7 more 2007-born wonderkids to watch after Lamine Yamal ft. Arsenal, Chelsea starlets…
Lamine Yamal has been the story of Euro 2024. The 16-year-old prodigy made waves in a sensational breakthrough campaign with boyhood club Barcelona but he’s taken things to another level with some outrageous displays for Spain this summer.
The Barcelona starlet has sealed his status as one of the most exciting talents in world football with an instantly iconic long-range strike in La Roja’s 2-1 semi-final comeback victory over France. Think Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo circa 2004 and you’re not far off.
But he’s not the only 2007-born talent worth keeping an eye out for. We’ve identified seven more young stars from the same generation that have the potential to reach similar heights.
Franco Mastantuono
Very soon, Argentina will have to reckon with an immediate future that doesn’t feature era-defining captain Lionel Messi. That’s a scary thought, but there’s hope to be found in ridiculously talented Di Maria regens like Mastantuono.
The playmaking winger doesn’t turn 17 until August but River Plate have already moved swiftly to tie down his worth. He’s already broken through into the first team and recently signed a new contract with a reported €50million release clause.
Real Madrid are said to be closely monitoring his progress and may soon make a move for his signature.
He holds an Italian passport alongside an Argentinian one, which would make a move across the Atlantic less complicated than it otherwise might have. Destined for a European giant.
Pau Cubarsi
What are they feeding those kids at La Masia? Yamal wasn’t the only child prodigy at Barcelona last season.
Centre-back Cubarsi only turned 17 in January but by the spring he was entrusted to start pressure-cooker Champions League knockout ties. And he barely put a foot wrong, looking terrifyingly composed at such a young age.
The teenager was then included in Spain’s preliminary squad for Euro 2024, but he didn’t make Luis de la Fuente’s final cut. Give it a couple more years and we could definitely see him marshalling the backline for La Roja at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Willian Estevao
Chelsea’s never-ending quest to hoover up young talent from across the globe continues unabated.
Brazilian winger Willian Estevao might just be the real deal. He’s not due to arrive at Stamford Bridge until next summer, but it’ll be worth keeping tabs on how he develops over the coming year. Unimaginably gifted.
READ: Chelsea are signing the Brazilian Messi – & he’s three months younger than Luke Littler
Ethan Nwaneri
Very few people outside of youth scouting circles had even heard of Yamal when Nwaneri became the Premier League’s youngest-ever debutant, aged 15 years and 181 days, in the late stages of a 3-0 victory over Brentford back in September 2022.
After his meteoric rise with Barcelona, Yamal is lighting up Euro 2024 as one of the absolute standout players of the tournament. Nwaneri, on the other hand, has only made one further appearance for Mikel Arteta’s Gunners and is still turning out at Under-17 level for England.
What does that mean? Very little, really. It just goes to show that progress isn’t linear. Nwaneri only turned 17 back in March and remains well on track to enjoy a wonderful career with his boyhood club.
The midfielder, who grew up in Islington not far from the Emirates, committed his future to Arsenal last summer, agreeing in advance to sign a first professional deal upon his 17th birthday.
Expect to see further progress in 2024-25 as he edges closer toward the first-team picture. Be excited.
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Chris Rigg
“I am absolutely buzzing,” Rigg told Sunderland’s official website after signing his first professional contract with boyhood club Sunderland earlier this month.
“I have been dying to sign for almost a year now. The hard work starts now but I am looking forward to making many more memories representing this Club.”
The midfielder became the Black Cats’ youngest-ever debutant in an FA Cup tie against Fulham in February 2023, and later their youngest-ever goalscorer in a League Cup match against Crewe Alexandra last August.
He’s long been talked up as one of the most talented kids of his generation in English football, and developing his skills in the Championship might just be the best place for him.
From Jude Bellingham to Archie Gray and countless others, the Football League has proven itself fertile ground for nurturing talent.
Samuel Lusale
Few have heard of the Crystal Palace youth prospect, but that looks set to change in the coming years if reports are to be believed.
Manchester United are reportedly close to signing the Slovakia youth international, who could yet prove himself a blueprint signing for the new Dan Ashworth era.
READ: Man Utd are in hot pursuit of the Slovakian Lamine Yamal who’s already hanging with the stars
Kendry Paez
As with Willian Estevao, Kendry Paez has already agreed to join Chelsea and will join the club from Ecuadorian talent factory Independiente del Valle.
Having spent a pretty penny on Moises Caicedo, the Blues have learnt their lesson and fast-tracked the process this time around, going straight to the source to cut out the middleman stepping-stone club.
Paez only turned 17 in May but has already been capped 12 times at senior level for Ecuador, including four appearances in this summer’s Copa America.
He became the historic tournament’s second-youngest-ever goalscorer with a penalty dispatched against Jamaica and appeared off the bench as Ecuador pushed holders Argentina all the way to penalties in the quarter-finals.
Another year at Independiente del Valle will no doubt be a good thing for Paez’s development, but he might just be ready for Chelsea already.