Four footballing wonder kids who never fulfilled their potential 

A player is tagged as a 'wonderkid' when his surreal talent gets noticed at an early age, and a huge potential for success lies ahead of him. But it's not always a fairy tale story for a budding player.

Along with the massive hype comes massive pressure. While some footballers embrace attention, others simply fade away into mediocrity. Sometimes injuries or psychological issues cause a player's career to take a nosedive. But at other times, it is simply a matter of the media and fans vastly overestimating his abilities or potential as well. Ill-considered transfers have also undone many great prospects.

So here's a look at the top four wonder kids who have failed to fulfill their potential.

#4. Adnan Januzaj

When Adnan Januzaj burst onto the scene at Manchester United in 2013, it seemed he had the world at his feet. The then-18-year old looked seriously impressive in an otherwise drab Red Devils side.

He was ranked second in the squad behind Wayne Rooney for chances created. He completed 2.8 dribbles per match which ranked him first at Old Trafford and level with Luis Suarez that season.

But eight years later and now in his fifth season at Real Sociedad, the Belgian has failed to live up to that early promise. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, he is still yet to hit double figures for goal involvement in a league campaign. He is also yet to match the 1641 league minutes he played in his first season in the Premier League.

What's more, he's won just 13 caps for his country, Belgium, since 2014. He was beaten out to a place in the Euro 2020 squad by Leandro Trossard.

He is still a solid creator in the Spanish top flight. But the player we saw at 18 looked like he'd be a true world-beater by now, and that ship looks to have sailed a while ago.

#3. Ross Barkley

Ross Barkley for Everton

Another player who broke through in 2013-14, Ross Barkley, has rarely displayed the kind of brilliance we saw from him in his early years at Everton.

Making a good debut at just 17, the Englishman was widely regarded as the club's most exciting academy graduate since Wayne Rooney. But like with many precocious, naturally talented forwards, Barkley wasn't the easiest player to coach. For a number of years, his game looked to have stagnated. As his creativity increased, his ability to burst through the lines and take on opposition defenders declined.

The 2017-18 season, which he missed almost the entirety with injury, was a damning one for his career. Then at just 23, an age at which most attackers begin to enter their physical peak, Barkley was robbed of serious development time.

Despite some promising performances here and there under Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard, he couldn't hold down a starting berth at Stamford Bridge. Following a decent start to his loan at Aston Villa, injuries and poor form again scuppered his progress.

Meanwhile, his wages, which stage at over £100k-a-week have made a move out of west London almost impossible. Otherwise he could've been seen with Burnley, the only club to have been linked with him in recent months.

#2. Gerard Deulofeu

Manchester United v Watford FC - Premier League

When Everton signed Gerard Deulofeu on loan in the summer of 2013, he arrived on Merseyside as one of Spanish football's brightest prospects. He scored 18 goals for Barcelona B in the Segunda División the previous year. He was named the player of the tournament at the under-19 Euros.

He looked electric in the Premier League, completing over four dribbles per game and proving a constant nightmare for the defense. He helped the Toffees to a fifth-place finish in his first season.

He was eventually signed permanently in 2015, but following the arrival of Ronald Koeman as manager, Deulofeu was frozen out. By the summer of 2017, he had been re-signed by Barcelona, leading to hopes of a glorious return to Camp Nou. But it didn't happen. Deulofeu made just five La Liga starts before moving back to England with Watford. He put in some magical performances for the Hornets, notably firing them into the FA Cup final in 2019.

Now 27-year-old, the forward plies his trade for Udinese and has just four Spanish caps to his name.

#1. Jack Wilshere

Once English football's great new hope, Jack Wilshere broke through at Arsenal at a time when technical ability was looked upon as the prime indicator of top central midfielders. The likes of Xavi, Busquests and Iniesta defined that era.

Wilshere made a mark on the Barcelona trio, putting in a man-of-the-match display in the Gunners' Champions League tie with Barcelona in 2011. He completed all four of his dribbles and 93% of his passes against the legendary midfield.

But sadly, at just 19, that was about as good as it got for the precocious young talent. He missed the entire following season with an injury, and it became a running theme of his Arsenal career. A number of campaigns were either severely or entirely disrupted by various setbacks. Wilshere lost fitness and confidence and rarely looked like the player so many had pinned their hopes on.

After a loan spell at Bournemouth, he moved permanently to West Ham in 2018, a decision he has since revealed he regretted. He made just six Premier League starts for the Hammers. Following a short-term deal back at Bournemouth, he was released in the summer of 2021.

At the time of writing, he remains without a club.