Five football wonderkids to watch out for who are younger than you

Modified Apr 04, 2015 06:42 GMT

Germany's U17 Captain – Benjamin Henrichs

Henrichs joined Leverkusen's youth setup when he was seven years old, and a decade after, he has turned into a fine player. Thanks to the UEFA Youth League, he has already experienced global football and understands what professional football is all about.

Germany’s captain of the Under-17 team at the next year’s Euros, he was intrinsic in the U-17 qualifiers, leading his side to the second stage of the tournament. He is a highly skilled, physically imposing, technically abled lad playing for Leverkusen B.

Henrich’s skills and ability should see him train with the Leverkusen Seniors in the near future and if reports are said to be true, Bayern and Dortmund are eager to sign the recently turned 18-year-old.

Youri Tielemans is Belgium’s Young Player of the Year

“You have to be blind if you don’t know Youri Tielemans. He is a super player.”

Tielemans apparently became Jürgen Klopp’s favourite youngster after Borussia Dortmund’s match against Tielemans’ club Anderlecht last year. He became the youngest Belgian player to play in the UEFA Champions League when he had made his Champions League debut at the age of 16 years, four months and 25 days in 2013.

Voted Belgium's young player of the year in June 2014, he was also accorded as the nation's most promising newcomer in January 2015. The Belgian is known to be a strong and gifted defensive midfielder with exceptional passing range, pace and dribbling ability.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are currently fighting over the 17-year-old, with Chelsea being the keenest among the three. Anderlecht is known to have produced players like Lukaku and Vincent Kompany, and Tielemans.

The ‘New Gianluigi Buffon’ – Simone Scuffet

Goalkeepers have always taken longer periods of time to establish themselves, but Simone Scuffet has already made a big impression in Serie A – establishing himself as first-choice for Udinese last season. The 18 year has been hailed by Italy international Gianluigi Buffon to become a huge star.

In a nation where goalkeepers are admired and regarded higher than most others, Scuffet instantly became a sensation. Boasting an imposing and athletic built, he had an extraordinary upswing in 2013-14. Scuffet made 16 appearances from February onwards – keeping six clean sheets in the process.

With quick reflexes and a good starting position, he was voted the best goalkeeper in the country’s youth championship. He has since upped his game, making a spot for himself in Italy’s U-19 set up, and holds the potential to soon become a part of Antonio Conte’s side.

A valuable prospect for the future, Chelsea and AC Milan are reported to have made big bids for him. Though it was reported last year that Scuffet had turned down an offer to join the La Liga champions.

Football – a young man’s game?

Netherlands coach Guus Hiddink put up a rather young and inexperienced squad against Spain on Tuesday. And the result? A 2-0 win for the Dutch. Debutants are overshadowing big, established names. Youth academies of Anderlecht, Southampton, Ajax, Real Madrid, Barcelona and many others are producing top class players.

A lot of money is being put into these academies as an investment. Investment in being put into human capital and children are looked upon as massive assets, especially for the not so successful and rich clubs that don’t own a stadium or training grounds.

“Give young talent a chance and we can win 2022 World Cup,” says FA President Greg Dyke, and rightly so with the ages of the players as well as that of the managers increasingly going down, football is becoming a more youthful, a more vibrant and a more flamboyant game.