Ranking the 4 best youngsters in Europe's top five leagues (January 2023)

FC Bayern München v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga
FC Bayern München v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga

Young players are popularly referred to as the future of football, and there are several youngsters that have established themselves as strong forces to reckon with in the football world in recent years.

Over the last five years, we've witnessed the retirement of several big names like Gareth Bale and Blaise Matuidi, as well as several other big names in the footballing world, and the emergence of several talented youngsters as well.

The 2022-23 campaign has been intense across Europe, and we've witnessed numerous outstanding displays by several young players in Europe's major leagues.

Hence, this article will look at the four best youngsters in Europe's top five leagues right now (January 2023).


#4 Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

Jude Bellingham - Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund - Bundesliga 2022-23 campaign
Jude Bellingham - Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund - Bundesliga 2022-23 campaign

Jude Bellingham is arguably one of the most talented young midfielders in the world right now, and his ability to stabilize the midfield is outstanding.

Bellingham has netted 10 goals and registered four assists in 24 appearances for Borussia Dortmund this season.

The 19-year-old's attacking intuition and agility on the pitch are always evident. Given his impressive run of form, he deserves to be credited. It will, however, be interesting to see if he remains consistent in the coming months.


#3 Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

Jamal Musiala - FC Bayern München v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga 2022-23 campaign
Jamal Musiala - FC Bayern München v Eintracht Frankfurt - Bundesliga 2022-23 campaign

Jamal Musiala is arguably one of the most talented youngsters in the world right now, and his presence in attack has been fruitful for Bayern Munich so far.

Musiala has netted 12 goals and registered 10 assists in 25 appearances for the Bundesliga giants.

Similarly, he's currently the fourth top scorer in the ongoing 2022–23 Bundesliga campaign. Hence, his attacking presence remains crucial for Julian Nagelsmann.


#2 Folarin Balogun (Reims)

Folarin Balogun - England U21 v Germany U21 - International Friendly
Folarin Balogun - England U21 v Germany U21 - International Friendly

The Englishman is one of the most in-form youngsters currently in Europe, and his attacking contributions have been significant.

Balogun has netted 12 goals and registered two assists in 20 appearances for Reims this season. Similarly, he's currently the joint-third-top scorer in Ligue 1.

Despite playing for a smaller team than several other youngsters in Europe, the 19-year-old has been outstanding in attack. Hence, he deserves to be credited for his impressive performance so far.


#1 Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Erling Haaland - Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League 2022-23 season
Erling Haaland - Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League 2022-23 season

Erling Haaland is arguably the most in-form young player in the footballing world right now, and his attacking intuition is second to none in Europe's major leagues.

Haaland has netted 31 goals and registered three assists in 27 appearances for Manchester City in the ongoing 2022–23 campaign. Similarly, he's currently the top scorer in the Premier League with 25 goals.

The 22-year-old has remained consistent across numerous competitions, and given his decent scoring form, he's arguably the current best youngster in Europe. It will be interesting to see if he maintains consistency.

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