20 Best Teenagers in World Football Right Now

You know the phrase: out with the old, in with the new. And that bodes well in the footballing world, especially when there is a boatload of talented youngsters waiting patiently in the wings for their shot at senior action or are already tearing it up. Teenagers often bring a different layer of possibility to a team: a tireless work ethic, the willingness to bust a gut, a penchant for grasping every opportunity with every fibre in their body – aspects that often go amiss in more established senior players.

But not all academy prospects get that chance because, well, football is a business at the end of the day and, despite the warm feeling of a youngster being promoted to senior action, the best players tend to get game time, irrespective of age. It’s as simple as that.

That being said, there are a host of teenage phenomenons currently stamping their authority in the Premier League and elsewhere in the continent – from ever-flourishing defenders to midfielders wise beyond their years to forwards that just have that knack for goalscoring. And to celebrate their talent, GIVEMESPORT have assembled a list of the 10 best teenagers in world football – ranked in order.

1 Lamine Yamal

Barcelona and Spain

Being produced by the same academy set-up that formed the brilliance of Lionel Messi that all football fans know and adore is no easy feat. The pressure, especially just at 17 years of age, is enough to make the finest of footballers crumble, but not Yamal. He has taken to senior life in Blaugrana like a duck to water.

The teen phenomenon featured in 50 games for Barcelona last season and his 17 goal contributions were an insane return for a 16-year-old. While opponents currently consider his story awe-inspiring, that will not be the case for much longer should he continue this stratospheric trajectory.

After a stellar showing at Euro 2024, Yamal also now holds the record for youngest player to appear at a European Championship, the youngest player to score at a European Championships, and also the youngest-ever player to start a major international tournament final – which broke a 66-year record previously held by none other than Pele. Generational.

2 Endrick

Real Madrid and Brazil

Endrick really announced his name on the international stage against England. A cute finish, the youngster – just 17 years of age – notched home the only goal of the game, and it’s no surprise that Real Madrid have secured his signature so early into his career. Since putting pen to paper for Los Blancos, game time may have been scarce but courted as ‘one for the future’ and the glittering Brazilian has plenty of years left in the tank.

Born in 2006, the world really is Endrick’s oyster. He has already cemented his name in Palmeiras mythology – but his career is poised to reach potentially unrivalled heights since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer. No doubt one of the most exciting prospects in world football, the 13-cap, three-goal international could go on to become on the same level as Brazil greats. Watch this space.

3 Kobbie Mainoo

Manchester United and England

At the tender age of 18, Kobbie Mainoo emerged as one of Manchester United’s most important players, and he can often be seen instructing the more seasoned heads in Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro. His consistency in the engine room was quickly noticed by Gareth Southgate, who duly handed him his senior England debut during the Three Lions’ 1-0 loss against Brazil, before he then took up a starting position next to Declan Rice during the knockout stages of EURO 2024.

Despite being thrown in at the deep end, particularly during a season of mass transition at Old Trafford, the Stockport-born ace has been a cut above the rest in midfield, dictating games and keeping it simple. Destined to become a club legend in years to come, the cool and collected Mainoo is deceptively strong thanks to his small frame – but what we’ve borne witness to is, surely, just the start.

4 Warren Zaire-Emery

Paris Saint-Germain and France

Out goes Marco Verratti, in goes Warren Zaire-Emery – almost a like-for-like replacement – meaning that the Italian’s departure in September 2023 has gone somewhat unnoticed. In a team bolstered by players with staggering price tags and heaps of elite-level experience, the 18-year-old waltzed into the centre of the park and hasn’t looked out of place for one minute.

Embodying the ‘old head on young shoulders’ phrase, the importance of Zaire-Emery in the Paris-based side highlights a changing of the guard as he represents a commanding figure, despite only just being old enough to buy a pint in most countries. He can dictate games better than some of Europe’s most seasoned midfielders. Scary hours for those in the French top division.

5 Pau Cubarsi

Barcelona and Spain

Emerging as Inigo Martinez’s partner in crime in the heart of the Barcelona defence has been 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi – 16 years the aforementioned defender’s junior. Not overly imposing at just 6ft tall, the youngster’s modern-looking traits set him up to be a long-term option for La Masia in the future – and, in fact, right now.

An unbelievable passer of the ball, too, there are not many that have the ability to perform at the levels that he is able to. He also possesses a layer of freshness, thanks to his age, which sees him able to keep up with some of La Liga’s speedsters – an invaluable idiosyncrasy which propels him to another level among his positional peers who are of a similar age.

6 Arda Guler

Real Madrid and Turkey

After spending much of last term slowly being integrated into Carlo Ancelotti’s first-team plans at Real Madrid, Arda Guler exploded into life at EURO 2024. The Turkish sensation stunned the tournament with a magical strike against Georgia in the group stages, before becoming the focal point of an attack that fired The Crescent-Stars into an unexpected place in the quarter-finals.

The 19-year-old’s compelling cardiovascular endurance was a key feature in Turkey’s summer adventure, with the former Fenerbahce winger/attacking midfielder showing he could be of help to all areas of Los Blancos’ performances in the future should he translate his international displays into club form as he chased the ball down with unquenchable thirst.

7 Rico Lewis

Manchester City and England

Admittedly, the glistening 19-year-old typically plays on the right of the defence and is then transformed into a central midfielder in-game, but there’s no way he was missing out. After all, Lewis has become one of Pep Guardiola’s many Swiss Army Knives. Able to play an array of roles, it may come as a surprise that it took Southgate so long to get out the phonebook to find the Bury-born ace’s phone number during his England managerial tenure.

Having already played for Manchester City games in excess of 50 times, the utility man’s well-rounded game is second to none and he will surely become a legend of the club should neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid come sniffing in the future. With Kyle Walker’s days at the club seemingly numbered, a spot at right-back has opened up – and it certainly has Lewis’ name on it.

8 Leny Yoro

Manchester United and France

After experiencing a remarkable breakthrough campaign during the 2023/24 season, playing 32 times in Ligue 1 for Lille, Leny Yoro has since earned himself a blockbuster move to the Premier League in the shape of Manchester United. Despite being just 18 years old, he’s already pocketing a £115,000-per-week contract at Old Trafford, which emphasises just how high the former Real Madrid and Liverpool target is rated.

His long legs, colossal height, speed, and ball-playing ability are paradigmatic of other centre-backs that have thrived in England over recent years, such as Virgil Van Dijk and William Saliba. And with his stats already comparable to his rivals at such a young age, the Red Devils look to have acquired a world-beating ace this summer – one that is still just 18 years of age. He could be the difference maker for Ruben Amorim, couldn’t he?

9 Desire Doue

Paris Saint-Germain and France

In a modern world where the tricksters and technically gifted are shoved to the side, those in the mould of Desire Doue are a dying breed. An Angers-born winger, signed by PSG in the summer just gone, what he may lack in goal contributions is regular flashes of brilliance – which often leave defenders bamboozled, in the dust and without a chance of thwarting him.

Likened to none other than Ronaldinho, inarguably one of the most entertaining footballers to ever grace the turf, the twinkle-toed 19-year-old has all the tools to become the next best thing to come out of his native France – especially given he has the knack of working diligently both in and out of possession.

10 Jorrel Hato

Ajax and Netherlands

2023/24 wasn’t necessarily a great season for Ajax – the Dutch club was nowhere near their best last year, and at points earlier in the campaign, relegation looked like a real possibility. They turned things around somewhat, though, and finished fifth in the league. It’s still not great, but one major positive is the emergence of Jorrel Hato as a regular fixture in senior proceedings at the capital outfit.

The 18-year-old played 46 times for his club last season and has taken to first-team football seamlessly. He’s already showing maturity well beyond his years and should be a key figure for Ajax for years to come. Or until one of Europe’s biggest clubs eventually comes knocking and snaps him up in a high-profile move – as tends to usually be the case.

11-20

Just missing out on the top ten is Kendry Paez of Independiente, while Barcelona’s Vitor Roque – currently on loan at Real Betis – is equally unfortunate to be ranked 12th given the litany of talent the world of football currently possesses.

Kenan Yildiz has been a revelation for the Old Lady this season while also producing the goods for his nation, Turkey. The same can be said for the versatile Archie Gray, a player who earned his big-money move to Tottenham Hotspur over the summer.

Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, Willian Estevao of Palmeiras and Manchester United-linked Franco Mastantuono follow in the next three spots with them just ahead of Norway sensation Antonio Nusa, who has managed to notch three goals and assists apiece thus far in 2024/25.

Picked up and sent back on loan by Manchester City, 18-year-old Claudio Echeverri is poised to rise straight to the top in the coming years – but, for now, has to settle for 19th place. Jobe Bellingham, the younger brother of Jude, is still plying his trade for Sunderland but – surely – not for much longer with his string of red-hot performances for the Black Cats.