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Within the football world, young prodigies are looked up to by many. The next generation of a certain club or a country is admired equally by the fans and teams themselves.
After all, they are set to be the mantle holders for years to come. Every kid who starts off their career dreams to make it big but not all get to do that. Being on everyone's radar on a constant basis at a very young age could end up pressurizing for them.
While many starlets get a boost with the support and the love that they get, many have had their careers take a nosedive due to the same reason as well. On the other hand, some had to bow out due to injury woes.
In this article, let's take a look at:
Five promising youngsters who struggled later on in their careers
#5 Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere, dubbed 'Super Jack', was one of the most highly regarded youngsters back in late 2000s. Rising through the ranks of Arsenal's academy, Jack Wilshere impressed everyone with his skillset.
The English international made his debut at the age of 16 years and 256 days to become Arsenal's youngest ever league debutant. He was also tipped to become club captain in the near future.
However, something else was in the waiting for Jack Wilshere. A string of minor and serious injuries hampered the promising youngster's career. Though he had massive backing from his coaches, teammates and the fans, Wilshere's injury woes prevented him from achieving what could have been a stellar career.
Having played for AFC Bournemouth last season, the Englishman is now without a club and is a free agent.
#4 Alexandre Pato
It didn't take much for Alexandre Pato to go from just a young boy playing football to a full professional. By the age of 19, Pato cemented himself as AC Milan's first-choice striker and also had multiple caps for Brazil.
He was a treat to watch by all means. Pato struck fear into the minds of defenders across Italy and Europe. He was also a dependable player for his national side, which already boasted a bagful of experienced attacking talent to go with his youthful touch.
Pato was lauded for his mentality and poaching abilities. He drew comparisons to Brazilian legends Kaka and Ronaldo. However, constant encounters with injury robbed Pato off a beautiful career. The former AC Milan striker found himself on the doctor's table quite often.
After AC Milan, Pato tried his luck with various clubs, across various leagues. Unfortunately, nothing worked in the Brazilian's favor. The Duck was signed by Orlando City earlier this year, but another injury has kept the 32-year-old sidelined.
#3 Federico Macheda
Manchester United's promising talent Federico Macheda has shuffled 10 clubs in the last ten years. Despite signing a professional contract with the Red Devils on the day he turned 17, Macheda couldn't quite build upon that opportunity.
The Italian striker made the top line during his under-18 days at Old Trafford. The same earned him a senior contract under Alex Ferguson at a very young age. His injury-time winner against Aston Villa in 2009, which helped United keep the title race alive, is etched forever in the minds of Manchester United fans.
Federico Macheda was having a comfortable period with his club until he sustained an injury during his first full-season. The pattern kept on continuing until Macheda fell down the pecking order and was forced to move out.
At the age of 30, Macheda plays for Greek side Panathinaikos. He is contracted until 2023.
#2 Jese Rodriguez
From being tagged with a €200 million release clause at Real Madrid to just an ordinary player at Las Palmas, Jese's career fell flat on its nose right in front of our eyes. While it all began with an ill-fated injury, the forward's lack of discipline has a role to play in his downfall as well.
After making quite a name for himself during his early teenage days, Jese was wanted by many La Liga clubs including Barcelona. However, the Spaniard chose to join Real Madrid's youth setup — La Fabrica.
He ascended through the ranks effortlessly and earned a permanent call-up to the star-studded senior side during Carlo Ancelloti's first stint at the Bernabeu. Jese was mostly used as a super sub and he barely failed to deliver. He endured a fine run in form from late 2013 to March 2014.
It all began after the forward picked up an ACL injury during Real Madrid's Champions League round of 16 tie against Schalke in March 2014. He was sidelined for nine months before returning to a much-crowded squad.
The lack of playing minutes and increasing competition forced Jese to sign for PSG after spending a decade at the Spanish capital. His ill-fate continued in Paris as well. Jese was sent out on multiple loan deals at Las Palmas, Stoke City, Real Betis and Sporting CP.
The Spaniard is currently playing for Las Palmas after a contract termination from PSG following COVID rule violations and a sex scandal.
#1 Bojan Krkic
There is only one name that comes to our minds when we think of Barcelona's records. Lionel Messi.
But there was a certain player at Barcelona who went by the name of Bojan Krkic, who broke multiple Leo Messi records on youth levels. Part of Barcelona's La Masia, Bojan wreaked havoc between 1999 and 2006. It was reported that Bojan scored over 900 goals across various youth levels, breaking Leo Messi's record.
The Spaniard was also Barcelona's youngest ever La Liga debutant and the then youngest Barca player to feature in a Champions League game. Many expected Bojan and Messi to be the pillars of Barcelona's future. However, we witnessed just one of them reaching sky high and it was not Bojan.
The Spanish international couldn't handle the regular pressure and fell down the pecking order before having to move away from his boyhood club. He plays in the J1 league as of now.
