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For years Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated headlines for being the most lethal and feared players on the pitch because of their ability to score in big matches and bring trophies to their respective clubs. However, as they age, their glory days will be over, and fans will turn to younger stars.
The teens with the greatest potential can undoubtedly be found in Europe, regardless of their nationalities. In recent months, a few youngsters have been catching our attention following their impressive performances for their clubs and nations.
The trio on this list are below 20 years of age, but have earned themselves quite a reputation, and are dominating the headlines. Here is a look at 3 young footballers who are destined to shine for their clubs and countries in the near future.
#3 Reiss Nelson
In July 2017, Reiss Nelson made his senior debut when he faced Bayern Munich in the International Champions Cup. In the 2017-18 season, Arsene Wenger included him in his squad on multiple occasions.
He played 8 games for The Gunners in the Europa League, and 3 games in the Premier League. However, the 18-year-old failed to score for the senior side. In Premier League 2, Nelson actually impressed fans by scoring 9 goals in 11 games, and laid 3 assists for his team-mates.
When Unai Emery took over, perhaps he felt that the English youngster needed more game time elsewhere in Europe in order to better prepare for the battles in the Premier League. As such, Nelson was loaned to Hoffenheim.
Few expected him to thrive in Bundesliga. In 6 matches for the German club, Nelson has scored 5 goals. At the same time, he has also been given the chance to play in the UEFA Champions League, something Arsenal wouldn't have been able to offer him this season.
Julian Nagelsmann's men are struggling in the group stage after getting just 3 points from 4 matches played thus far. In Bundesliga, Hoffenheim sit in 7th place and Nelson is certainly attracting plenty of attention.
Emery refused to rule out the idea of recalling Nelson back to England early. According to reports, the 18-year-old remains keen to rejoin The Gunners as soon as he can, but does not mind playing in Bundesliga this season to gain more experience as a first team player.
If Nelson continues his impressive run in Bundesliga, he could attract interest from big clubs in Europe. Judging at how things are progressing, the youngster looks set to remain an Arsenal player after he signed a new long-term deal,right before leaving on loan.
All stats via transfermarkt
#2 Jadon Sancho
Sancho is another English youngster who has a bright future ahead of him, and he is lighting eyes up in Germany. The former Manchester City player joined Borussia Dortmund in 2017, and has started well this season for the current Bundesliga leaders.
Sancho has been doing so well that Gareth Southgate decided to call him up for England's UEFA Nations League matches back in October. The 18-year-old then made his international debut when The Three Lions drew with Croatia.
In 16 appearances for BVB across all competitions this season, Sancho has netted 5 times, and provided 8 assists. The attacking midfielder is remarkably strong in his passing and ability to make key passes.
He is also good with dribbling and through balls. These strong technical skill-sets ingrained in him truly makes him one of the most valuable midfielders England can rely on in the future.
There are rumours Juventus are keen on signing the youngster from Dortmund. The teenager is valued at around £70 million by the German club.
To further add to his reputation, Southgate has decided to keep him in the squad set to face the United States and Croatia. It will not be surprising to see him become an even greater star if he returns to play in the Premier League someday soon.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
While the previous two teenagers are considerably good, none comes close to Mbappe's standards. The French star is on a totally higher level than his peers.
Since his impressive season for Monaco which saw them lift the Ligue 1 trophy, football fans knew Mbappe would be a special player. He has been compared to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, and fans even tipped him to win the Ballon d'Or soon.
In the 2017-18 season, the 19-year-old scored 21 goals for his club. In the current season, with 12 games played, he has already netted 13 times for his club. He is already breaking records and achieving incredible feats at his young age. The future couldn't possibly be any brighter for him.
Mbappe won the World Cup with Les Bleus this year, and it seems like there is no task too difficult for him to complete. It remains to be seen whether he will continue playing in France amidst all the interest from top European clubs, but they could be deterred by the huge transfer cost payable to Paris Saint-Germain.
Without a doubt, there is widespread admiration for Mbappe, one of the youngsters with the greatest potential to become the best footballer in the world.
The forward still has to improve on his defensive contribution and offside awareness. If he improves on his weaknesses, it would make him a well rounded footballer.
