It seems quite incredible for all he has already achieved in the game but Kylian Mbappe has just turned 20, bringing an end to his illustrious teenage years.
During those formative years, the PSG star has clinched a plethora of domestic titles in his homeland, as well as the highly-coveted Golden Boy accolade, the inaugural Kopa Trophy, and just the small matter of a World Cup.
On paper his achievements look like that of a veteran, a battle-scarred servant of the game, but no, Mbappe has filled his trophy cabinet with football’s most prestigious silverware at an age when most of us are still learning to drive.
But it is not just the Frenchman who has mesmerised and enthralled in equal measure during his early stages; over the years we have borne witness to some sensational teenagers who have exploded onto the scene, leaving us quaking with excitement.
With that in mind, who are the 10 best teenagers of the 21st century?
10. Neymar (Santos)
Neymar attracted attention from an early age, making his senior Santos debut at 17, winning his first Brazil cap at 18, and clinching a host of awards at 19. Before the world’s most expensive player turned 20, he had won two Campeonato Paulistas, a Copa Libertadores trophy, as well as the Puskas Award for most aesthetically pleasing goal. Yes, even during his nascent career the Sao Paulo native was destined for greatness.
9. Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid)
Torres’ striking potential and goalscoring instinct was obvious from an early age; at 17, he was an integral part of Atleti’s 2001/02 promotion to La Liga, and in the following two seasons during his teenage years, the Spaniard established himself as one of Europe’s most devastating strikers, prompting offers from a number of elite clubs, including Chelsea in 2003.
But it wasn’t just Torres’ aptitude for scoring that endeared him to Los Colchoneros fans, he was also a leader, captaining the side for the first time at 19, while also making progress through the senior Spain squad.
8. Alexandre Pato (Internacional/AC Milan)
It’s a depressing thought knowing that Pato is currently plying his trade with Tianjin Quanjian, in what should be his prime years, but that was just how good the football world thought this once Brazilian phenom was going to be. Pato had already won the FIFA Club World Cup with Internacional – beating Barcelona in the final – as well as a Recopa Sudamericana before he secured a move to the San Siro.
The talented tyro made an immediate impact with the Rossoneri, scoring at sheer will, including 18 across all competitions in his second season, which helped him clinch the Serie A Young Footballer of the Year and Golden Boy Award in 2009. Pato also won Bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with Brazil, but injuries have seriously hampered his career and he never lived up to his immense potential.
7. Sergio Ramos (Sevilla/Real Madrid)
There was a time when that slick long hair was iconic of the steadfast centre-back, and it came at a time when Ramos was making some serious noise at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, forging a reputation as one of La Liga’s most commanding and tenacious defenders.
His brilliance for Sevilla saw him earn the league’s Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2005 and influenced Florentino Perez to sign his first Spanish player since he took the reigns at Real Madrid – the club paid a then-record fee for a Spanish defender, and Ramos became Los Blancos’ sixth most expensive signing after Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, David Beckham and Nicolas Anelka.
6. Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid)
During his breakthrough years for boyhood club Independiente in Argentina, Aguero scored a quite ridiculous 23 goals in 56 games, displaying his poacher’s instinct from a very juvenile age. This persuaded Atletico Madrid to break a club-record fee to secure the services of the 18-year-old, and he quickly showcased his worth in the Spanish capital.
The lethal forward was an important member of Los Rojiblancos’s first-team during his maiden campaign, but following the departure of Torres, his prominence accelerated and he became one of the continent’s finest goalscorers at 19, winning the Golden Boy and Don Balon Award for netting 27 goals in his second season – at this point he was also a key player for Argentina.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo (Sporting Lisbon/Manchester United)
Ronaldo burst onto the scene with Sporting Lisbon, and after the club beat Man Utd 3-1 during the inauguration of the Estadio Jose Alvalade in 2003, Ferguson quickly made him the most expensive teenager in English football history after securing his signature in 2003.
It took very little time for the Premier League to soon realise that there was a very special talent competing in the division, with the incisive winger breaking ankles at will and making professional full-backs look like they had just been plucked from the crowd. By the end of 2004, Ronaldo had already amassed 18 Portugal caps, and was well on the way to stardom.
4. Wayne Rooney (Everton/Manchester United)
Everyone remembers Rooney’s delectable curling effort against Arsenal when he was just 16 – the pure elegance of the strike was a sign of things to come. The Liverpudlian exploded onto the scene and immediately gave the nation an exceptional sense of excitement – he was just that good.
For the Toffees he dazzled immensely, improvising on instinct and routinely lighting up Goodison Park as he soon became the youngest player to ever turn out for England in 2003. His form saw him travel to the 2004 UEFA Euros, becoming the youngest scorer in competition’s history, and being named in the Team of the Tournament.
Sir Alex Ferguson ultimately signed Rooney for a then-record fee for a teenager at just 18 in 2004, and he soon repaid the faith shown in him by the United legend by scoring 17 during his debut campaign at Old Trafford, and 19 the following season.
3. Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
Fabregas became Arsenal’s youngest-ever first team player at the age of 16 years and 177 days, and he never looked back from that day. A product of the esteemed La Masia academy, the midfield marvel demonstrated maturity from a young age, which encouraged Arsene Wenger to bring him to north London and make him a permanent member of his starting XI from 2004 onwards. He was simply breathtaking during his teenage years, winning an FA Cup, the Bravo Award and the Golden Boy – the Premier League has not seen a more majestic teenage midfielder since.
2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Arguably the greatest player of all time. When Messi made his debut in the 2004/05 season there was no doubt on anyone’s mind that he would go on to reach great heights; his staggering talent soon became manifest to anyone who had the privilege of watching him in action during those early years at the Camp Nou.
Frank Rijkaard was simply blown away, and it was immediately evident that the Blaugrana had found an appropriate heir to Ronaldinho. Messi quickly took that talismanic mantle and made it his own, winning La Liga in his first two seasons, as well as a Champions League in 2006, and an abundance of individual accolades, including the Golden Boy and Bravo Award.
1. Kylian Mbappe (Monaco/Paris Saint-Germain)
At such a tender age, Mbappe was the fulcrum of Monaco’s Ligue 1 title success in 2017, scoring 15 league goals as Les Monegasques cantered to domestic dominance, which soon persuaded the Parisians to pay an astronomical figure to sign the talented teenager.
At the Parc des Princes he has gone from strength-to-strength, placing seventh in the Ballon d’Or running last year, and fourth this time – it is surely only a matter of time. Mbappe was also one of the chief players in France’s World Cup success, becoming only the second teenager to score two goals in a World Cup match after Pele achieved that feat in 1958.
He also won the Golden Boy in 2017 and clinched the first edition of the Kopa Trophy this year. His potential remains boundless, but already at just 20, he has achieved more than most players do in a lifetime.
The post Ranked: the 10 best teenagers of the 21st century appeared first on Squawka News.
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