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Modern football has changed the perception of wonderkids. These days, young footballers are hyped up after a stellar goal or a brilliant piece of skill, with various YouTube compilations raising the profile of the player.
While the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Braut Haaland are already bonafide stars, the majority of youngsters need time to develop and learn. Expecting wonders from them from the very beginning is unrealistic.
Due to social media, young stars are already under immense pressure, and only a few manage to enjoy a career at the highest level. There are lots of stories of talented young footballers choosing the wrong path and fading away.
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So it is necessary to curb our expectations, especially after a breakthrough season. We look at 5 wonderkids who have not lived up to the hype this season.
#5 Reinier Jesus (Borussia Dortmund)
Real Madrid's search for the next Neymar has seen them splash the cash on various young Brazilian talents, including Reinier Jesus.
Reinier Jesus joined Real Madrid from Flamengo in January 2020 for a fee of £27 million. The 19-year old had made just 15 appearances in all competitions for Flamengo, scoring six goals when Los Blancos decided that his potential was such that he needed to be signed by the club.
Reinier is yet to make an appearance for the Real Madrid senior team, though. He joined Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2020 on a two-year loan deal, but is yet to start for them in any competition. The Brazil U23 international has made 14 appearances in all competitions for the club. He has scored one goal, and it seems likely that his loan will be cut short in the summer.
#4 Sandro Tonali (AC Milan)
Seen by many as Italy's next big talent, Sandro Tonali was compared to Andrea Pirlo during his time at Brescia.
The Italy international joined AC Milan last summer on an initial loan deal. Despite heavy interest from Inter Milan and Juventus, as well as links to Manchester United, Tonali chose AC Milan as his next destination. Arguably Brescia's most important player last season in Serie A, the midfielder had impressed with his creativity and elegance.
This season, though, the 20-year old has found the going tough. He has made 22 appearances for AC Milan in the league this season, out of which 17 have been starts. He has not contributed any goals or assists in Serie A this season, in stark contrast to last season, when he scored one goal and provided seven assists for Brescia.
Also Read: Top 5 attacking midfielders in the world this season (2020/21)
#3 Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
Like Reinier Jesus, Rodrygo is another example of Real Madrid's obsession with ensuring that they do not miss out on the next Neymar.
Rodrygo joined Real Madrid from Santos in 2019 for a fee of £40.5 million. The young forward had done well at Santos, but there were eyebrows raised at the transfer fee. Since joining Real Madrid, Rodrygo has enjoyed some good moments, but has been extremely inconsistent this season.
The 20-year old has made 15 appearances in La Liga this season for Real Madrid, providing five assists. Having enjoyed a good debut campaign with Los Blancos, the Brazil international, who can play in multiple forward positions, will have to find his best form soon. Many talented youngsters are waiting to take his spot.
#2 Mason Greenwood (Manchester United)
Manchester United have a rich history of consistently giving minutes to talented academy players, and Mason Greenwood is no exception.
A highly-rated talent, Greenwood's potential is not in question. An excellent finisher with no weak foot, the 19-year old had a stellar first season with Manchester United last season. In 49 appearances in all competitions, Greenwood scored 17 goals, with Manchester United fans rejoicing about having another world-class academy talent.
This season has been a struggle for Greenwood though. The England international has made 41 appearances in all competitions so far, scoring six goals. Extremely young, Greenwood still has ample time to develop his game and become an established star for Manchester United. This season has been a tough learning curve for him.
#1 Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
When Atletico Madrid paid a club-record £114.5 million to sign Joao Felix from Benfica in 2019, there were doubts as to whether the youngster could fit into a Diego Simeone system.
Two seasons later, those doubts still linger. Felix is clearly a highly talented attacker, but Diego Simeone's style of play is yet to bring the best out of him. After some teething issues last season, the Portugal international started the season well but his form has dwindled away.
The 21-year old has made 24 appearances in La Liga, out of which 13 have been starts. He has scored seven goals and provided four assists, and his sharpness, creativity and desire have all stood out. But there have been suggestions that Felix might need to leave Atletico Madrid soon to fulfill his potential.
Also Read: 5 things Neymar needs to do to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or
