Going the captain obvious way, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were once the most hyped teenagers in the world. Whenever they were on the pitch, they oozed a sense of wonder in the fans as to how good they would actually go on to be.
10 years down the line and we know what has happened. Both of them were able to fulfil their potential and become two of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
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And like it is supposed to happen, there are now some teenagers who are generating much flimflam with their sizzling skills and strong displays. The cycle always tends to repeat itself. Keeping that in mind, here are the 10 best teenagers (u-19) in the world (in no particular order – it is actually placed very randomly for the sake of keeping you in a state of suspense):
#10 Gianluigi Donnarumma – 18 years-old, goalkeeper
After all the fuss about not wanting to sign an extension with Milan, Gianluigi Donnarumma has finally extended his contract with Milan for four years. With the club now looking to rise to the pantheon of European football, Gigi gives them the strong base that they intended to have.
The Italian has the reflexes of a cat, is an excellent blocker of all the ball while also having a strong sense of positioning in front of the goal. All this at the tender the age of 18. He might be a little bit on the weaker side when it comes to controlling the ball with the feet, but with experience he will improve that as well.
Also read: Top 10 defenders of all time
This is a kid who displaced the guy who made Iker Casillas sit on the bench at Madrid – and that, too, at the age of 16 no less – so he is special. However, he still has a long way to go to be regarded as a world class player as being elite is all about consistently performing at the highest level for many years.
And he has the ability to do just that.
#9 Marcus Rashford – 19 years-old, forward
In the league, United didn’t really have the season they had hoped for. Finishing below even Arsenal at 6th, Mourinho must thank his stars for winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League in the process.
Despite the indifference, the fans saw glimpses of hope whenever Marcus Rashford was on the pitch. The 19-year-old provided the fans with excitement with his mazy dribbling abilities and clever one-touch passes in the opponent’s third.
Also read: Top 10 attackers from Europe's top leagues for 2016/17 season
The thing that strikes most about him is his intelligence at such a young age. He is not like those young forwards that often display naïve selfishness in front of goal. Rashford, instead, likes to bring his team-mates into play and that is why he has a bright future ahead of him.
#8 Malang Sarr – 18-years-old, defender
Nice’s run in the French league last season was a breath of fresh air as they finished third with 78 points. While Mario Balotelli and Jean Seri played prominent roles in the forward and midfield zones of the pitch, respectively, 18-year-old Malang Sarr formed a great partnership with former Bayern Munich defender, Dante, at the heart of the defence.
The 18-year-old is another one of France’s rising prospects and will certainly go on to become a great player for the nation given the talent he has. Despite being only 18, he was the first choice defender of Nice, who actually conceded the third least goals in the league.
The best thing about Sarr is his ability to position himself in such a way that the opponent doesn’t find any space to attack, something that is a very special thing to have at such a young age. He is also a good passer of the ball, but has a lot to learn about the art of tackling. He is still a very raw talent who, with the proper grooming, can be one of the best centre-backs in the world.
#7 Felix Passlack – 19 years-old, right-back
Borussia Dortmunnd have an uncanny habit of producing some really good young talents from their academy. Marco Reus, Mario Gotze and Nuri Sahin are just some examples of the talent that Dortmund’s academy has developed over the years.
And one of the latest in line seems to be Felix Passlack. The young right-back, who is only 19-years-old, is touted to be the natural heir to Lukas Piszczek at the Westfalenstadion while some claim that he is going to be even better than the Polish full-back.
Also read: Bundesliga 2016/17: Top 10 Players
Whether or not he reaches that level can only be revealed by time. Right now, what can be said is that he is among the best talents in the world. As a right-back, he is quick, an intelligent passer and can put in accurate crosses for his team-mate.
However, he still has to improve the defensive aspect of his game – and that is something time can do for him.
#6 Martin Odegaard – 18 years-old, midfielder
When Odegaard was 16, almost every top club in Europe wanted to acquire his services. However, he chose Real Madrid in the end and his move to the Whites at the age of 16 might have put unnecessary pressure on him.
However, he is still only 18 and remains a hot prospect that could become a Danish legend should he be able to fulfil his potential. The Dane is an innate dribbler with the ball and possesses the ability to split the defence with delicate passes, but he somewhat lacks the mentality to perform at the top level.
His reluctance to put in a shift to help out in defence is also a concern – something that actually kept him out of the Heerenveen team since his presence disrupted the system. But with the right attitude, he will go on to be an asset for any team that he plays – that’s how talented he is.
#5 Achraf Hakimi – 18 years-old, right-back
When Europe’s best club snaps up a player at the mere age of 8, it only reflects the ability of the said player. Achraf Hakimi is one such player. Keeping the La Fabrica (Real’s academy) trend of producing amazing talents intact, Achraf looks set to play for the first team in a few years’ time.
In Achraf, Real may just have a player with more potential and all-round ability than Dani Carvajal had when he was 18. Achraf is a cracking tackler of the ball while also having the blistering pace to make amends for his lack of positional awareness, which can improve with age like it did with Carvajal.
If that wasn’t enough as it is, he can also dribble his way out of tight spaces and then play a cross to his team-mate to start an attack. Overall, this is a guy who can succeed Carvajal in the long run and with Danilo moving to Chelsea, he might just become his understudy this season itself.
#4 Theo Hernandez – 19 years-old, left-back
The 19-year-old left-back has just completed his move to Real Madrid after a great season at Alaves, where he was one of their most important players along with Marcos Llorente. The teenager raised hell against many opponents with his direct pace and explosiveness.
Theo is also a great crosser of the ball and an intelligent passer that likes to build the play from the left by moving forward in tandem via flicks and one-touch passes with the nearest team-mate. He, however, seems to have an erratic nature, especially referring to his sudden switch in allegiance from France to Spain.
He also has to improve his defensive game, but he has taken a few steps forward in that regard under the tutelage of Mauricio Pellegrino last season. At Real Madrid, under the guidance of the best left-back in the world in Marcelo, the only way is upwards for the French-Spaniard.
#3 Christian Pulisic – 18 years-old, winger/midfielder
He is perhaps going to end his career as the greatest player in the history of American football (not the one where they use hands). Christian Pulisic might only be 18, but he has already pushed himself to the first team of Dortmund.
Indeed, the American’s versatility is one of the key reasons why he is such an asset for any team. He can play on both the wings and down the centre if need be. Last season, he provided 8 assists and scored 4 goals in 39 appearance, out of which only 21 were starts.
The Dortmund starlet is a keen dribbler of the ball, while also being quick enough to get past his man. However, his final product is still not up to the mark, but that will only get better with more practice. He is a special talent and all you need to do is watch him play to realise that.
#2 Kylian Mbappe – 18 years-old, forward
All of you were waiting for his name at number 1, weren’t you? Gotcha!
After taking the world by storm last season, Mbappe has become somewhat of a household name at the mere age of 18. The last time a teenager made such waves was back when Lionel Messi was breaking into the Barcelona first team – and Kylian Mbappe might just go on to take the mantle of the best from the Argentine in the future.
It was only back in November last year when he broke into the first team and now he is the most coveted player in Europe, despite the price tag over his head. Anyone who watched him last season, which is most of you, will already know of his abilities.
As a forward, there is already nothing wrong with him. At the mere age of 18, all he has is strengths and strengths. Unlike the others, he doesn’t have to worry about weaknesses and focus only improving his strengths, which is what makes him such a dangerous potential.
#1 Kasper Dolberg – 19 years-old, forward
When a 19-year old is a starter for a club like Ajax, it just works as a testament to that player’s abilities. Added to that, when that said player scores 22 goals in all competitions from only 36 starts, while also providing 7 assists along the way, you just know that we are talking about someone very special.
Kasper Dolberg broke into the first team this season and made himself known around Europe with some fascinating displays for his club. His silky dribbling skills combined with the ability to make crunching passes in the final third made him one of the hardest players to defend against in the Eredivisie.
He is also a clinical finisher, something his goals stats have already revealed about him. While Kylian Mbappe is the most coveted teenager in the world, Dolberg is also worthy of the same attention if he continues to perform like this, expect him to be playing for a European supergiant by next year.
