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Every year, football fans are treated to the breakouts of several young stars.
Fans could consider themselves very fortunate to have witnessed the emergence of world-class players like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in recent years. Young talent is taking over the stage in world football, rewriting the status quo that has existed over the past 15 years.
Europe's top teams can boast several world-class talents in their ranks. There are the obvious ones like Pedri, Vinicius Jr, Phil Foden, Mason Greenwood and Bukayo Saka. But we also have an entire fleet of players waiting for their chance to shine.
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These players are typically U-21 players who have shown that they are ready for the big stage. Let's take a look at five young talents who could become world-class in 2022.
#5. Jonathan David - Lille
Jonathan David has been in top form for French outfit Lille OSC.
The Canadian attacker made his debut with Gent in the Belgian first division in 2018. He spent a couple of years there, scoring 37 goals in 83 appearances. He then went on to sign for Lille in 2020.
David had an excellent 2020-21 season, scoring 13 goals and enabling his side to lift the Ligue 1 title. His contributions were key to his side winning their first Ligue 1 title in 10 years.
The youngster has hit a rich vein of form this season. In 19 appearances so far for Les Dogues, David has already netted 12 times in Ligue 1. He seems intent on proving himself to the world and establishing himself as a solid presence in world football.
There is no doubt that the 21-year-old has a bright future ahead of him.
#4. Pedro Neto - Wolves
Pedro Neto is another youngster with an extremely bright future ahead of him.
The Portuguese attacker made his debut with Braga in 2017. He spent two years in Portugal before he was signed by Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2019.
The 21-year-old primarily features as a left-winger, but has shown his versatility in the past by slotting in on the right or even through the middle.
He is extremely dynamic in attack and can often be seen linking up play and providing crosses for his team.
Neto has often been described as a player with a very high ceiling. His regular appearances for Wolves in the Premier League are a testament to the fact that he is more than ready for the big stage. He has scored 10 goals and made 11 assists in 79 appearances for Wolves so far. Certainly one to look out for.
#3. Aurelien Tchouameni - Monaco
Aurelien Tchouameni is one of the most promising and sought after youngsters in Europe's top five leagues.
Tchouameni is a regular for Monaco in Ligue 1. He made his debut with Bordeaux in 2018, where he played for two years before signing for Monaco in 2020.
The 21-year-old has seen a meteoric rise to fame over the past couple of years. Primarily a midfielder, Tchouameni has displayed his incredible passing ability for club and country.
The French youngster earned a call-up to the national team last year and has made seven appearances for his country. Considering he is just 21 years old, this is no mere feat.
Having been linked to several top clubs in the past, Tchouameni is certainly a coveted commodity. His future looks bright, to say the least.
#2. Jamal Musiala - Bayern Munich
Jamal Musiala is one of football's bonfaide young gems.
Musiala came up through Bayern Munich's youth system and made his debut for the club in 2020. He became the youngest-ever player to feature for Bayern against Freiburg in the league at just 17 years and 115 days.
In the 18 months since, Musiala's stock has grown leaps and bounds. The youngster features for the senior team regularly and has firmly established himself as a first-team player.
On the international stage, Musiala chose to represent his birth country, Germany last year. He has made nine appearances for his nation since, impressing on every occasion.
Musiala is still only 18 years old and is certainly one of the most sought-after commodities in European football. Representing a top club like Bayern Munich, while also featuring for the national side at the ripe age of 18 is a big feat. This has been achieved by only a handful of players in the past.
Doubtless that Musiala is one for the future.
#1. Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen
Florian Wirtz is arguably the best player below the age of 21 right now.
The Bayer Leverkusen man has seen a sharp upturn in his career over the past two years. Making his debut last year, Wirtz became Leverkusen's youngest-ever player in the league's history at 17 years and 15 days. He took the record from Kai Havertz.
Wirtz is an attacking midfielder by trade and has been described as an extremely effective player. Displaying a traditional, direct approach, Wirtz is more than capable of setting up his teammates as well as scoring goals by himself.
Wirtz boasts an incredible CV at just 18 years of age. He has already made 68 appearances for his club and recently earned a call-up to the German national team as well.
He has made four appearances for Die Mannschaft since making his debut in September last year. He has scored eight goals and made 11 assists in 21 games for Bayer in all competitions this season.
Wirtz is currently valued at a mammoth £63 million, a price that was previously unheard of for an 18-year-old. While Bayer Leverkusen will try their best to keep him, you can't help but feel that Wirtz is destined for bigger and better things.
