalkeeper

Anatolii Trubin, 19 (Shakhtar)
Started all but one of Shakhtar's 2020/21 group stage games – with this talented young custodian keeping three clean sheets in the process.

Defenders

Cristian Romero, 22 (Atalanta)
Centre-half has taken his game to another level since joining on loan from Juventus, becoming a key cog in the Atalanta machine with his front-foot defensive style.

Zaidu Sanusi, 23 (Porto)
Left-back has settled in superbly since arriving from Santa Clara, missing just 13 minutes of Porto's group stage campaign.

Jules Koundé, 22 (Sevilla)
Classy centre-back off the French production line, Koundé is already a mainstay for Julen Lopetegui's side – and scorer of a stunning goal at Rennes on Matchday 6.

Alphonso Davies, 20 (Bayern)
Truly announced himself with electric displays in the 2019/20 final eight in Lisbon and is widely considered one of the most exciting attacking full-backs in Europe.

Midfielders

Pedri, 18 (Barcelona)
Attacking midfielder became one of this competition's ten youngest-ever scorers when he struck on his debut in October, having recently arrived from Las Palmas.

Jude Bellingham, 17 (Dortmund)
Only joined Dortmund from home-town club Birmingham City in July but the multi-use teenager has already confirmed his potential, featuring in BVB's six group fixtures.

Giovanni Reyna, 18 (Dortmund)
Oozes class in midfield with his appreciation of space and excellent reading of the game. Reyna likes to drop deep to get on the ball and feed team-mates.

Dominik Szoboszlai, 20 (Salzburg/Leipzig)
Plays through the middle or wide on the left; he has superb vision on the ball but it's his movement when off it that makes him so tricky to contend with. Secured move to Leipzig in December.

Forwards

Diogo Jota, 24 (Liverpool)
Previously figured in the competition for Porto, but Jota makes the cut after a sensational start at Anfield, the highlight being his Matchday 3 hat-trick at Atalanta.

Marcus Thuram, 23 (Mönchengladbach)
Started each game of Gladbach's impressive group campaign, two goals against Real Madrid the obvious highlight though his all-round contribution was evident throughout.