Top 5 football talents born since the year 2000

There's nothing better than finding some talented youth product and watching him develop into the next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Top football clubs pay millions to snap up the very best scouts to search out young talent that can develop into world class players.

Talents need to be identified at a young age so that they can be properly nurtured into top players. The clubs are always planning for the future. Investing in players for the future with the potential to grow is a necessity.

There are hundreds of talented youngsters who have the ability to greatly improve, but which teenagers are the best of the best? Here is a look at 5 of the best young football talents born since 2000.

There's still time for them to go either way - towards dominating the world of football or falling by the wayside as wasted talents.

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Honourable mentions:

Paulinho (Bayer Leverkusen), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea), Moise Kean (Juventus), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jan Fiete Arp (Hamburg)

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#5 Timothy Weah (Paris Saint Germain)

Timothy Weah has a big future at PSG

Kylian Mbappe is not the only exciting young talent at Paris Saint-Germain. Timothy Weah is another talented player who looks ready for the highest level. He definitely has big football boots to fill because he is the son of ex-footballer George Weah.

Timothy represents the United States on the international level, and it's a bit weird because his father is currently the President of Liberia.

At the age of 14, Weah joined the Paris Saint-Germain academy. In March 2018 he made his senior debut against Troyes AC. He scored his first competitive goal for PSG against Monaco in the Trophée des Champions on August 4, 2018. His first league goal came a week later in the club's season opener, a 3–0 win over Caen.

Weah is classified as a centre-forward, but he can also play on the wings. He is a very complete player, and many people think that he could become as great as his father.

#4 Rodrygo Goes (Santos)

Rodrygo

Brazil is a massive talent base. There are some excellent Brazilian youngsters who could go on to great things in the next couple of years, Rodrygo Goes is one of them. Rodrygo is a striker who plays for Santos. He has already achieved big things in Brazil.

On 15 June 2018, Real Madrid announced an agreement with Santos for the transfer of Rodrygo, and the player will join Los Blancos in June 2019. Rodrygo is an offensive all-rounder, capable of playing in various positions such as winger, attacking midfielder, and support striker.

He is a very creative player with great technique on the ball, mobility, superb coordination, agility, and balance. Rodrygo is a perfect player that should integrate nicely into Real Madrid’s future plans.

#3 Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)

Ryan Sessegnon

Ryan Sessegnon is an English player who plays as a left back, or as a left winger for Fulham. At the age of 8, Sessegnon joined Fulham. On 9 August 2016, Sessegnon made his first-team debut in an EFL Cup match against Leyton Orient.

He has played 90 matches for Fulham's first team, and has scored 23 goals. Last season he was one of Fulham's best players in their promotion to the Premier League. He won the award for the best player in the Championship for last season.

Sessegnon is equally as quick with the ball at his feet as he is without it. This is one of the reasons why he has been compared in style to Gareth Bale. He is the most exciting member of England's next generation.

All stats via transfermarkt

#2 Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid CF)

Vinicius Junior: Real Madrid's future looks bright with him

Vinicius Junior is another talented player from Brazil who has a bright future ahead of him. His only club in Brazil had been Flamengo. Vinicius played 49 matches for Flamengo's first team and he scored 10 goals.

Barcelona and Real Madrid were among the first to express interest in signing the young striker after his outstanding performances.

In May 2017, at the age of 16, Vinícius was sold by Flamengo to Real Madrid, effective after his 18th birthday. This summer, Julen Lopetegui came to Real Madrid and he decided not to loan Vinicius back to Brazil.

Last weekend, Vinicius made his debut for Real Madrid's first team. He came on as a substitute against Atletico Madrid. Vinicius is one of the brightest young talents in world football, and this list is unimaginable without him.

#1 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)

Jadon Sancho: Borussia Dortmund's rising star from England

Jadon Sancho was born on 25 March 2000 in London. At the age of seven, Sancho joined Watford. At the age of 14, he moved to Manchester City. On 31 August 2017, he signed for Borussia Dortmund for a fee reported to be in the region of £8 million.

He made his debut for his new club on 21 October 2017 against Eintracht Frankfurt. Sancho is enjoying his life in Bundesliga, since joining Dortmund's first team, Sancho has played in 20 games, scored 2 goals, and assisted 10. Currently, he is the player with the most assists in the Bundesliga this season, despite the fact that he hasn't started a single game.

His biggest strength is his dribbling skill. Sancho plays on the left wing, and he has the potential to be England's Neymar.