WATCH: Barcelona wonderkid Ebrima Tunkara on target for Spain’s Under-17s

Barcelona prodigy Ebrima Tunkara marked his 16th birthday with a statement performance on Wednesday, firing Spain’s Under-17s to a 3-0 qualifying victory over Scotland that leaves the young Roja top of their European Championship group with maximum points.

Handed a starting berth for the second consecutive match, Tunkara needed just minutes to justify the faith of the national coaching staff, latching onto a loose ball before arrowing a crisp left-footed strike beyond the Scottish goalkeeper to open the scoring. The finish was emblematic of a player already accustomed to the spotlight at La Masia: calm, clinical and technically assured.

The goal was only the beginning of Tunkara’s influence. Moments later he instigated the move that culminated in Barcelona team-mate Roberto Tomas doubling the advantage, exchanging slick passes on the edge of the area before releasing the decisive pass. The pair’s telepathic understanding, honed on the Catalan club’s training pitches, proved too sophisticated for a Scottish rearguard that had arrived in the contest unbeaten.

Spain’s triumph in the qualifying mini-tournament follows an equally convincing win over Northern Ireland and sets up a weekend showdown with Turkey. A solitary point from that fixture will guarantee progression to the elite round, yet Tunkara and company have made clear their intention to finish the group stage with a perfect record. The winger, who celebrated his milestone birthday only days ago, is expected to retain his place in the XI and will relish another opportunity to enhance his burgeoning reputation on the continental stage.

Barcelona’s representation in the squad underlines the club’s prolific production line. Alongside Tunkara and Tomas, defender Raul Exposito and creative midfielder Sergi Mayans have featured prominently, offering Spain a distinctly Blaugrana flavour. All four adolescents have featured in either starting or rotational roles, a testament to the confidence vested in the club’s youth methodology.

Spain’s Under-17 coaching staff will now turn their attention to recovery protocols and tactical tweaks ahead of the Turkey clash, but the mood inside the camp is buoyant. With Tunkara in scintillating form and Barcelona’s contingent gelling seamlessly, the 2024 European Championship finals appear an increasingly attainable objective.