European teenage 11

Metz v Paris Saint Germain - Ligue 1
Last season's breakout star.

We're past the midway point of the season and the major European Leagues have kept us busy as always with its usual set of surprises and breakthroughs.

We've seen the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Gianluigi Donnarumma continue their progress and make it in the big leagues and we've seen quite a few other youngsters of high calibre come up the ranks of various teams.

This is a list of a starting XI that could be made out of the best teenagers who are plying their trade in Europe. The list considers players who are below the age of 20 and have been performing with a maturity way beyond their tender years.

A traditional 4-4-2 formation shall be considered for this XI which will solely be comprised of teenagers playing in Europe.

Without further ado, let's see who makes the cut:


Goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)

AC Milan v CSU Craiova - UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round: Second Leg
Milan's teenage shot-stopper sensation

Other alternatives: Alban Lafont (Toulouse), Mile Svilar (Benfica)

Age: 18

League appearances: 89

For anyone who has seen AC Milan play in the past two seasons, it would be difficult to comprehend the fact that their giant shot-stopper is still only 18.

One of the first names on the team sheet and a product of the famous AC Milan youth academy, Donnarumma has established himself as the No 1 for AC Milan and is almost set to take over the No 1 post for the Italian National Team too, following Buffon's retirement after a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign.

A seasoned starter by now, with great potential for further growth, one can only imagine how good this youngster can be. Having created a lot of furore and talk after reportedly rejecting a contract renewal offer, Donnarumma was mocked and ridiculed by the Milan faithful before he finally put pen to paper and extended his stay at the Italian club.

All the big clubs in the world would have certainly kept tabs on Donnarumma's development and with AC Milan not performing well domestically even after a stunning squad overhaul, it might not be long before he is prised away from the San Siro.

A solid and experienced keeper at only 18 years of age, the sky is the limit for this young gun.

Defence

Right-back: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Anfield's own.
Anfield's own

Other alternatives: Timothy Fosu-Mensah (Crystal Palace on loan from Manchester United), Felix Passlack (Hoffenheim on loan from Borussia Dortmund)

Age: 19

League appearances: 15

One of the most exciting prospects to come out from the famed Liverpool academy in the last few years, Trent Alexander-Arnold has caught the eye in his first full season as a senior player.

A prototype modern-day right-back, TAA contributes well in the attacking third and has turned heads with his crossing and ball-playing abilities. He packs a mean free kick as well, as made evident from his wonderful strike against Hoffenheim in the UEFA Champions League qualification stage.

An England U-21 international, TAA's rise to the top has been rapid and his performances have justified all the hype surrounding him in the English media. With Nathaniel Clyne not having played a single game this season, TAA took his opportunity well and has repaid Klopp's faith in him time and again.

TAA looks to be a fixture at right-back for Liverpool for years to come and will be giving good competition to the likes of Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier for the English National Team spot too in the years to come, if his initial showings are to go by.


Right Centre-back: Dayot Upamecano

FC Porto v RB Leipzig - UEFA Champions League
The man with a £100 million buyout clause.

Other alternatives: Malang Sarr (Nice), Panagiotis Retsos (Bayer Leverkusen)

Age: 19

League appearances: 60

You have to be really good if you're only 19 and you have teams in Europe considering the option of meeting your buyout clause of £100 million to lay their hands on you. Linked on multiple occasions to Liverpool and Manchester City, Dayot Upamecano is one of the most talented young defenders in the world at the moment.

RB Leipzig's rock at centre-back, Upamecano has been key to the rise of Leipzig to becoming one of the most exciting teams in Europe at the moment.

A French U-19 international, Upamecano was part of the team of the tournament at the 2015 U-17 Euros and was the best defender in the 2014 U-14 Aegean Cup for France.

Signed by RB Leipzig for around £10 million last year, Upamecano has been a regular in the Bundesliga this season and has been very impressive with his composed nature and his inch-perfect tackles.

Another prospect in the French roster of wonderkids, Upamecano is mature well beyond his age and his defending has been top notch. A vital part of RB Leipzig, who are known for playing hardball with their players, it won't be long before the big clubs come knocking for a defender of his potential.


Left Centre-back: Matthijs De Ligt (Ajax)

Youngest Dutch international in decades.
Youngest Dutch international in decades

Other alternatives: Reece Oxford (Borussia Monchengladbach on loan from West Ham), Ethan Ampadu (Chelsea)

Age: 18

League appearances: 47

Reportedly Barcelona's 'Chosen One', Matthijs De Ligt has been turning glances since he first made his debut for Ajax in September 2016. He is so highly rated that he received a Netherlands national team call-up just after he had made 2 league starts for Ajax in the Eredivisie.

A well-rounded centre-back, De Ligt is good with the ball and is a force in the air. Having also scored 4 times since his debut for Ajax, De Ligt is a good attacking option at set pieces.

Only 18, the Dutchman has built on his game over the past two seasons and has been an absolute revelation. A key part of Ajax's Europa League final run, De Ligt has no shortage of suitors, with Barcelona being particularly interested in the teenager.

His Netherlands debut showed us that he is not the finished product yet, making 2 errors that proved vital, but at only 18, if he continues his career progression the way he has till date, De Ligt could as well become one of Europe's elite centre-backs in the years to come and would look to emulate former center back partner Davinson Sanchez's upward career trajectory.


Left-back: Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)

One of the best teenagers in England.
One of the best teenagers in England

Other alternatives: Marc Cucurella (Barcelona B), Marcelo Saracchi (River Plate)

Age: 17

League appearances: 53

17-year-old Ryan Sessegnon has been nothing short of spectacular at Fulham. An attacking full-back, Sessegnon's performances have been reminiscent of a young Ashley Cole. One of the most intriguing prospects in the Championship, Sessegnon has 19 England U-19 appearances to his name too.

Fulham didn't let their prized asset travel to India for the U-17 World Cup in 2017, an event in which Ryan's twin brother, Steven (also of Fulham) took part in.

In November 2017, Ryan marked his 50th senior appearance for Fulham by scoring a hat-trick against Sheffield United, becoming the first seventeen-year-old to score a hat-trick in the top four tiers of English league football since Dele Alli achieved the feat in 2014.

Sessegnon is Fulham's top goal scorer this season and has been a constant threat along the flank. Having been linked with almost all the Premier League giants over the past one year, if Fulham fails to gain promotion to the Premier League, it looks highly likely that one of the Top 6 will make the swoop for him.

Another English prospect climbing up the ranks, if Sessegnon's early progress is to go by, he definitely looks set for big things in the future.

Midfield

Right-Midfield/Right-wing: Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)

America's golden boy
America's golden boy

Other alternatives: Cengiz Under (Roma), Martin Odegaard (Heerenveen on loan from Real Madrid)

Age: 19

League appearances: 55

It's not often that you become your country's greatest footballing hope and one of your club's best players while you are still in your teens. Christian Pulisic, American football's blue-eyed boy, has been absolutely sensational over the last one year. So much so that the dent left by Ousmane Dembele's departure to Barcelona was not even felt.

Stepping up when called upon, Pulisic has been exceptionally good and has single-handedly won games for Dortmund and the USMNT. Even though his heroics could not take the USA through to the World Cup, Pulisic can walk away with his head held high after having given every last ounce of effort possible for the cause.

A crucial cog in the Dortmund system, Pulisic has been one of Dortmund's rays of hope in what has been a disappointing season so far. Still only 19, Pulisic looks set on becoming the next talisman for Dortmund and will be under the microscope as one of the brightest young talents in world football at the moment.


Central-Midfield: Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)

SS Lazio v Bayer Leverkusen - Pre-Season Friendly
The next Mesut Ozil?

Other alternatives: Manuel Locatelli (AC Milan), Oriol Busquets (Barcelona B)

Age: 18

League appearances: 38

Capable of playing as a playmaker or as a winger, Kai Havertz is the latest prospect to emerge from the Bayer Leverkusen conveyor belt of talent. A technically brilliant player, Havertz has been likened to German superstar Mesut Ozil and with his knack for putting the right balls for his teammates and turning provider, it looks like a fair comparison from the looks of it.

Leverkusen's youngest ever Bundesliga debutant, Havertz featured in the UEFA Champions League round of 16's shortly after his Bundesliga debut, against Atletico Madrid, but he was ruled out of the squad for the second leg because it clashed with examinations in his school.

Having provided 6 assists in the Bundesliga so far this season, Havertz has shown all signs of living up to the hype surrounding him and has been integral to a young Leverkusen side chasing Champions League qualification.

His goal-scoring record for the German youth setup is really impressive as well, and shows his flexibility and capability to play in different roles depending on the tactics deployed.


Central-Midfield: Tom Davies (Everton)

Everton v Burnley - Premier League
Archetypal Central midfield commander.

Other alternatives: Salih Ozcan (FC Koln), Phil Foden (Manchester City)

Age: 19

League appearances: 46

One of the many youngsters to have climbed up the ranks at Everton in recent years, Tom Davies has established himself as a Premier League regular over the course of the season, keeping the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Mohamed Besic frustrated.

Davies made a statement right from his first start against Norwich, a game in which he was selected as the Man of the Match.

Nephew of former Everton player Alan Whittle, Davies comes from a footballing family and was integrated into the England youth setup early in his childhood. A former U-17 England captain, Davies is a very vocal presence in the centre of the park and plays like an archetypal midfield general.

An all-action midfielder, Davies is strong on the run and is a very good tackler of the ball as well.

Winner of Everton's Young player of the year award, Performance of the Year award and Goal of the Year award in his debut season, Davies has been phenomenal for Everton over the past couple of seasons and will be a mainstay at Merseyside if his form so far is anything to go by.


Left-Midfield/Left-wing: Justin Kluivert (Ajax)

Living up to the surname
Living up to the surname

Other alternatives: Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Ismaila Sarr (Stade Rennais)

Age: 18

League appearances: 29

It's often difficult being the son of a famous footballer (ask Jordi Cruyff, He'll know). But the 18-year-old baby faced winger from Ajax has lived up to the billing that comes with his famous surname so far.

A sleek, free-flowing player as compared to his direct and clinical father, Justin is a winger who has the pace to burn and a bag full of tricks to give nightmares to the full-backs.

Another graduate of the famous Ajax academy, Justin has made himself quite a spectacular highlight reel this season with his wonderful trickery and his worldies, including 2 stunners in his hat-trick against Roda JC. A Netherlands U-21 international already, Kluivert looks set to follow his father's footsteps into the higher echelons of European football.

After playing a crucial part in last year's UEFA Europa League campaign, Justin has played his part in Ajax's League run this season as well and has combined really with the other youngsters who climbed up the ranks of Ajax alongside him.

With a lot of European giants reportedly interested in the youngster, Justin looks like he will be the next big attacking talent from the Ajax academy to rock the European stage.

Strikers

Left Striker: Pietro Pellegri (Genoa)

At 16, Pellegri has stormed into the Serie A.
At 16, Pellegri has taken the Serie A by stormOther alternatives: Jann Fiete-Arp (Hamburg), Odsonne Édouard (Celtic on loan from PSG)

Age: 16

League appearances: 9

The youngest player in this XI at 16 years of age, Pietro Pellegri is the latest in the Italian production line of talented strikers to take the Serie A by storm.

His performances have been absolutely stellar and considering the fact that he is only 16, it comes as no surprise that he is already subject to a £10 million (plus add-ons) bid by the Italian champions Juventus if recent reports are to go by.

The youngest ever Serie A debutant and the first 16-year-old to score more than one goal in a major European league game, Pellegri has created waves in the Italian footballing circuit and has been smothered in praise by the Italian media.

Also, the first millennial to score in the Serie A, Pellegri has made 6 appearances in the league already this season, scoring 3 goals in the process.


Right Striker: Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

Paris Saint-Germain v Celtic FC - UEFA Champions League
One of the best in the world at 19

Other alternatives: Moise Kean (Hellas Verona, on loan from Juventus), Abel Ruiz (Barcelona B)

Age: 19

League appearances: 58

The most celebrated teenager in the world since a certain Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe was voted the 7th best footballer in the world in the Ballon D'or listings. An incredible feat for a 19-year-old (18 at the time of the list) who is barely 2 full seasons old in European football.

The talk of the footballing world last season, Mbappe took France and Europe by storm and was AS Monaco's attacking spark in a very impressive season that culminated with Monaco ending PSG's monopoly at the top of the French League and progressed to the Semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Breaking multiple records set by a young Thierry Henry at AS Monaco, Kylian Mbappe was unstoppable last season. Unbelievably quick and super sharp on the turn, his creative side was also on show last season as he formed a formidable partnership with Falcao at Monaco.

His stellar first season sparked a transfer frenzy with all European giants willing to splurge cash to get his signature. Finally, PSG got to sign him, making him part of the second most expensive transfer in footballing history and making him the final addition in the new attacking triumvirate which comprises Uruguayan sharpshooter Edinson Cavani and Brazilian magician Neymar.

He has continued his excellent run of form and has shut all the critics who labelled him as a possible 'one-season-wonder'.

Probably the best teenager in the world right now, Kylian Mbappe is certainly the one to finish off the moves for this teenage XI.

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Edited by Aakanksh Sanketh