The article was written before the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
Most of the best players in football today come from the best training centres in Europe. Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, came out of the renowned Sporting Lisbon centre, which continues to produce excellent players today. There is also the Masia of FC Barcelona, from which such great talents as Iniesta, Xavi and Messi came out.
Some clubs do not hesitate to invest colossal sums in these academies, to feed the first team of course, but also to earn a return on investment when the players are eventually sold. This is the case of the French club Lyon, which has trained the 2022 golden ball winner Karim Benzema.
The challenge for young players is now to be spotted by these training centres. Or to consolidate their reputation. To do so, social networks have become a non-negligible means of communication. Indeed, sports and marketing are reaching higher heights everyday.
A question of image
Many young players have realized that social networks can become important tools. Compilations of surprising actions, classy gestures and tricks abound. Tricks tutorials are a trend in TikTok and Instagram.
https://www.tiktok.com/@marvin.roch/video/7136955043462450438?is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7136955043462450438
The virality of football videos can increase the value of a player in today's market. A video of Xavi Simons on Youtube at the age of 14 in a Blaugrana shirt has no less than 2.1 million views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3nMZLsVDaU
Now 19, the player has moved on from PSG, where he failed to make an impact, to PSV Eindhoven, where he has made a promising start to the season. He has yet to confirm his potential to be among the very best.
Young talent doesn’t mean superstar
Many young players were destined for a bright future. But various factors have meant that they have not had the promised career. The perfect example is the Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa. Trained in the prestigious Lyon centre (where he played alongside Benzema!), the player never achieved a career worthy of his talent. He has played for Marseille, Newcastle, Nice and even Paris (2016-2018), and has had many ups and downs. Selected 15 times for the French team, his international career did not take off either. According to rumours, a lack of professionalism and a difficult character are the main reasons for this failure. Today aged 35, Ben Arfa doesn’t play for any club.
The 30 most talented players aged 23 and under in football today
The players that we’re about to introduce have huge potential, as did the young Ben Arfa. They have different backgrounds, and some of them are already football superstars. Others are idols in the making. But they all have one thing in common: they have the potential to play for the best clubs in the world and have magnificent careers. And some of them, the best, already do. Here is a non-exhaustive and subjective list of the thirty most talented players aged 23 or under in football today, according to The Residency team.
Ethan Nwaneri
Age : 15
Nationality : English
Club : Arsenal
Position: attacking midfielder
This is the youngest player in our classification. And one of the reasons for his position. It was Sunday 18th September, Arsenal was having a convincing win against Brentford 3-0, the game was finishing, when Arteta decided to make a change. Ethan Nwaneri, replacing Fabio Vieira, became at just 15 years and 181 days the youngest player to make a Premier League appearance in history, breaking Harvey Elliott’s previous record who was 16 years and 30 days old when he played with Fulham. The coach explained his choice after the game: “it was a feeling that I had yesterday, I don’t know why,” Arteta told at full-time. “The first day I met him I looked him in his eyes and everyone was telling me about him, Per was telling me about him, and because of the injuries we only have 12 or 13 senior players yesterday to put in the squad and we decided to bring him, and that’s it.” Per Mertesacker, the former defender who’s now one of the Academy managers in Arsenal’s staff praises regularly the youngster.
https://twitter.com/laythy29/status/1571483659554660352?s=20&t=w-D-zBFyNYUhcmN3af6CIA
Playing this young is not the insurance to have a great career, but it sure proves Ethan Nwaneri’s potential. Nwaneri’s predecessors had irregular paths. There are well-known names such as Harvey Elliott who now regularly starts in Liverpool’s very competitive team, but also Aaron Lennon who had a good history. Others, on the other hand, remained in the dark: Matthew Briggs, Jose Baxter and Izzy Brown are examples of players who retired or still play in lower leagues. Only the future will tell!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl-ud2Rtqgw&ab_channel=PremierLeague
Fabio Miretti
Age: 19
Nationality: Italian
Club: Juventus
Position: midfielder
He’s the revelation of the season so far for the Juventus team. The Italian team suffered many injuries (Pogba, Di Maria, etc.) and so had to pick its youngsters to compensate. A major boost for Fabio Miretti’s career; and even if his team is having a bad time (3rd of Group H in the Champion’s League and ranked 8th in the Serie A), Fabio Miretti is a source of satisfaction for the coach and many fans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2RzOkCHazQ&ab_channel=JMProductionsHD
In 2020, he already was on a list of 60 young talents made by The Guardian. He even earned his place in the 40 short-lists of the Golden Boy award, a trophy for the best young player of the year given by Italian media Tuttosport. Miretti is having more and more minutes on the pitch, which is very impressive in such a competitive team as Juventus. We’ll hear from this boy for sure!
Trevoh Chalobah
Age: 23
Nationality: English
Club: Chelsea FC
Position: centre back
This may be the Residency's favourite player, and you know why! Trevoh Chalobah has been a massive player for our team and helped improve the link between players and fans. Connecting with players, to show the “behind the scenes” life of a professional football player has always been one of our goals and Trevoh contributed to helping us do it. But he surely didn’t steal his place in our top 30 rankings. Here’s why.
At only 23, Trevoh Chalobah is a regular player for one of the most competitive teams in the world, Chelsea FC. He recently got his place in Graham Potter’s eleven starters, also because of Koulibaly, Fofana and James’s injuries. But in many games, Chalo’ took for example the place of Swiss international Denis Zakaria. After Fofana’s injury, Trevoh put out impressive performances and got twenty-eight straight games without being beaten. Performances rewarded by Gareth Southgate as he got recently called into the provisional World Cup squad.
His power and speed are two valuable skills that enlighten his game. He also can help his team build the game with a precise technique with the ball and pass accuracy. The defender has shown throughout his performances a great football IQ. One way to improve could be mental confidence, as Trevoh recently admitted with great bravery that he suffered from anxiety in his Premier League debut. The boy is resourceful, you can count on that. And if you doubt it, just come to The Residency and try to beat Trevoh at Fifa!
Endrick Felipe Moreira de Sousa
Age: 16 years old
Club: Palmeiras CF
Position: Attacking midfielder, winger
He’s the new-generation gem in Brazil. At only 16, Endrick already has the biggest European clubs at his feet. Chelsea, Real Madrid and PSG are reportedly interested in contracting the Brazilian youngster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utzVMh7sZaA&ab_channel=LUTYHD
He’s known for being already very mature, behaving like a professional on and outside the pitch. Fully focused on reaching the top level, he can count on a magical left foot and an impressive physique for a short boy like he is. He still has enormous room for improvement before he shows the world his full potential.
Harvey Elliott
Age: 19 years old
Club: Liverpool FC
Position: Midfielder
Harvey Elliott became the youngest player to ever play in a Premier League game at 16 years and 30 days versus Wolverhampton, beating the then record set in 2007 by fellow Fulham player Matthew Briggs. His record got since broken by Arsenal’s young talent Ethan Nwaneri (we talked about him before).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvjS0T9gDfg&ab_channel=LiverpoolEdits
Harvey Elliott has established himself in the Liverpool midfield this season, convincing Jurgen Klopp of his talent. His unique left foot and vision make him a formidable midfielder.
Some observers are disappointed that he wasn’t called by Gareth Southgate to join England at the World Cup. But the youngster will lead the future midfielder of the Three Lions.
Noah Okafor
Age: 22 years old
Club: Red Bull Salzburg
Position: Striker
The Swiss future! For such a small country, it has produced many talents such as Xherdan Shaqiri or Granit Xhaka - Noah Okafor is one of them. Born in Binningen to a Nigerian father and a Swiss mother, he joined the best Helvetic academy in Basel in 2009. He then played with the senior team and his good performances got noticed by the prestigious Red Bull Salzbourg who signed him in 2020. As a reminder, a certain Erling Haaland also occupied the Salzbourg’s attack before exploding. Rumours are telling that Chelsea and Milan are keen to recruit the man.
Noah Okafor will for sure be one of the youngsters to follow closely during the World Cup. He offers a generous game, with a huge volume of runs, high speed and magnificent technique. Moreover, the Swiss national team has shown a tremendous level of football. It could be the big surprise of the tournament!
Giacomo Raspadori
Age: 22 years old
Club: Napoli (loaned by Sassuolo)
Position: Striker
Here’s a discreet player, but so efficient! Raspadori is part of the Italian’s new generation of players that shine over the Serie A. And one of the reasons why Napoli is having a blast in this season’s beginning. He built his reputation with Sassuolo’s team, contributing to developing an elegant football.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ8itt1eOLM&ab_channel=BrazilScout
Skilled with both right and left foot, able to shoot with power, he can score from any place. In five appearances last year in the Champion’s League, he scored four times and gave two assists. A huge potential!
Takefusa Kubo
Age: 21 years old
Club: Real Sociedad
Position: Midfielder
The “Japanese Messi”. This is a flattering comparison due to the outstanding technique of Takefusa Kubo. He trained at the Masia from the age of 10 until he was 14. Unfortunately, he had to leave the Barcelona training centre due to the club's violation of the transfer regulations for underage players. He returned to Tokyo where he finished his progression, before being bought by Real Madrid in 2019. He failed to establish himself in Madrid's ultra-competitive squad and has since been loaned out to Mallorca and Villareal among others. Since 2022 he has been playing for Real Sociedad, where he has been playing at his best since returning to Spain.
Kubo will be a player to watch during the World Cup, where Japan will have to get through a tough group with Spain, Germany and Costa Rica.
Sandro Tonali
Age: 22 years old
Club: AC Milan
Position: Midfielder
A lot of players, experts and commentators have compared him to the legend Andrea Pirlo. Sandro Tonali’s qualities make us think about his predecessor. Elegant, he rarely loses the ball, being precise in his passes both at short or long range. His technique still needs to improve if he wants to reach the summits, but he can count on a slightly more muscular build than Pirlo. Many prestigious clubs have stated their interest in the player, one of the most recent being Liverpool.
Sandro Tonali built his game in Italy. He learned everything at Brescia Calcio, a club in the second division. In 2019, his team got champion and qualified for the first division. He cannot prevent his club's descent in the 2019-2020 season, but he is making his mark. So much so that Inter, Juve and PSG have expressed interest in the player. The youngster finally chose AC Milan, the club for which he still plays today. He quickly established himself as an undisputed starter. He reached the pinnacle of his young career in 2022, leading AC Milan back to the top of the Italian league. A title that fans had been waiting for for 11 years.
Xavi Simons
Age: 19 years old
Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Midfielder
Xavi Simons is one of Dutch’s best talents. Formed at Barcelona’s centre La Masia, which reputation is no longer to be told, the midfielder has been known on the internet for a long time. Indeed, the videos of his performances with the young Barcelona teams have accumulated millions of views.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q6VR0sBD08&ab_channel=SACAF%C3%9ATBOL
His potential quickly attracted the attention of the biggest clubs, and Real Madrid reportedly tried to sign him early on. It was not until 2019 that Xavi Simons left Barca, following a contractual disagreement. At PSG, he failed to make an impact in the capital club's star-studded squad. Returning to his homeland in 2022, he signed a contract with PSV Eindhoven. He made a remarkable start to the season there, so much so that Louis Van Gaal called him up for the World Cup in Qatar. To be continued.
Joao Felix
Age: 22 years old
Club: Athlético Madrid
Position: Attacking midfielder
A flashing star. And the potential to be among the best player in the world. Joao Felix made his professional debut with Benfica B in 2016. He quickly exploded with the main team. And so got recruited by Athlético Madrid for 126M€ in 2019. With this long-term contract (7 years) he became the most expensive recruit in the club's history and the most expensive Portuguese player ahead of his illustrious elder Cristiano Ronaldo. He took over the number 7 shirt from Antoine Griezmann who left for Barcelona. His actual value, according to the specialized site Transfermarkt, is around 50M€. PSG are reportedly interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INWsojK_YZ0&ab_channel=MNcompsJR2
Joao Felix still has to confirm his tremendous potential with more consistency with his club and nation. Athlético Madrid got eliminated from all European competitions during the Champions League stage group. And being the only fifth in La Liga, already eleven points from leading Real Madrid. Fernando Santos, Portugal’s coach, seems to have difficulties trusting the youngster and has not given him a lot of minutes of play. A situation that could change during the World Cup?
Youssoufa Moukoko
Age: 17 years old
Club : Borussia Dortmund
Position: Striker
One of The Residency’s favourite players. The surprise of the “Mannschaft’s“ selection for the World Cup. And at only 17, he probably will lead Germany’s attack. Youssoufa Moukoko is a record-breaker. On 17 September 2019, he became the youngest player to appear in the Youth League in a 2-1 win over Barcelona's youth team. A few weeks later he also became the youngest goalscorer in the competition, beating Rayan Cherki's record, completing his status as a 'global phenomenon' despite still not having made his professional debut. At 16, he became the youngest player in the German league, the previous record dating from 2005 was held by Nuri Şahin at 16 years and 355 days. A fortnight later, he became the youngest player in the Champions League.
With Dortmund this year, he scored six goals and provided four assists in 14 games. Without surprise, the German prodigy is scouted by the best clubs, among who you can find Tottenham or Chelsea. Give him two or three years and at this rate, he’ll be in the top 10 players in the world.
Julián Alvarez
Age: 22 years old
Club: Manchester City
Position: Striker
The Argentinian youngster Julián Alvarez makes it to the top20 of our Residency’s ranking. Aged 22, he has provided an interesting option in the attack of Manchester City, being (of course) the second choice after Erling Haaland. He made his mark at River Plate, notably by scoring an unprecedented six goals in the Copa Libertadores against Peruvian club Alianza Lima.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEfZGvFw3bE&ab_channel=ManCity
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina’s coach, selected him for the World Cup. Another great talent to follow during the competition, if he can get some minutes in the ultra-competitive Argentinian attack.
Nicolò Zaniolo
Age: 23 years old
Club: Roma
Position: Attacking midfielder, winger
Playing at Roma since 2018, here’s maybe the best Italian artist on this list. At the end of the 2018-2019 season, Zaniolo was voted Serie A's best prospect. The following year he suffered a serious injury to his right knee in January 2020 against Juventus. An injury to the inner ligament will keep him out of action for several months. To make matters worse, he injured his left knee in September of the same year, having just returned from injury. Zaniolo then made a successful comeback as Roma won the first Europa League Conference in 2022-2023 thanks to a goal from the inevitable young talent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmmia4x0GRE&ab_channel=TalentsHunters
The player's only weakness is his flimsy physique. Beyond that, he possesses above-average technique for a player of his size (6'9") and a simply exceptional left foot. Tottenham are currently interested in the youngster. It is now up to Zaniolo to prove that all the expectations placed on him are justified.
Mason Mount
Age: 23 years old
Club: Chelsea FC
Position: Attacking midfielder
This is the man who took charge of Frank Lampard’s legacy in Chelsea’s team. His style of play and dominance in the midfield looks like his mentor’s. Mason Mount started his career at Portsmouth and got trained in the Chelsea academies. Sent on loan to Dutch club Vitesse in 2017, he continued his rise the following year in the Championship with Derby County. Despite minor injuries, he managed to be decisive on numerous occasions, earning him a five-year contract with Chelsea in 2019.
He led Chelsea to victory in the 2020-2021 Champion's League final against Manchester City, providing the assist for the game's only goal. The youngster’s summit of his career for the moment. Mason Mount is today an unquestionable starter in the Blues eleven and a Three Lions reference. At only 23, let’s remind it.
Gavi
Age: 18 years old
Club: Barcelona FC
Position: Midfielder
The 2022 Golden Boy winner. Gavi is an incredible midfielder, following the steps of Barcelona’s legends Xavi, Iniesta and Messi. So why is he “only“ 15th in our ranking? Some say other players also deserved the title of Golden Boy this year, as a certain Jude Bellingham or Eduardo Camavinga. This reward is not unanimously accepted, even by The Residency’s editorial staff. But one thing is certain, the boy is talented.
Many media are expecting him to shine during the World Cup, like other wonder kids. Gavi is part of the top youngster and is named in every list of it. Simply because of his skills - let’s say it simply - Gavi’s a technical genius. With his teammate Pedri, the two Spanish took charge of Barcelona’s midfield with maturity. They both are well-known for their hard work ethic. Gavi’s current value, according to the specialized site Transfermarkt, is around 90M€. The cost of talent.
Mykhaylo Mudryk
Age: 21 years old
Club: Shaktar Donetsk
Position: Attacking midfielder, winger
“The Ukrainian Neymar“ is in the Residency’s top 15. The comparison with the Brazilian star does not only come from the technical skills of the Ukrainian. Indeed, Mudryk is also known for his eccentric off-field behaviour, often making headlines for his taste for partying. But on the pitch, Mykhaylo Mudryk is one of the best technicians in the circuit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Ie85z8LOE
His liveliness and precision of dribbling make him an almost unstoppable player. Arsenal is actually in the best position to recruit the youngster, even though his price should be pretty expensive. Indeed, Shaktar Donetsk is claiming at least 100M€ to recruit him. We’ll hear a lot from this young player.
Dušan Vlahović
Age: 22 years old
Club: Juventus FC
Position: Striker
Born in Belgrade, Serbia on 28 January 2000, at just 22 years of age, Dušan Vlahović is Juventus' main striker and Serbia's technical leader. Trained at OFK Belgrade, he joined the country's leading club in 2014, Partizan Belgrade. He caught the eye of Fiorentina in 2018 when he was just 18 years old. He continued his meteoric rise and reached 33 goals in the Italian league in 42 games in 2021, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo's record of 33 goals in 29 games in 2020. A total reached only once since 1960. Crazy numbers for a huge potential that can still improve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QvyVZzEoIo&ab_channel=MShow
He joins Juve in the winter of 2022 for a total cost of €150m, a record. His start to the season with the Bianconeri has been a success. The boy is a deadly striker, being amazingly calm in front of the goal. His strength and power are a nightmare for the defenders. Currently, Serbia is keeping their fingers crossed that he will return to form at the World Cup. Indeed, the youngster has suffered several injuries that have kept him off the pitch for the past month.
Vitinha
Age: 22 years old
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Position: Midfielder
Portugal can certainly count on a number of top stars such as Bernardo Silva, Renato Sanches, Cristiano Ronaldo or Rafael Leao. But one of the surprises for the general public could come from Vitinha. The relatively unknown young talent has established himself this year as an undisputed starter in PSG's midfield, alongside Verratti. The two little midfielders are a joy to behold for the capital club. What ease! Vitinha is the player in midfield who never loses a ball, and who distributes the game with a calm and unfailing serenity. He thrives in small spaces as well as in the long game. Technically, he is an amazing player.
Trained at Porto, he has been loaned to Wolverhampton in 2020-2021. He returned to Porto in 2021-2022, achieving a league and cup double and showing solid performances. To be followed very closely during the World Cup!
Aurélien Tchouaméni
Age: 22 years old
Club: Real Madrid
Position: Midfielder
A physical monster, and a neat restart. Aurelien Tchouameni, at 22, is the worthy heir of Casemiro in the Real Madrid midfield. He revealed his great talent in France at Girondin de Bordeaux, and then was recruited by AS Monaco in 2020. His performances have been impressive, with the player demonstrating maturity and ease that is beyond compare. So much so that by 2022, the best clubs in Europe were snapping him up.
The player finally decided to join Real Madrid, while PSG and Liverpool were being considered to sign him. Tchouaméni is the dream defensive midfielder for any attacking team. Reassuring, and ultra-solid, he recovers an impressive number of balls.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Age: 21 years old
Nationality: Georgian
Club: Napoli
Position: winger
This is one of the men in form of the moment. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has put all the Italian football observers (and beyond!) at his feet with several tremendous performances. In a Champions League game against Liverpool, the Georgian was shining so much that Jamie Carragher named him “best player in Serie A” on the CBS Sports tv show. Former French legend Thierry Henry and Jonathan Woodgate also praised his performance. Many clubs are actually fighting to get his services and Khvicha will certainly join a top European club in the next years if he keeps playing the way he does.
One of the best transfers of the year by Napoli, no doubt about it. The player cost only 9M£ to the Georgian club Dinamo Batumi last summer, and his value has already tripled! He’s estimated around 35M€ by the experts, but the numbers are only getting up.
Rafael Leão
Age: 23
Nationality: Portuguese
Club: Milan AC
Position: Forward
He is one of the most sought-after players at the moment. Last year, he was voted best player in Serie A by his peers after helping his team reclaim the league title. He scored 11 goals and provided ten assists in 34 Serie A games. Rafael Leao is 23 years old and simply a monster. His amazing physique condition is unique. He has the above-average technique and an excellent feel for the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjwwFcwaf0Y&ab_channel=LUTYHD
The Premier League's best clubs are looking at the Portuguese. Among them, Chelsea and ManCity seem to have the best chances.
He has yet to prove himself in the national team, so why not at the World Cup in Qatar? He could be a major player in the tournament if his team performs well. According to The Residency, Rafael Leão is already part of the world-class players who count.
Jude Bellingham
Age: 19 years old
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Position: Attacking midfielder
Jude Bellingham had to make the top10! For The Residency, he’s the young most talented English player in the circuit. Every top European club is trying to sign him: Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City, and PSG. The last rumors send him to Liverpool. And the reason is obvious: Bellingham is just from another world.
He has established himself as a starter in Dortmund's highly competitive team. Even better than that, he got himself the armband several times, being the youngest player ever in Bundesliga to receive this honour. He was voted Newcomer of the Season in Bundesliga by his fellow players after the 2020-2021 season. And he finished just second behind Pedri in the Golden Boy award trophy. He’s a complete midfielder with great qualities such as pass accuracy, game vision and verticality style. If he avoids injuries and keeps performing, this youngster will lead England’s midfield for the next years.
Jamal Musiala
Age: 19 years old
Club: Bayern Munich
Position: attacking midfielder
The german version of Jude Bellingham. And for The Residency, the two players are at the same level. So why did we put Musiala in front of Bellingham? For us, the German player raised slightly before the English youngster, got more minutes on the pitch. Moreover, he plays for the prestigious Bayern, the Dortmund rival who’s one step ahead of the black and yellow team.
As a dual national, Jamal Musiala is eligible for both the German and English national teams. Having spent a large part of his childhood and adolescence in the UK, he holds British citizenship as well as German. He seems to have chosen Germany, but it is not sure. What is certain, is that Musiala has amazing maturity in his game. He’s smart, skilful, and decisive. Already a must.
Ansu Fati
Age: 20 years old
Club: Barcelona
Position: Forward
Here’s the guy who inherited the legendary number 10 shirt from Leo Messi in Barcelona. Anshuman Vieira Fati, simply known as Ansu Fati, is certainly the young player with the best technique. His rise got slowed by an important injury in his left hamstring that got him out of the field for several months. He’s now slowly coming back to his best form. Will he make it to the World Cup? The next days should tell us, as Luis Henrique should provide his list of selected players. But in The Residency, we would love to see him on the pitch just to watch his skills in dribbling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og-rGjruEs0&ab_channel=MShow
Not only spectacular, but the young Spaniard can also be effective and has a great sense of the pass. He joined one of the best academies, Barcelona’s Masia, at only ten years old. It provides him with high-quality background and tactical knowledge. According to The Residency team, Ansu Fati has the potential to be in the top 3 best players in the world in the next years.
Pedri
Age: 19 years old
Club: Barcelona
Position: central midfielder
Let’s now enter the top 5 of this ranking. The players that are now quoted are not only big talents but are already regularly involved in the top world football clubs. Let’s begin with Pedri González López, or Pedri. A pure Barcelona formation centre product. Aged only 19, this youngster is already a key player for Barcelona and his national team. The Spaniard inherited his game from the best midfielders (probably in history) as he presents a mix of style in-between Xavi, his actual coach, and the other club legend Andrès Iniesta. The youngster publicly admitted that he is a huge fan of Iniesta’s style of play. Pedri is known to be a very hard worker at training, being almost obsessed with exercises.
In 2020, he got elected best young player of the Euro 2020 as he highly contributed to Spain’s great performance reaching the semi-finals. In 2021, he received the Golden Boy award for the youngest best player of the season. He will lead Spain’s midfield in the World Cup and we can’t wait to see it.
Eduardo Camavinga
Age: 19 years old
Club: Real Madrid
Position: Midfielder
For The Residency, he fails to make it to the top 3. But for nothing. Eduardo Camavinga is only 19 years old and already making his place in probably the best club of the last decade. He’s the future of Real Madrid’s midfield, already competing with Kroos and Modric to steal their place along with his colleague Aurélien Tchouaméni. The French midfield’s future surely looks bright. He broke many records for precociousness, both at the club and national levels. He is notably the youngest player to have been elected player of the month in France, and the youngest Rennes player to have been named in the club's history.
He is a particularly versatile player. He started his career at Stade Rennais as a striker. At the youth level, he was placed in central defence, then in midfield where he now plays. He can bring a lot of qualities to the table, both at the front of the field and in defence. Camavinga was one of Rio Ferdinand’s favorite for the Kopa trophy that awards the best player under 21 in the world every year.
Phil Foden
Age: 22 years old
Club: Manchester City
Position: attacking midfielder, winger
“He is the most talented player I have ever seen.” Those are not The Residency’s words but from the already legendary coach Pep Guardiola. The man who coached Barcelona also added: “The best is Messi. I didn’t meet Messi at 17 years old when I met Phil, and at that age, I’ve never seen a player with this potential.” On 13 May 2018, he has crowned the 2018 English Champion thanks to his five Premier League appearances for City. In doing so, he became the youngest player to become an English champion since the creation of the Premier League in 1992.
At only 22 years old, Phil Foden already is a key player, both for the national team and his club. Manchester City being one of the richest clubs in the world, and competing every year for the most important titles, Foden is slowly becoming one of the best players in the world.
Erling Haaland
Age: 22 years old
Club: Manchester City
Position: Striker
The Cyborg. Do we have to present him?
The debate raged within the editorial team of The Residency to determine whether he should trust the number one place or not. If the main criterion were to be the player's current form, then he would be the winner, without any possible dispute.
He started his career with the small club Bryne FK in Norway. He quickly rose through the ranks and signed for top-flight club Molde FK in 2017 at the age of 18. He continued his meteoric rise by signing for Red Bull Salzburg the following year. He was named Austrian league player of the year that year. His performances in the Champions League led to him being sought after by all the major European clubs. He signed for Dortmund at the end of 2019.
On 9 March 2021, in his club's 2-2 draw with Sevilla FC,34 he became the youngest player to reach 20 Champions League goals in just 14 games, ten fewer than Harry Kane, the previous record holder. He joined Manchester City at the start of the 2022 season, taking over from his father Alf-Inge Håland, who played for the Citizens twenty years earlier.
With the Skyblues, Erling Haaland has simply activated the beast mode. He became the fastest player to score three hat-tricks in the history of the Premier League, achieving this feat in just eight games compared to the previous record of 48 games held by Michael Owen. He also became the first player in the English league to score three consecutive hat-tricks at home. On 6 September, in his first Champions League match for his new club, he scored a brace against Sevilla FC at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, becoming the first player ever to score 25 goals in just 20 games in Europe's most prestigious competition. Suffering from an injury, the only limit to the Cyborg seems to be his own body. Smart, mature, and deadly finisher in front of the goal, the Norvegian is already part of the best in the world.
Kylian Mbappé
Age: 23 years old
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Position: Winger, striker
The only one who can rival the Cyborg, and The Residency’s pick for number one is Kylian Mbappé. The two boys are just out of this world. But one thing separates them: Mbappé is already a World Cup champion. He already made history with his national team, in 2018, in Moscow. His historical record is the “detail” that puts him in front.
Aged 23, Mbappé is certainly the fastest player on Earth. No defenders can stop him. He signed the biggest contract in the sport’s history by agreeing to extend his adventure with PSG. Real Madrid is well-known to be on the tracks of the Frenchie. The player also shows maturity and intelligence whenever he gets to speak to the press. Another rare quality for a striker like him is his ability to assist his teammates. He finished the season 2021/2022 as the best goalscorer and best passer of the French championship with 28 goals and 17 assists. A performance never made before in history.
Where will Mbappé stop? Which summits will he reach? Statistically, he’s even better than Messi and Ronaldo at his age. Let’s say it: Haaland and Mbappé are two monsters, and this rivalry may be the one we all expect after Ronaldo and Messi’s pages of history.
