Football is now a young man’s game, as the age range for going professional keeps reducing. Today, you can easily find fifteen year olds already making their professional debuts and being regular starters in their club. In order for a club to be regarded as title challengers or a threat to their opponents, it needs the perfect mixture of young and experienced players. The young players bring the drive,
strength and stamina, while the experienced players use their knowledge for the betterment of the team.
In nearly every club you find across Europe, there is a high tendency you will find a youngster shining more than their peers. Some even carry the fate of the team on their back. For example, the 17-year-old Lamine Yamal happens to be the talisman of F.C Barcelona. This shows how good these young players are, and their importance to their club. For this reason, most clubs are now investing heavily in their youth team. Rather than spending millions on a superstar player, teams can create one for free through their youth system. Discussed below are some of the highly rated youngsters setting Europe and the world alight.
Kobbie Maino (Manchester United)
The 19-year-old rise to being a starter at Manchester United is nothing short of amazing. Here came a player which most fans who do not follow the youth academy did not know about making such a significant change to the team’s midfield. Kobbie was able to capitalise on the few minutes of game time he was given, scoring crucial goals for the club. Since making it into the Manchester United starting eleven, the young Englishman has only gotten better and better. He is already a regular for the English senior national team at only just 19 years old. The United youngster already has 10 national caps for the senior team and that number is expected to rise considerably.
Pau Cubarsi (F.C Barcelona)
There won’t be a hot prospect list without mentioning a player from the prestigious La Masia Academy. At age 17, Pau has already inserted himself into the heart of Barcelona’s defence. His fighting spirit, commitment to marking his man, and winning the ball are part of the reason why the young Spanish international is considered to be one of the stars of the future.
Mickey Moore (Tottenham Hotspur)
An English sensation that Spurs fans are already referring to as the “English Messi” is currently applying his trade at White Hart Lane. Mickey Moore was a magician with the ball during his days in the youth team. He scored and dribbled past opponents for fun, which is why it was no surprise when he was called up to the first team. Tottenham F.C. are not particularly known for graduating players to their first team. The last player who came from their youth ranks to consistent first-team football was Olivier Skipp. However, the Englishman has since left the club as he now applies his trade at Leicester F.C. If you were to place bets on who would probably be the next sensation to come out from the youth team, Mickey Moore would probably be the goto option by bettors. For sports lovers who love placing wagers, they can find lucrative markets at https://22bet.com/.
Carlos Baleba (Brighton F.C)
Brighton Football Club has a habit of spotting the best young talents and bringing them to their club. They had done this to great success with the likes of Mitoma, Joao Pedro, and Simon Adingra. Their youngster signings always tend to be profitable. The club has successfully done it again with the addition of Carles Baleba to their ranks. In only his first season, the 20-year-old is already becoming a hit with the fans. Without a doubt, the future looks bright for the young Cameroonian.
Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis)
Abde Ezzalzouli shot to the limelight at the 2024 Olympic Games, where he and his Moroccan teammates ran other countries to the ground. Through his brilliance, the young Moroccan squad was able to achieve a bronze medal. His exploits didn’t just stop at the International level, they also continued at the club level. Applying his trade at Real Betis, the Moroccan has become a pivotal figure in the Spanish team’s attack.
Other Potential Stars Worth Mentioning
- Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)
- Florian Wirtz (Bayern Leverkusen)
- Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham F.C)
- Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt)
