In football, one of the most competitive sports in the world, some young talents are surprising the football community. These young stars have a chance to become the next leaders of their sport. These players are the footballers of the future and we will have to be very attentive at what they do and what they achieve!
With a lot of young players with bright futures, it was not easy to make a top 10 and some great talents are out of this list. To appear on this list the player has to be 21 or younger (this is why players like Mbappé are out).
So, who is the best young player?
Ranking:
- Haaland – 21 years
- Ansu Fati – 18 years
- Phil Foden – 21 years
- Pedri – 18 years
- Alphonso Davies – 20 years
- Vinicius Junior -21 years
- Eduardo Camavinga – 18 years
- Jadon Sancho -21 years
- Jude Bellingham – 18 years
- Mason Greenwood – 19 years
10. Mason Greenwood
- Age: 19
- Team/Country: Manchester United/England
- Position: Forward
Mason Greenwood is an up-and-coming football player. At only 19 years old, he has already scored more than 20 goals for Manchester United. It’s difficult for any young player to see many minutes on the pitch at a big and competitive club like Manchester United.
Yet, Greenwood has taken advantage of the minutes he has had and has played some very good football. He still has to prove himself to earn that starting position.
It’s not an easy job, with players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford on the squad. But Greenwood seems well on his way to doing so.
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9. Jude Bellingham
- Age: 18
- Team/Country: Borussia Dortmund/England
- Position: Midfielder
Jude Bellingham is the youngest player on this list. He has managed to make the top 10 due to his maturity and versatility in the game. He is a very complete player: he can defend, pass, and score.
It looks as if he is always in control of the situation and makes good decisions in tough situations. All these qualities have made him a key player in Dortmund and one of the biggest young football talents. He has also been capped for England and he may become a fundamental player in his national team in future.
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8. Jadon Sancho
- Age: 21
- Team/Country : Manchester United/England
- Position: Forward
Jadon Sancho is the third English player on this list. Sancho is a modern-attacking player. He is very good on 1v1 situations, has a great passing technique, and a good goal definition. In short, Jadon Sancho is a very gifted player who can score and assist.
He arrived at Manchester United this season and will have to win his place by showing why he is one of the best young talents in the world. The only reason he is not better-ranked is due to an injury reducing his playtime.
But Jadon Sancho can play on the left side, the right side, or the middle. So, he will have plenty of chances to become one of the biggest stars of the Premier League.
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7. Eduardo Camavinga
- Age: 18
- Team/Country: Real Madrid/France
- Position: Midfielder
Camavinga had a great first professional season. At only 16 years old, he made his debut in the French League and showed all his potential. However, the 2020-21 season was more complicated.
He was not called on by the national team and didn’t play every match with Rennes. Yet, he is still a quality player who is fun to watch. With his elegance and technique, he gives fluidity to the game. At the top of his level, he is a delight to watch.
Recently, he debuted for Real Madrid and has had a good start with his new team. He covers a lot of ground but he also can be more offensive-minded. He is a threat on both sides of the field and at only 18 years old, he is the third-youngest player on this list.
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6. Vinicius Junior
- Age: 21
- Team/Country: Real Madrid/Brazil
- Position: Forward
Vinicius has been a wonderkid for about three years but his bad decision-making and his lack of goals in important moments had always been the limit of his incredible talent. However, it seems this is starting to change.
It looks as if he is now capable of scoring goals more frequently. But is the problem solved?
He has lots of speed and quality, which makes him a constant threat to rival teams. Nobody is doubting his quality, but he still has a lot to prove. If he keeps the same pace as at the start of the season, he will put an end to the criticism.
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5. Alphonso Davies
- Age: 20
- Team/Country: Bayern Munich/Canada
- Position Defender (left back)
Alphonso Davies is the only defender in this list. Usually, good defenders don’t get their due. Firstly, he is an incredibly fast player! His speed allows him to perform well on both sides of the field.
Secondly, he is a hard player to guard and a difficult rival to overcome. He can give you assists and bring fluidity and efficiency into the game. On top of that, he played an important role in helping Bayern Munich win the Champions League in a previous season.
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4. Phil Foden
- Age: 21
- Team/Country : Manchester City FC/England
- Position: Midfielder
Guardiola once called Phil Foden “the most talented player that [he] has ever seen”. His technique is incredible; a true magician with the ball!
He has already played in a Champions League final and reached the final of the Euro Cup with England.
This season he made a huge leap. He is starting to have a fundamental role in Manchester City, managing more goals and assists. With more minutes than before, he is performing very well.
With his cleverness and capability, he has managed to earn a place in a team with world-class midfielders such as Kevin De Bruyne or İlkay Gündoğan. Finally, he can change the course of a game with a pass, dribble, or a shot.
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3. Pedri
- Age: 18
- Team/Country: FC Barcelona/Spain
- Position : Midfielder
73; that’s how many games Pedri played this year. That’s an average of one game every 5 days! Naturally, he set a record for the most matches played by an 18 year old in a single season.
Quite simply, Pedri is a phenomenal player. When he plays, everything looks so simple and smooth. This season, he took a huge leap and confirmed his young talent status. He had a major impact this season with Spain and Barcelona.
He is one of the main players in one of the biggest clubs in the world. Pedri has still got a lot to do, but his attitude and his performances show he is unique. With great touch, technique, passing skills, and good movement, he started his career on the right foot.
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2. Ansu Fati
- Age: 18
- Team/Country: FC Barcelona/Spain
- Position: Forward
Although the club is in the middle of the crisis, there is another player from FC Barcelona in this list. Ansu Fati is a different player. He is a very talented player with character and the capability of scoring. In addition, he has strong dribbling skills and great goal definition.
With the departure of Messi, it is expected he will take on the number 10 role. Will he be able to lead this team and help Barcelona get out of their crisis? How much did his six month injury absence affect him?
Despite these questions, if anything is true, it is that Ansu Fati can become one of the best players in the world.
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1. Erling Haaland
- Age: 21
- Team: Borussia Dortmund/Norway
- Position: Forward
Is Erling Haaland even human? The “cyborg” just keeps scoring and it seems that nothing can stop him. He now has more goals than matches with Dortmund after starting this season with tremendous numbers.
He is very determined, has a lot of self-confidence and is not scared. So, we can only ask ourselves: what can stop him? Even if it seems too early to say, with the numbers he has, he could break many records and become one of the top scorers of all-time.
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