Who Are The Next Superstars In World Football?

Who are 10 of the best young players in the world in 2024? By SportsClub writer Dylan Appolis.

LAMINE YAMAL
CLUB: BARCELONA
AGE: 16
POSITION: WINGER
NATIONALITY: SPANISH

epa11217113 Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal warms up the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli, in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, 12 March 2024. EPA/Siu Wu

Yamal is the latest exciting player to emerge from the prestigious La Masia Academy. The winger made history in April 2023 when he became the youngest player to appear in Spain’s LaLiga in Barcelona’s 4–0 victory over Real Betis at the age of 15 years, 9 months, and 16 days. He has already played for the senior Spanish side and scored on debut in their 7–1 win against Georgia. The Spanish prodigy has already showcased his talent and ability and could live up to claims of being the best player to emerge from La Masia since Lionel Messi.

ARDA GÜLER
CLUB: REAL MADRID
AGE: 19
POSITION: ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
NATIONALITY: TURKISH

epa11143281 Real Madrid’s Arda Guler (L) in action against Girona’s Solis during a Spanish LaLiga EA Sports soccer match between Real Madrid and Girona in Madrid, Spain, 10 February 2024. EPA/Kiko Huesca

Arda Güler has taken the footballing world by storm, another youngster touted as having “more potential than Lionel Messi”. The attacking midfielder caught the eye of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona after contributing 21 goals in 51 outings since breaking into the first team at Fenerbahçe during the 2021–22 campaign. Güler opted to join Los Blancos in the summer but did not have a dream start owing to multiple injuries and fitness issues.

RASMUS HØJLUND
CLUB: MANCHESTER UNITED
AGE: 21
POSITION: STRIKER
NATIONALITY: DANISH

Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund celebrates scoring their side’s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture date: Sunday February 11, 2024.

The 21-year-old striker joined Manchester United from Atalanta at the start of the 2023–24 campaign but had a slow start to life at Old Trafford. However, he turned his form around by chipping in with not only goals but also a few assists. He possesses power, pace, intelligent movement and a lethal eye for goal that has proved fruitful for United this season.

WARREN ZAÏRE-EMERY
CLUB: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
AGE: 18
POSITION: MIDFIELDER
NATIONALITY: FRENCH

epa11153619 Warren Zaire-Emery (L) of PSG and Robin Le Normand of Real Sociedad in action during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, 1st leg match between Paris Saint Germain (PSG) and Real Sociedad in Paris, France, 14 February 2024. EPA/TERESA SUAREZ

Warren Zaïre-Emery broke into the Paris Saint-Germain first team at the age of 17 during the 2023–24 campaign and has become one of the first names on the team sheet. He has impressed coach Luis Enrique by putting his skill and ability on display in the middle of the park for PSG, looking like a seasoned and cultured player.

VITOR ROQUE
CLUB: BARCELONA
AGE: 19
POSITION: STRIKER
NATIONALITY: BRAZILIAN

epa11208004 FC Barcelona’s Vitor Roque in action during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between FC Barcelona and RCD Mallorca in Barcelona, Spain, 08 March 2024. EPA/Alejandro Garcia

Vitor Roque is one of the most talked about rising talents in South American football and made headlines when he made the move to Barcelona. He has already made an impression in the senior team at Camp Nou with a handful of appearances across all competitions. Barcelona have previously witnessed several Brazilian talents over the years, including Neymar, Romário, Ronaldo Nazário, and Ronaldinho, and he could be seen in a similar light to those who came before him.

ARTHUR VERMEEREN
CLUB: ATLÉTICO MADRID
AGE: 19
POSITION: MIDFIELDER
NATIONALITY: BELGIAN

epa11186356 Atletico Madrid Belgian midfielder Arthur Vermeeren attends the team’s training session held at Civitas sports city in Majadahonda, Madrid, 28 February 2024, in preparation for the Spanish Copa del Rey semi final second leg match against Athletic Club on 29 February 2024. EPA/Rodrigo Jimenez

Arthur Vermeeren is one of Belgium’s brightest young talents and has established himself in the Royal Antwerp first team as a regular after playing a crucial role in helping his side lift the Belgian Pro League, Belgian Cup, and the Belgian Super Cup during the 2022–23 season. Following his heroics for Antwerp, during the January transfer window Vermeeren earned a move to Spanish giants Atlético Madrid, where he will be hoping to lock down his position in the middle of the park.

JOÃO NEVES
CLUB: BENFICA
AGE: 19
POSITION: MIDFIELDER
NATIONALITY: PORTUGUESE

Benfica’s Joao Neves in action during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg match at the Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow. Picture date: Thursday March 14, 2024.

João Neves is the product of Benfica’s successful youth system and there is already major hype surrounding the talented young midfielder. Neves made his position his own after the departure of Enzo Fernández to Chelsea in January 2023. His ability to play as a holding midfielder as well as on the wing makes him a versatile asset to the team.

MATHYS TEL
CLUB: BAYERN MUNICH
AGE: 18
POSITION: STRIKER
NATIONALITY: FRENCH

epa10884926 Munich’s Mathys Tel (L) and Muenster’s Jano ter Horst (R) in action during the German DFB Cup first round soccer match between Preussen Munster and Bayern Munich in Muenster, Germany, 26 September 2023. EPA/CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF CONDITIONS – ATTENTION: The DFB regulations prohibit any use of photographs as image sequences and/or quasi-video.

Mathys Tel has already demonstrated beyond any doubt his talent in his appearances for Bayern Munich this season. The 18-year-old is biding his time, but he has proven capable of thriving in a variety of attacking positions with his composed and clinical finishing.

XAVI SIMONS
CLUB: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
(ON LOAN AT RB LEIPZIG)
AGE: 20
POSITION: ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
NATIONALITY: DUTCH

epa11202768 Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni (R) duels for the ball with Leipzig’s Xavi Simons (L) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and RB Leipzig in Madrid, Spain, 06 March 2024. EPA/JUANJO MARTIN

Simons is a product of Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy but made the switch to Paris Saint-Germain in 2022. He found game time hard to come by and subsequently went on loan to PSV Eindhoven, where he thrived and finished as joint top scorer, with 19 goals and nine assists in 34 matches. He is spending this season on loan at RB Leipzig and continues to flourish.

ISAAC BABADI
CLUB: PSV EINDHOVEN
AGE: 18
POSITION: ATTACKING MIDFIELDER
NATIONALITY: DUTCH

epa11025223 (l-r) Martin Odegaard of Arsenal FC, Isaac Babadi of PSV Eindhoven in action during the UEFA Champions League group B match between PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal FC at the Phillips stadium in Eindhoven, Netherlands, 12 December 2023. EPA/MAURICE VAN STEEN

Isaac Babadi is regarded as the best player to come through the PSV academy since Memphis Depay and Cody Gakpo. The technically gifted midfielder can play either off the left or centrally as a No. 10, with excellent vision and passing range.