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With the FIFA World Cup due to be played next year in Russia, the managers of international teams have been busy scouting top talent for their squads. Apart from the usual names on the team sheets, the managers need an influx of young talent so that the legacy can go on.
Every season football fans across the world see the rise of a youngster but only a handful of those players go on to make it big for their club and country in the future. But with only six more months to go for the World Cup to be held in Russia, there is added motivation for them to perform and compel the gaffer to include them in their national squads.
Keeping that in mind, these are the five best emerging talents in Europe who have already been tipped by the pundits to make it big in their respective careers.
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#5 Ousmane Dembele
The 20-year-old sensation completed his move to Barcelona this summer from Borussia Dortmund for the joint second highest fees ever paid for a footballer. But with an injury to his hamstring, Dembele has not been in action for over three months now.
The Frenchman will be back in action soon to terrify the opposition defences like he had been doing in the Bundesliga last season. Dembele possesses everything in his locker, from swift dribbling to rapid pace, which is bound to confuse the defender trying to mark him.
The French international had a tremendous first season in Germany last time around and was brought as a replacement for Neymar at Barcelona now. Whether Dembele can reach those heights remains to be seen but with his pace, technique and dribbling skills, there is a high probability that he won’t disappoint.
#4 Anthony Martial
Anthony Martial arrived at Manchester United two seasons ago and took the Premier League by storm. The 22-year-old managed to score 18 goals and 11 assists in his debut season which propelled him to the French international team as well.
The striker turned winger has a natural tendency to cut back inside towards the centre of the pitch and unleash a powerful shot towards the keeper. With his twinkling toes, Martial has always been a threat when he has been played by Jose Mourinho in the Premier League which is reflected by his formidable stats this season.
The French international has six goals and three assists to his name this season with the highest goal contributions in the league per 90 minutes which is an accolade in itself. The winger has great dribbling skills and is one of the best youngsters who can win every one-on-one situation against a defender or a goalkeeper.
#3 Gabriel Jesus
20-year-old Gabriel Jesus arrived in English waters last season only but his rise to fame has been meteoric with the Brazilian cementing his place in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side as well as playing for the Selecao as the lone striker in a national team consisting of world-class talents like Neymar, Coutinho, Firmino to name a few.
An Olympic gold medalist already, Jesus has made a name for himself in the Premier League due to his express speed and amazing ball control. The forward already has eight goals and two assists this season to his name in the League helping Manchester City break all sort of records in the process.
The 20-year-old striker is very versatile and is comfortable playing out wide and finding spaces from the side to steal a chance. His agility and quick feet always keep the defenders guessing which make him so much more of a threat overall. Jesus is certainly a supreme talent and is regarded as a potential Ballon d’Or candidate in the future.
#2 Kylian Mbappe
AS Monaco’s run in the Champions League last season was aided by Mbappe’s stunning goalscoring record in the tournament. The lethal striker who is just 19 years old has continued scoring goals for Paris St. Germain where he moved this summer from Monaco.
The forward has been tipped as a future Ballon d'Or winner by many and rightly so as the young French international netted 26 times last time around and even assisted 14 goals. Not at all bad for a teenager plying his trade in Europe’s best competition.
Mbappe’s pace is his highest asset which has left opposition defenders gasping for breath on far too many occasions now. The French international’s dead-eye finishing ability is one to watch out for as the 19-year-old can unleash a shot from a fair distance. His amazing movement off the ball and his unselfishness combine to make him one of the most desired attackers to have on your team.
#1 Marco Asensio
21-year-old Marco Asensio has gradually earned a name for himself over the course of a year. The Spanish international’s left foot is enough to horrify opposition defenders any time of the day. The youngster was an integral cog in Real Madrid’s Champions League victory last season as he scored in the all-important final against Juventus.
Asensio has a high footballing IQ which makes him a manager’s favourite to be on a pitch when their team is under pressure. The Spaniard can create chances out of nowhere with his great technique on the ball and the knack of linking the defence with the attack.
His agile and tactile movements on the pitch with short bursts of pace with the ball make him a very hard player to dispossess. One of Zinedine Zidane’s favourites, Asensio is bound to be a future star if he continues to surprise everyone with his decisive skills and thunderous strikes.
