Introducing the new generation: Is Luc Holtz’s setup drastically changing?

Brian Madjo was the latest name in a long line of young, talented players who earned a call-up to the senior national selection for an international window. In recent years, we have seen attackers such as Aiman Dardari, David Jonathans or Jayson Videira come and go without really leaving a mark.

Madjo’s luck, perhaps, was that this window consisted of two friendly games, with manager Luc Holtz’s eyes looking at the long-term future. It meant previously unfancied players or former stalwarts needing a restart after an injury break could have a low-pressure environment to ease back into the game.

The 2009-born attacker left such a positive impression in the camp he ended up being named in the starting XI both against Sweden and Switzerland. These early showings were encouraging for the player (especially for a 16-year-old), but the show of faith was, perhaps, even more important to the national team: Madjo is reportedly being coveted by the country of his birth, England, who are keeping an eye on him and could still theoretically persuade the striker to switch allegiances.

Enzo Duarte, a creative midfielder from Madjo’s age group, did not end up making his debut despite appearing on the bench on both occasions. It was a telling sign about which player they need to appeal to in order to tie him down immediately.

Others from the youth age categories are also knocking on the door of the seniors, while some of the best have already started making inroads at that level.

Tiago Pereira Cardoso (Mönchengladbach)

The 18-year-old goalkeeper has already been confirmed as a starter for the rest of the Bundesliga season at club level, yet he is facing challenges on the international stage given Anthony Moris’ incredible consistency and reliability at the age of 34.

Tiago’s rapid emergence on the scene has already prompted Ralph Schon to retire from international commitments. Lucas Fox and Tim Kips have seen their own steadily improving careers overshadowed by the “new ter Stegen”, according to club sources.

He will have a guaranteed place as the first name on Luxembourg’s team sheet sooner rather than later, and his solid improvement ensures the transition from the long-standing Moris will be smoother than many feared.

One of the most prominent Luxembourgers of his generation, he started his career at Sanem, before completing most of his youth development at Fola Esch and the National Centre of Excellence in Mondercange. He adjusted rapidly to the German environment, too, and is now destined to remain in the professional world for the rest of his career.

Lohei headlines defence

FC Metz’s Fabio Lohei has already received a call-up to the senior national team, making his debut in late 2022 against Hungary. Still only 19, the left-back now has four appearances for Luc Holtz’s side, but has struggled to make the breakthrough at club level. A loan move or a pathway into Ligue 1 could kick-start his development and boost his chances of getting into the next Red Lions squads before too long.

The U19s have several potential options for the defence. Christophe Andrade Brites, for example, made headlines when he was called up for two Nations League clashes in the autumn. He ended up making his senior debut for Luxembourg before even playing a minute for his club, F91 Dudelange, at a competitive fixture.

Brites is a versatile player whose future might not lie in the defensive positions, but his managers have mostly used him on the left flank to date. His intelligent positioning and decision-making have previously earmarked him as a deep-lying playmaker for the future, but his physical presence and stamina make him an ideal option as a wing-back, too.

His future is far from determined, and he has still not appeared in an F91 squad since his international debut, raising questions over the extent of his potential. He repaid Holtz’s faith with a fine cameo against Northern Ireland in September, but at the age of 17, he will soon have to start looking for a future abroad if he is to make it as a professional (and solidify his place internationally).

Aston da Silva is another interesting option to consider. The young defender left Racing FCUL’s setup to sign for one of the most prolific hotbeds for talent in Europe, in PSV Eindhoven (where his cousin, Jordan Teze played until recently). His performances there keep earning him a place in Mario Mutsch’s national camps, but he is still at a very early stage of development.

He is also facing intense competition for playing time in the Netherlands, and will soon have to make the step up to senior football to show his readiness and become a useful player for Holtz in the near future.

Tiziano Mancini and Miguel Gonçalves have been turning heads at F91 Dudelange this season, with Gonçalves being an especially reliable cog for the BGL Ligue side. His ability to play in defence or midfield also makes a compelling case for his inclusion in the team, to increase tactical flexibility for in-game changes.

Despite being only 20 years old, Gonçalves is already closing in on 50 league games, and made his debut in European competitions last summer. Arriving from Gil Vicente, the defender’s future lies in the professional world, and it seems only a matter of time before he returns to Portugal – or elsewhere.

Mancini is two years younger and is still playing a sporadic role within the F91 setup, but he has already proven himself as a depth option at U19 level, and is only going to progress even further. His inclusion in future national teams seems like a more ambitious idea right now, but the young centre-back has the perfect platform to succeed.

Out of the defenders already playing for the Red Lions, Eldin Džogović’s case is the most intriguing. Despite being on Magdeburg’s books, he is regularly left on the bench for Bundesliga 2 games, preventing him from getting the required match experience to develop into the player his potential would suggest.

When appearing for Luxembourg, Džogović has often looked a bit rusty and nervous, his first touch failing him on more than one occasion. Unless he can iron out these wrinkles in his game, maybe a restart would be beneficial for him in the bigger picture, even if it means he has to return to Luxembourg for a clean slate (just like Florian Bohnert did before securing a move to France).

BGL Ligue products bolster midfield

The upcoming generation’s most gifted midfielders largely come from the domestic league, or with considerable time behind them at one of the Luxembourgish academies.
 
Ivan Englaro and Tim Flick are getting regular opportunities in Dudelange this season, in a youthful team coached by Mika Pinto. Englaro is a tireless runner with an eye for a pass, whose defensive relentlessness has been invaluable to his team’s plans this year. Flick is an attack-minded, versatile, instinctive player usually looking for the pockets behind the striker. He can also play on both wings or up top, and enjoyed a prolific campaign last season as Fola’s leading marksman.
 
Sofiane Ikene made his Luxembourg debut at the age of 17, during his time at F91’s academy. Later, he moved on to Niederkorn before being snapped up by Nürnberg’s reserves in Germany. If he continues to improve and climb up the ladder, he can be a regular member of the national setup soon enough. His composure while playing out from the back makes him a perfect choice for three-at-the-back formations, either as a pivot or one of the wide defenders.
 
Diego Duarte and Fabio Domingos both play for Metz, and join Dortmund’s Enzo Duarte on the list of promising players already plying their trade abroad. All three are attacking midfielders, and while only Enzo Duarte was called up for the last two friendlies, his potential is comparable to both of his peers in France. The general consensus about this trio is that their physical development hasn’t reached the stage where they are ready for senior football, and waiting until the perfect moment can be more beneficial than sacrificing the youngsters’ careers for short-term gains.
 
Tomás Moreira is an exception in the list, as a player who isn’t part of the traditional Luxembourgish academy system. Born and raised in Portugal, he spent part of his childhood in Norden, playing for their youth teams before eventually moving back to his native country with his family. Currently playing for Benfica B, the 19-year-old was naturalised last year, and was eligible to play for Luxembourg from October 2024. He is already getting consistent minutes at both club and international level, and seems to be a nailed-on member of Holtz’s team for years to come.
 
Gil Neves is another player on Benfica’s books, although he turns out for the U17s. Since leaving Dudelange for the Lisbon outfit last summer, he immediately switched international allegiances and already has 15 caps for Portugal at youth level. Whether he will change back at any point is uncertain, and he might become good enough to be able to choose between the two options himself. In any case, he’s a creative, mature attacking midfielder whose presence would undoubtedly benefit Luxembourg.

How not to be the next Yvandro (or Thill)?

Luc Holtz’s reign as Luxembourg manager has overseen two astronomical prospects playing on the wing, both of whom were physically small and fragile but extremely gifted for their age. Yvandro and Vincent Thill both made their debuts at the age of 16, and both returned to the national team this month.
 
Thill missed 42 games for club and country last year, as a result of his latest knee injury keeping him out for 288 days between February and November. He still hasn’t regained his match sharpness since.
 
Yvandro was unavailable for a total of 262 days over the last calendar year, thanks to four injuries and an illness. His development was halted, and his integration into the Mönchengladbach team was abandoned due to the stop-start training opportunities he has had.
 
While both players may just be naturally prone to injuries, one cannot help but think what could’ve been were these players given more time to grow into the physical demands of senior football. The challenge now awaiting all nimble, diminutive wingers (and their managers) is making sure they hit the sweet spot when it comes to giving out senior debuts.
 
Luckily, the two most talented up-and-coming attackers aren’t particularly small or injury-prone: right-winger Aiman Dardari has already played two games for the national team and is impressing on a weekly basis for Augsburg’s reserve team. Selim Turping, playing on the left, is almost always involved in Zürich II’s matchday squads in the Swiss second division, and has already registered 4 goals, regularly playing against seniors.
 
In an ideal future, the above two players will be supporting centre-forward Madjo, if he ends up choosing Luxembourg. The earliest his future can be definitively sealed is in October, as he has to appear in three competitive games to commit to a country. Apart from England, Cameroon is also an available option for the talented Metz forward, but that doesn't appear to be a realistic prospect as things stand.
 
Madjo’s stature and pace make him the perfect profile for a Luxembourg striker, and he has already proven useful against the Swedes in the shock 1-0 win at the Stade de Luxembourg last week. His build and style of play is often likened to Erling Haaland and Romelu Lukaku, and while his ability is clearly some way off yet, his enormous potential is underlined by attention from scouts of Premier League club Southampton, among others.

All of these players are already achieving significant feats in their age groups. Mario Mutsch’s U19s finished their European Championship qualifying play-offs in third place, with a win against Croatia and a respectable draw against the Netherlands following a loss to Czechia in the opening round.
 
The U21s also had a game in March, where they beat Albania 1-0 thanks to a goal from Jayson Videira.
 
If we judged purely by scorelines, we could say the future is bright. When we watch the games ourselves, that statement gains validation. The current Mondercange academy has some rare gems and even after the retirement of the current golden age including Moris or Maxime Chanot, there are some prime replacements to make the generational change as smooth as possible.