Jacob Bruun Larsen: 5 Things to Know About Borussia Dortmund's Danish Starlet
We're really being treated to a feast of football this summer aren't we?
The Women's World Cup is in full swing over in France and the Copa America is also underway, showcasing the talents of Lionel Messi, Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez among others.
But the fun doesn't stop there - the Under-21 European Championships have kicked off over in Italy and San Marino, and there's a plethora of next generation talent vying to become top dogs. Spain have a number of exceptional youngsters that we're pretty familiar with, and Italy's squad strength this summer is borderline unfair.
But outside of the top boys, there's plenty of genius to be keeping an eye on - including Denmark forward Jacob Bruun Larsen. The 20-year-old plies his trade for Borussia Dortmund, but whilst he's well known to German audiences, he's not a prominent European figure just yet.
So to help you get to know him, we thought we'd round up five key things to know...
He's Had to Wait for Opportunities
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Bruun Larsen signed for Borussia Dortmund in 2015 at the tender age of 16 from hometown club Lyngby Boldklub.
However, he has had to wait for opportunities with the senior side, making just one appearance for the first team in each of his first two seasons. He played for Der BVB's youth team before spending the second half of the 2017-18 season on loan at VfB Stuttgart - but made just four appearances.
Last season, though, he made his breakthrough into Dortmund's first team - making 30 appearances in all competitions, including 16 Bundesliga starts.
He's an Olympian
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Bruun Larsen has already represented his country at a major tournament, as he was part of the Denmark side that featured at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
He made four appearances, including two starts as Denmark reached the quarter-final stage where they lost 2-0 to Nigeria - having progressed from a group that included hosts Brazil, as well as Iraq and South Africa.
His Pace Is His Greatest Asset
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Bruun Larsen is a direct, pacy winger - but he's also pretty hand on the ball, fitting into Dortmund's intricate passing style seamlessly.
Playing alongside Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus, you'd have thought he wouldn't be able to keep up with his teammates - but he's arguably the quickest.
Lucien Favre is clearly a fan, as Bruun Larsen often bursts down the flank to pull the ball back from the byline - which suits Paco Alcacer down to the ground as he looks to feed on scraps in the penalty area.
He Has Represented Denmark at Almost Every Age Group
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Bruun Larsen has had to be patient in his club career and his progress with Denmark has been similarly steady.
He represented his country at six different age groups before making his senior international debut in a friendly against Kosovo in March.
While has has dropped back down for the Under-21 Euros this summer, another season of regular playing time at Dortmund should cement his place in Denmark's senior side for years to come.
He Impressed In His First Champions League Game
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Bruun Larsen was handed his Champions League debut in a home clash with Monaco in October - and he certainly announced himself on the European stage in a positive way.
Brought on from the bench at half-time, he broke down the Ligue 1 side's dogged resistance by slotting under Danijel Subašić just six minutes into the second half.
His boundless energy provided Dortmund with the necessary spark to turn things around, and he rounded off an excellent display by providing an assist for Reus to wrap things up in injury time.
