Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott was seen gesturing to Germany after helping England retain its European Under-21 crown with another sublime performance for the Three Lions.
Elliott, 22, scored the opening goal in a 3-2 win over Germany in the European Under-21 final, which was his fifth of the tournament. Elliott has been heavily linked with a move away from Liverpool this summer, with several Premier League teams interested in signing the talented midfielder.
The former Fulham star was also named Player of the Tournament for his heroics in Slovakia, which is expected to boost Liverpool's asking price should the club entertain a sale. However, Elliott hasn't just gone viral for his performances, but his conduct after the final whistle.
Elliott was seen cupping his hands to his ears and holding two fingers up before turning away. While some fans theorized that Elliott's gesture was rude, it more likely represents England now winning back-to-back U21 championships.
England beat Spain 1-0 in 2023 and defended the title against Germany on Saturday. England made the dream start when Elliott scored after five minutes, and Omari Hutchinson made it 2-0 shortly after.
Germany hit back just before half-time through Nelson Weiper before Paul Nebel equalized after 61 minutes. Jonathan Rowe became England's hero in extra time, as he sealed the victory with his first touch of the game.
Elliott's opener was his fifth of the tournament and his 14th as a member of the England U21s. Elliott has now scored more goals than Alan Shearer at U21 level, and is second on the all-time list behind Eddie Nketiah (16 goals from 2018-2021).
The 22-year-old was heavily praised by former England international Conor Coady, who said during Channel 4's coverage of the European Under-21 final: "I don’t think he needs to help his confidence; I think he’s a confident boy anyway and you see that at Liverpool week in, week out, when he plays.
"We’ve seen that in this competition. We’ve said before about him being a leader - I think he’s shown that he’s a leader - but I think it’s massively important the next step he takes in his career. Whatever he does now, whether that be at Liverpool or elsewhere, that he goes plays and plays a lot.
"I think he’s at that level now where he has shown to all of us and all the supporters that he is ready for that next level."
Elliott's stock is at an all-time high after his stunning performance at the U21 Euros
Elliott's stock is at an all-time high after his stunning performance at the U21 Euros (Image: 2025 UEFA)
Coady's thoughts were echoed by former England star Jermain Defoe, who added: "He’s one of the senior boys now. He’s seen it and he’s done it. To want to play it, first of all, credit to him, and to produce with a lot pressure… it’s a massive summer.
"We don’t know what he’s going to do, I’m sure he will have loads of options because he is a quality player. But to do what he’s done and Player of the Tournament, five goals… what a tournament."
Defoe believes Elliott could leave Liverpool this summer and has urged him to become a star elsewhere if his future is away from Anfield. "There’ll be a lot of clubs watching this tournament. We said it before, he’s too good to not be playing," Defoe said.
"When you’re producing in big tournaments like this against the best players... he’s a top, top player. For him, he just needs to go out and play, get himself in a team where he’s one of the main players, and just go out and express yourself and show how good you are."