Jonathan Rowe's remarkable rise from Wembley mascot and horror injury to becoming England's hero at U21 Euros
JONATHAN ROWE has gone from England mascot to Three Lions hero.
He thought he had already lived the dream aged nine.
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Rowe not only accompanied David Luiz out in front of a packed Wembley, but he got to watch Frank Lampard secure England a 2-1 victory over Brazil.
He called that day in 2013, also his first time visiting Wembley, his favourite memory supporting England.
Fast-forward 12 years later and it's the now 22-year-old who is the matchwinner after his extra-time header downed Germany.
Back then the forward was playing for AFC Wembley, but his first big break came when Norwich snapped him up in 2014.
But life was tough. Rowe, just 11, was struggling to juggle a three-hour daily commute from London to East Anglia as well as looking after his ill mother and helping to bring up his sister.
It didn't get any easier. He was blighted by injuries over the following years as he battled Osgood-Schlatter disease - a common cause of knee pain.
Though not even all of that can stop our boy Rowe.
In 2021, his first-team debut for the Canaries arrived and in the 2023/24 campaign he enjoyed his breakthrough.
Rowe scored 13 goals as Norwich reached the Championship play-off semi-finals.
That caught the eye of French giants Marseille, and he was soon waving 'Au Revoir' to Carrow Road for a new adventure on the French Riviera for £17million.
England 3 Germany 2- Young Lions retain Euro U21s crown in THRILLER as supersub Jonathan Rowe wins it in extra-time
But with a fresh chapter comes new challenges - and Rowe admits he's struggled.
He started just six of his 22 Ligue 1 appearances.
But the move away for Rowe has again come with challenges.
He started just six league games last season, with 22 more appearances coming from the bench and he admits he worried whether that would cost him a place in Lee Carsley's squad for this tournament in Slovakia.
Rowe, who will have Marseille new boy and fellow England U21 star CJ Egan-Riley as a team-mate next term, said: 'There were times where I thought there is a lot of talent and a lot of competition, healthy competition.
"But I always back myself. I had to make sure I was here and I think I showed tonight why.
'The last camp before this I wasn't picked for it and it's those type of things that kind of get to you sometimes.
'You have got to look at the bigger picture and make sure that you prove yourself again and I fortunately got to do that.
'I got in the squad and I'm so glad I could help the team win this trophy once again.'
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