Five football wonderkids to watch out for who are younger than you

In an era of immense competition and intricate challenges, it has become extremely vital for the clubs and countries to invest in young and fresh talent. Bringing a whole new level of excitement, enthusiasm and diversity, these teenagers hold the potential and aptitude to become the glorious future stars of football.

Gone are the days when 21 was labelled as ‘young’. Clubs these days are spending big to sign 16 and 17-year-olds; Generally from youth academies, they are trained to play professional and commercial football, often training alongside the big names of the sport.

The mantra of ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’ perfectly applies to the current scenario of European football. In an increasingly contemporary game like football, there have been many instances which prove that youth and talent can often outshine experience. Even the World Cup 2014 showcased a relatively young German side winning the cup.

A recent trend of ‘conserving and conditioning young talent for the future’ is becoming increasingly prevalent and fashionable.

Bayern Munich sign wonderkid Toni Trograncic

Trograncic is a 15-year-old German-born Red Bull Salzburg academy product. He trained with Bayern Munich's star-studded A-team last weekend. Born and raised in a small town near Munich, Trograncic is eligible to play for the World Cup winners, but speaks Croatian at home, his mother tongue. He even turned out for Croatia at youth level and has already made appearances for Croatia at U14 level.

Trograncic can play both as a central midfielder or behind the strikers. He was spotted during a U11 match, after being named the best player of the tournament at the academy. His first training session with Bayern saw a gathering of 200 spectators.

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola wants to ‘keep the young lad away from the limelight for the time being’, and rightly so – it's his discovery to relish and condition and Guardiola will make proper use of him when the time comes.

Youngest Player to Start in a Euro Qualifier – Martin Odegaard

Martin Odegaard is the latest Real Madrid sensation who has taken the world by storm. The 16-year-old was bought by the Spanish Giants for €4m from Stromsgodset, and the amount is likely to double if he meets certain clauses. In the recent Euro Qualifier, Odegaard played as the only striker in Norway's trip to Zagreb to face Croatia (where Norway lost 5-1) in which he became the youngest player ever to start a European Championship qualifier.

The 16 year old had the chance of training with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Munich before he finally settled for Real. Playing for Real Madrid’s reserve side Castilla, the youngster has shown brilliant technical ability.

Often seen training alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, Odegaard has proved that he is no less and belongs to the same pitch as other big Galacticos. The Norwegian has already made his mark for Castilla, scoring their opening goal during a 4-0 victory over Barakaldo.

Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is as keen on signing Odegaard on loan next season as Real are firm about keeping him.

Germany's U17 Captain – Benjamin Henrichs

Henrichs joined Leverkusen's youth setup when he was seven years old, and a decade after, he has turned into a fine player. Thanks to the UEFA Youth League, he has already experienced global football and understands what professional football is all about.

Germany’s captain of the Under-17 team at the next year’s Euros, he was intrinsic in the U-17 qualifiers, leading his side to the second stage of the tournament. He is a highly skilled, physically imposing, technically abled lad playing for Leverkusen B.

Henrich’s skills and ability should see him train with the Leverkusen Seniors in the near future and if reports are said to be true, Bayern and Dortmund are eager to sign the recently turned 18-year-old.

Youri Tielemans is Belgium’s Young Player of the Year

“You have to be blind if you don’t know Youri Tielemans. He is a super player.”

Tielemans apparently became Jürgen Klopp’s favourite youngster after Borussia Dortmund’s match against Tielemans’ club Anderlecht last year. He became the youngest Belgian player to play in the UEFA Champions League when he had made his Champions League debut at the age of 16 years, four months and 25 days in 2013.

Voted Belgium's young player of the year in June 2014, he was also accorded as the nation's most promising newcomer in January 2015. The Belgian is known to be a strong and gifted defensive midfielder with exceptional passing range, pace and dribbling ability.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are currently fighting over the 17-year-old, with Chelsea being the keenest among the three. Anderlecht is known to have produced players like Lukaku and Vincent Kompany, and Tielemans.

The ‘New Gianluigi Buffon’ – Simone Scuffet

Goalkeepers have always taken longer periods of time to establish themselves, but Simone Scuffet has already made a big impression in Serie A – establishing himself as first-choice for Udinese last season. The 18 year has been hailed by Italy international Gianluigi Buffon to become a huge star.

In a nation where goalkeepers are admired and regarded higher than most others, Scuffet instantly became a sensation. Boasting an imposing and athletic built, he had an extraordinary upswing in 2013-14. Scuffet made 16 appearances from February onwards – keeping six clean sheets in the process.

With quick reflexes and a good starting position, he was voted the best goalkeeper in the country’s youth championship. He has since upped his game, making a spot for himself in Italy’s U-19 set up, and holds the potential to soon become a part of Antonio Conte’s side.

A valuable prospect for the future, Chelsea and AC Milan are reported to have made big bids for him. Though it was reported last year that Scuffet had turned down an offer to join the La Liga champions.

Football – a young man’s game?

Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink put up a rather young and inexperienced squad against Spain on Tuesday. And the result? A 2-0 win for the Dutch. Debutants are overshadowing big, established names. Youth academies of Anderlecht, Southampton, Ajax, Real Madrid, Barcelona and many others are producing top class players.

A lot of money is being put into these academies as an investment. Investment in being put into human capital and children are looked upon as massive assets, especially for the not so successful and rich clubs that don’t own a stadium or training grounds.

“Give young talent a chance and we can win 2022 World Cup,” says FA President Greg Dyke, and rightly so with the ages of the players as well as that of the managers increasingly going down, football is becoming a more youthful, a more vibrant and a more flamboyant game.

Edited by Staff Editor