Ranking the Top 10 U-21 players in Europe: Who will win the Golden Boy award?

Almost every club manager looks to have a rich mixture of experience and youth in their squads as they strive to build the perfect ecosystem for a club to progress and sustain themselves. While cash-rich clubs have tried to upset the balance, there are many idealists who still rely on youth players to do the job.

However, a select few have already made themselves invaluable with consistent performances in the top flight against rivals who have far more experience than them. While the world waits for a number of potential stars to build their career, these youngsters have already announced their arrival.

The list of nominees for the Golden Boy award (Best under-21 player in Europe) was also released today. We've ranked the top 10 contenders.

Note: Players who have already turned 21 were not eligible for this list.

10) Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)

Country: Uruguay

Position: Midfielder

Age: 20

The young midfielder stands at 6'2" and has been described as the 'Uruguayan Pogba'. That comparison was made by his coach at Boca Juniors Guillermo Schelotto - the club where he made a name for himself before his big move to Europe.

His versatility allows managers to play him in different positions in midfield - be it a defensive role, a central role or even as an attacking midfielder. A player who idolises Juan Riquelme, Bentancur is an intelligent midfielder who can do his bit in attack thanks to his ability to use both feet while his aerial superiority is also very handy in the middle of the park.

Juventus knew exactly what they were doing when they let Carlos Tevez return to Boca in 2015, adding a clause that allowed them to approach the youngster first when his time came.

After playing a key role with Boca Juniors to win the Primera Division in 2015 and 2016/17, Juve activated the option to sign him permanently for a base fee of €9.5m.

9) Youri Tielemans (AS Monaco)

Country: Belgium

Position: Midfielder

Age: 20

Another youngster who made heads turn - especially in the 2016/17 season - was Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans. With an average height of 5'10", he was more than capable of commanding the middle of the pitch in an otherwise unspectacular Anderlecht side.

Nobody thought much about the unassuming youngster with bags of potential until he set a record in the Champions League on his debut. He became the youngest Belgian to make a debut in the competition aged just 16.

Now aged 20, he has already made over 200 senior appearances and could break the record for most senior appearances by the time he retires putting the likes of Ran Giggs and Francesco Totti behind him - provided he continues his rise.

A cool and composed midfield general, he soon upped his game to take matters into his own hands, advancing forward and either scoring or creating goals. Last season saw him score 17 goals and also bagging 10 assists.

It was only a matter of time before a big team in a bigger league came in for him and Monaco under Leonardo Jardim seems the best fit for the youngster to grow and make his mark in Ligue 1.

8) Theo Hernandez (Real Madrid)

Country: Spain

Position: Left-Back

Age: 19

"If Madrid ask us about Theo, the answer would be energetic and determined. Theo is our player." - Atletico president Enrique Cerezo in April 2017

It's safe to say that he couldn't do anything as their arch-rivals swooped in and signed Hernandez. Coming from a football family of defenders, both his father and brother had played for the Rojiblancos and tensions might be high at home following his switch.

But what makes him so special? His pace on the left wing allows him to attack and his crossing ability is one of his significant strengths. Moreover, he doesn't shirk his responsibilities in defence either, always tracking back.

Last season, while his brother Lucas filled in for Juanfran at right-back, Theo was on loan at Alaves where he made 32 appearances in the league as a teenager. He was also instrumental in their Copa del Rey run, even scoring an equaliser in the final against Barcelona in the 3-1 loss.

It was enough for Real to chase his signature and Theo had no interest in accepting Atletico's contract. He wanted to be a Blanco and a six-year deal was signed as he crossed the divide.

7) Kasper Dolberg (Ajax)

Country: Denmark

Position: Forward

Age: 19

All it took was one look at a trial for Ajax to go to Kasper Dolberg's house to convince his parents to send him to the Dutch club. They readily agreed and it didn't take long to come to a decision. He would be trained by Dennis Bergkamp after all.

Drawing comparisons with Dutch legend Marco van Basten, he initially arrived at the club as a promising winger. But Bergkamp did his magic and converted him into a number 9.

The 6'2" forward has since burst on to the scene in the Eredivisie and scored goals for fun in his debut season. In all competitions, he managed to find the net 23 times - astonishing numbers for a teenager in his first season as a full-fledged senior.

He'd also scored 7 goals in Europe as Ajax finished runners-up in the Europa League. He also walked away with the Dutch Football Talent of the Year award.

“We’ve had interest from all over Europe, especially from England. All of the top clubs in England have been in touch – and in Spain as well." - Dolberg’s agent

Dolberg had been linked with Manchester United, Real Madrid and even Borussia Dortmund but he's stayed at Ajax at least for another season.

6) Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)

Country: United States of America

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Age: 18

At 17 years and 349 days, Christian Pulisic made history by becoming the youngest goalscorer for USA in World Cup qualifying history. In fact, he had grabbed a brace in that game.

The fact that borussia Dortmund stumbled upon him by accident makes for a funny story. The Bundsliga club's scouts were in Turkey to look at someone else when they saw Pulisic on the pitch, immediately asking the club to sign him.

Pulisic had his breakthrough season in 2016/17 when he became a regular under Thomas Tuchel in a new-look Dortmund side. Clocking over 1,500 minutes in the league, he was involved in 9 goals.

With the ability to play on the wing or as a number 10, he combined well with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ousmane Dembele as Dortmund finished third last season.

His dribbling skills have improved since his debut and his quick thinking in the final third is what sets him apart from the other youngsters.

5) Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Country: England

Position: Forward

Age: 19

Most players dream of scoring on their debut. Manchester United's Marcus Rashford has scored on a number of debuts; Premier League debut, Europa League debut, FA Cup debut, League Cup debut, England U-21 debut, England debut and his Champions League debut!

The big occasion never seemed to bother him. And it is no wonder that even club legends are singing his praises.

"You look at Cristiano Ronaldo's record and players like Neymar, he has that kind of ability. It is a lot to live up to, but he has that in him. He can be a world star." - Paul Scholes

With the ability to play out wide or as a centre-forward, he gave Louis van Gaal and now Jose Mourinho a lot of options. His blistering pace and finishing ability are his biggest assets at the moment and he will be the next big thing for England as well.

When Harry Kane struggled at Euro 2016, the Three Lions looked a better side when Rashford (the youngest player and only teenager in the squad) was on the pitch.

4) Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)

Country: Brazil

Position: Forward

Age: 20

Brazilian Serie A club Palmeiras waited 22 years to lift a league title. Much of it was down to the heroics of young Gabriel Jesus who had scored 21 goals in the 2016 campaign. It was enough to get him into the Team of the Year.

A centre-forward who can also play on the wing, the Brazilian is no stranger to winning in what has been a fledgling career so far. He also won the Copa do Brasil and took home the Gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Manchester City had seen enough and saw fit to spend £27m on him, allowing him to finish the season with Palmeiras before he moved to England in January 2017. A quick start was suddenly derailed by a metatarsal injury that saw him sidelined for much of the second half of the season.

However, he has already shown this season that he belongs in the Premier League with three goals in his last three matches which included a brace against Liverpool. He also got on the scoresheet in the Champions League as City look good to win a trophy or two this season.

Not many players can bench Sergio Aguero. Jesus did with Guardiola preferring him to play up front. But this season has shown they can also play in tandem to form a frightening partnership up front.

3) Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)

Country: France

Position: Winger

Age: 20

Young Ousmane Dembele lasted just one season with Borussia Dortmund but it was all he needed to announce himself to the European superpowers. With the ability to play in a variety of positions, the French winger/midfielder/forward scored 11 goals and grabbed 18 assists in all competitions in 2016/17.

Thomas Tuchel played him on the right flank in a 3-4-3, played him on the left in a 4-1-4-1 formation and even as a midfielder in a 3-4-3 system. He thrived everywhere and played a key role in helping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang score 31 goals to walk away with the kicker Torjägerkanone award for the top goal scorer in the Bundesliga last season.

Barcelona were desperate for a replacement after Neymar's departure to PSG and saw fit to make Dembele the second-most expensive player in the world (for now) for an initial fee of €105m (plus up to €42m in add-ons).

But just as he was getting to grips with playing for Barcelona and alongside Messi-Suarez, the Frenchman injured his hamstring which will keep him out for a few months. However, he has time to return and make a name for himself at the Camp Nou.

2) Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)

Country: Italy

Position: Goalkeeper

Age: 18

Can you imagine being named in the matchday squad of the senior team when you're only 15 years old? It's the stuff of dreams and Gianluigi Donnarumma lived it!

To take it up a notch, he then made his Serie A debut aged 16 years and 242 days. He had supplanted veteran goalkeeper Diego Lopez as the no.1 choice and the goalkeeper who stands at 6'5" has never looked back since.

At 17, he was playing for the Italy U-21 team. He had even made the squad for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship where the Azzurri reached the semi-finals.

Comparisons with Gianluigi Buffon obviously followed as the Juventus man had also made his debut as a teenager (with Parma) and before long he became his deputy in the Italian national team as well.

"He really is a goalkeeper who is proving himself to be something different from the others. He’s an exception. Like all exceptions, he’s young and advancing very quickly." - Gianluigi Buffon

This could be Buffon's final season before he hangs up his boots (and gloves?). The 2018 World Cup could be his final tournament. He will be 40 in January.

But once he retires, Italy will still be in the safe hands of 'Gigi'.

1) Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

Country: France

Position: Forward

Age: 18

"Mbappe could be [the next] Pele. There are no limits to how far he can go." - Arsene Wenger

High praise from a manager who is known for unearthing French talents and mentored France's greatest goalscorer Thierry Henry - who Mbappe has been compared to already thanks to his style of play and form last season with AS Monaco.

Though he took his time to get going, Mbappe switched on the afterburners in February to take Ligue 1 by storm. Monaco won the title and also reached the Champions League semi-finals when nobody expected them to.

The Frenchman eventually finished the season with 26 goals in all competitions (18 of which came in the last three months of the season). Of course, Wenger tired to bring him to Arsenal but silently backed out when he realised there was no chance he could compete from a financial standpoint.

However he had only one destination on his mind: PSG. He is a Parisian kid after all. Real Madrid also refused to meet his wage demands.

PSG signed him "on loan" to avoid Financial Fair Play sanctions with the condition that they would sign him permanently next season for €155m.

After teaming up with Neymar and Edinson Cavani, Ligue 1 defenders are already quaking in their boots.

Edited by Rohith Nair