There have been plenty of false dawns for the England national side.

The Three Lions have managed to become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, consistently failing to succeed on the grand stage when everything appears to be in the trophy-strapped nation's favour.

However, that could be about to change on Saturday evening when Lee Carsley sends his England Under-21 side to do battle with Spain in the final of the European Championship at the Adjarabet Arena in Georgia.

Things couldn't have gone any better for Carsley's youngsters on their way to the showpiece occasion. They've maintained a 100% record at the tournament and have yet to concede a goal.

Expectations are high that the likes of Emile Smith Rowe, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White and Levi Colwill will be able to power their nation to a first success in the competition since 1984.

Hopes are high that a number of players from within the squad could go on to have stellar careers at senior international level - and lifting the trophy this weekend would only enhance their claims for full honours.

Long-time England fans, though, will be all too aware that they've been here before with the Under-21 side.

It was fourteen years ago that feelings of optimism among an ever-expectant nation began to rise in light of the country's journey to the final of the same competition.

Stuart Pearce's contingent of up-and-coming youngsters met Germany in the final having beaten host nation Sweden on penalties in the semis.

Unfortunately, Germany, so often England's nemesis in major competitions, exerted their supremacy with a remarkably routine 4-0 win.

The victors boasted a starting XI that included Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil, but Pearce fielded a few future stars of his own.

With that in mind, GIVEMESPORT have detailed the starting XI below and summarised how their respective careers panned out following their Euro final heartbreak. The class of 2023 will be hoping for a slightly better success rate in senior football than some of this group managed...

What happened to the England players that featured in the 2009 Under-21 European Championship final?

Goalkeeper: Scott Loach

Scott Loach was contracted to Watford when he was tasked with the challenge of keeping a rampant Der Mannschaft XI at bay. He was only handed the task because first-choice goalkeeper Joe Hart was suspended.

The shot-stopper ended up making 163 appearances for Watford and turned out in the Championship 184 times, but he's also spent a significant portion of his career outside of the Football League, taking in spells at Barnet and Chesterfield.

He's now back in the Football League, though, having joined Derby County last year. The 35-year-old recently agreed a contract extension to remain at Pride Park for another 12 months.

Right-back: Martin Cranie

Martin Cranie was the quintessential EFL journeyman.

The versatile defender never graduated to the senior England squad, spending the majority of his career in the Championship.

Following notable spells with Barnsley and Coventry City, Cranie helped Huddersfield gain promotion to the Premier League. Short-term spells at Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Luton followed, before he decided to hang up his boots at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.

Centre-back: Micah Richards

He's far better known these days for verbally sparring with the likes of Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane in his role as a TV pundit, but when Richards turned out for England's U21s in the 2009 Euros final, the Manchester City youngster was a phenomenon who promised so much.

Richards earned 13 caps for the senior side and was a regular under Roberto Mancini as the Italian led Manchester City to their first-ever Premier League title in 2012.

His departure from the Etihad Stadium in 2014 effectively signalled the end of his peak years as his career fizzled out during spells with Fiorentina and Aston Villa before his retirement in 2019.

Centre-back: Nedum Onuoha

Another graduate of Man City's academy didn't boast the promise of his central defensive partner and had something of an understated career.

Nedum Onuoha was a victim of City's revolution following Sheikh Mansour's acquisition of the club, and a loan spell with Sunderland preceded his permanent switch to QPR in 2012.

Following a six-year spell in West London and a stint with MLS outfit Real Salt Lake City during the twilight phase of his career, Onuoha retired from football at the start of 2021. He's since gone on to carve out a successful punditry career in the USA.

Left-back: Kieran Gibbs

Gibbs ended up winning 10 England caps at senior level and also enjoyed a successful Premier League career with Arsenal and West Brom.

After his time at The Hawthorns came to an end in 2021, Gibbs made the move across the Atlantic to join Inter Miami in MLS. After making 27 appearances for the first team, he decided to retire and move into a broadcasting role with the franchise.

Still only 33, if he'd decided to play on for a few more years, he could have been lining up alongside a certain Lionel Messi next season.

Defensive-midfield: Fabrice Muamba

It's incredibly fortunate that we're not discussing Fabrice Muamba in a distinctly more sobering tone.

Muamba was an archetypal box-to-box midfielder blessed with a broad repertoire of physical and technical qualities, but at 23 years of age he had to be rushed to an intensive care unit after collapsing in Bolton Wanderers' FA Cup clash with Spurs back in 2012.

Muamba was treated by six medics on the field, who attempted to resuscitate him before he was taken to the London Chest Hospital.

It was a harrowing, deeply concerning incident, but thankfully he recovered.

He would announce his retirement from the game shortly afterwards.

Today, Muamba remains involved in football as a coach, most recently taking charge of the Bolton U15 side.

Central-midfield: Lee Cattermole

Lee Cattermole - part thug, part footballer - is an iconic player for all the wrong reasons.

Nobody was ever safe when the bullish midfielder's studs were in close proximity, and there's unlikely to be another player quite like him amid the ever-changing standards of what's acceptable in football.

The tough-tackling brute ended his Premier League career as the eighth most-booked player in the history of the division with 88 cautions.

Following a ten-year spell with Sunderland, Cattermole played for VVV Venlo in the Netherlands for one season before retiring in August 2020.

Central-midfield: Mark Noble

They say that nice guys finish last.

Mr. West Ham captained the England youth team against Germany but, as the Hammers fans are all too acutely aware, his promise, consistency and loyalty never earned him a cap for the senior side.

Noble also skippered his beloved team for the majority of his career, cementing his status as a club legend in east London.

He retired in May 2022 after 550 appearances over 18 years for West Ham.

Noble took up a role as sporting director at the London Stadium back in January.

Right-wing: James Milner

Milner may have missed out on a trophy with England 14 years ago, but he's been no stranger to silverware since.

Across a 21-year career at the highest-level Milner has amassed three Premier League titles (two with Man City, one with Liverpool). He also won the Champions League with Jurgen Klopp's side in 2018/19, in addition to a host of other accolades.

However, he couldn't translate that trophy-winning habit to the international stage, although he did win 61 senior caps for the Three Lions between 2009 and 2016.

Still going strong at the age of 37, Milner recently agreed a deal to play next season, after departing Anfield at the end of the last campaign.

Left-wing: Adam Johnson

Adam Johnson established himself as a regular starter at Manchester City shortly after the England U21's heartbreak, and earned 12 caps for the senior side.

However, Johnson later became embroiled in legal controversy and was sentenced to six years in prison in 2016 having been convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old.

The 35-year-old served half of his sentence and was released in March 2019. He hasn't played a game of professional football since his conviction.

Centre-forward: Theo Walcott

Rounding off the list is arguably the player who was expected to achieve the most in the game.

The centre-forward, who was blessed with searing pace as a teenager, was the closest thing England fans had seen to Michael Owen after the Liverpool icon broke onto the scene.

Controversially, the Southampton academy graduate earned selection for the World Cup in 2006 aged just 17 and went on to receive 47 caps for the senior side, but he always lacked the decision-making required to capitalise on the promising situations his speed so often facilitated.

Like so many others before him, Walcott just couldn't live up to the fanfare surrounding his development.

Now 34, Walcott is currently a free agent, having left Southampton for a second time when his contract expired last month.