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The last couple of seasons have seen a large number of youngsters making their break-throughs in various European leagues.
Several of them have even been involved in humongous transfers that shook up the football world following Neymar's move to PSG. Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Malcom are just a few examples. Teams are now willing to splash out eye-watering amounts for youngsters with potential.
The footballing landscape is changing. Some of the best players in the world are close to retirement.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still two of the best players in the world right now. But the fact that neither of them won FIFA's 'The Best' award earlier this year shows that their imminent decline has perhaps begun.
Breaking into a European top flight team before turning 20 is no mean feat, and yet there are teenagers who are playing week in, week out for their respective club teams. Some of them are even regulars for their countries.
Players like Mbappe are already superstars in their own right, and some of them are on their way to attaining that status.
Its time to take a peek into the future of the beautiful game, and here's our take on the best teenage XI in world football right now:
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)
Age: 19
No, you didn't misread that name. Yes, Gianluigi Donnarumma is still only 19.
Donnarumma was just 16 when he made his debut for AC Milan against Sassuolo in the 2015/16 season. He soon became their first choice goalkeeper ahead of Diego Lopez. He is also the youngest ever keeper to represent Italy.
Standing at 6'5", he is an imposing presence between the posts. Having already made 132 appearances for Milan and 10 for Italy, the future looks bright.
Defence
RWB: Achraf Hakimi (Dortmund)
Age: 19
Trent Alexander-Arnold would have probably made this XI a few days ago, but don't let that distract you from Real Madrid's 19-year-old prodigy.
Thanks to an injury to Dani Carvajal, Achraf Hakimi was called up to the senior side last season and made 9 LaLiga appearances. He is defensively and tactically strong and known for his work rate on the right flank.
He was shipped out on loan to Borussia Dortmund for more game time, where he is currently a backup for veteran Łukasz Piszczek. The Moroccan international also has 14 caps for his country, including 3 appearances at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
CB: Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)
Age: 19
De Ligt is a youth product of Ajax Amsterdam's famed youth academy and is already one of the hottest properties in Europe.
He made the news recently for replying "Ajax" when asked whether his dream club was Barcelona or Manchester City. He clearly has a mature head on young shoulders, and can still spend a solid 3-4 years in the Netherlands before making the inevitable big money move.
Making his senior debut in 2016/17, he played a crucial role in Ajax's run to the Europa League final in 2017. He's also established himself as a regular for his country, starting alongside Virgil van Dijk in the recent 3-0 win over Germany.
CB: Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig)
Age: 19
Upamecano turns 20 on the 27th of October, but for now, he has a place in this lineup.
Having joined RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg for €10 million in January 2017, he quickly became a regular for the German club. He is a highly physical centre back who can also play as a defensive midfielder, and he's known for being unusually fast for a defender.
Upamecano is unlucky that France has such a vast wealth of talent in central defence. He did, however, help his country win the U17 Euros is 2015, and a senior call-up in the next couple of seasons is inevitable.
CB: Malang Sarr (Nice)
Age: 19
Another young French centre-back, Malang Sarr plays for boyhood club Nice in Ligue 1.
He became the second youngest player to score on a Ligue 1 debut in August 2016, and he's been a regular for them ever since. He is known for being an excellent reader of the game, and for his brilliant disciplinary record.
Sarr is a versatile player who can also play at left-back and has already attracted interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Inter Milan.
LWB: Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)
Age: 18
Sessegnon made the headlines when he helped Fulham get promoted to the Premier League last season, but made his debut in the 2016/17 season, when he was just 16 years and 81 days old.
Capable of playing as left back or left winger, he scored an astonishing 15 goals in the Championship last season. There were several rumours linking him with Manchester United in the summer, but Fulham did well to hold on to him.
The Cottagers are just 2 points above the relegation zone, and will need the 18 year old to be at his very best in order to avoid the drop.
Midfield
CM: Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Age: 18
One of Manchester City's most prized assets, Foden has been turning heads in English football for the last couple of seasons.
He won the Golden Ball at the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2017, helping England lift the title in India. He made only 5 appearances in the Premier League last season but already has 3 so far in 2018/19.
With some of City's first team stars like David Silva and Fernandinho well into their 30's, Foden will get several opportunities to impress Guardiola in the coming months.
CM: Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Age: 19
Kai Havertz became Bayer Leverkusen's youngest ever debutant in the Bundesliga in 2016, and he's already been a first team regular for two seasons now.
He is a technically gifted playmaker known for his ability with both feet and has evoked comparisons with Mesut Ozil.
In spite of the highly competitive atmosphere in Germany, he already has one cap for the senior side, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Timo Werner against Peru earlier this year.
Forwards
RW: Jadon Sancho (Dortmund)
Age: 18
This is a competitive area of the pitch, but based on current form, Jadon Sancho is the clear winner.
The Man City academy graduate has had an explosive start to the season with Borussia Dortmund, with 1 goal and 6 assists so far. He's only started 1 match for in the Bundesliga this season, making 6 substitute appearances.
His form has already earned him an England call-up, making his debut in the 0-0 draw against Croatia in the UEFA Nations League. His form has already prompted rumours of a £100 million move away from Dortmund in the winter.
ST: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Age: 19
Who else?
Mbappe's meteoric rise in the last couple of years has shown no signs of slowing down. Since making his debut for Monaco in 2015, he's won the Ligue 1 twice, lifted the World Cup with France, and become the second most expensive player in the history of the sport.
He's started the new season with a bang, scoring 8 goals in 5 appearances. He even has a Ballon d'Or nomination, and if he can keep up his current form, he might even have an outside chance of lifting the most coveted individual award in world football.
LW: Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)
Age: 18
Real Madrid fans waited for a long time to catch a glimpse of their record teenage signing in the Los Blancos white, and they finally got to watch him in action during pre-season this summer.
Known for his pace, dribbling and vision, Vinicius oozes Brazilian flair. The youngster has spent most of this season with Real Madrid's reserve squad, scoring 3 goals in 3 matches in the Spanish 3rd division.
He finally made his LaLiga debut in the Madrid derby as a substitute, becoming the first player born in the 21st century to represent Real Madrid. Considering their current goalscoring problems, the youngster will probably see a lot more game time in the coming weeks.
