Top 10 U-21 Soccer Players in World Football
Gabriel Defranca
10. Nico Paz
Aged 21, Paz is a Spanish attacking midfielder who currently plays for Como in Italy Paz is considered such a good player due to his versatility, technical skill, and impressive attacking output for his age. He demonstrates excellent dribbling, vision, and creativity, while also being a consistent goal threat with a powerful shot and a knack for making penetrating runs. His tactical intelligence, ability to handle pressure, and strong performances in Serie A further highlight his potential.
9. Warren Zaire-Emery
Aged 19, Zaire-Emery is a young promising French talent who plays as a center midfielder for Paris Saint German. His attacking IQ and composure of an experienced 30-year-old paired with his strong running power and technical dribbling ability make him a strong central midfielder. The fact that he has broken through the academy at such a young age shows how good and technically gifted he is, which makes him a threat to other big clubs around the world.
8. Kenan Yildiz
Yildiz is a Turkish attacking midfielder who plays for Juventus at the age of 20. Yildiz has the rare technical ability to create chances in the final third of the pitch paired with his high pace and ball striking ability which makes him one of his team's most reliable and threatening players not only for his club, but for his national team as well. He already wears the number 10 jersey for his club, which is usually given to the team's best attacker with lots of valuable game experience. This number alone shows his tremendous skill.
7. Dean Huijsen
Aged 20, Huijsen is a Spanish central defender for Real Madrid he is considered one of the most promising young talents in soccer because of his proactive and technical style. He blends his strong defensive instincts with a strong ability to keep possession, which makes him an excellent "play-making center-back". He is physically dominant and good in the air, but his ability to play out from the back, break lines with progressive passes, and confidently drive into midfield makes him one of the best.
6. Willian Estevao
Estevao is a Brazilian winger who plays for Chelsea (aged 18) who already represents his national team. He is seen as an incredible player due to his exceptional technical skills, including speed, acceleration, dribbling, and ball control, combined with football intelligence and creativity. His ability to be effective, his composure in big moments like scoring a late winner, and his strong attitude and work rate are also highlighted. He is seen as a highly promising talent who is technically advanced for his age.
5. Pablo Gavi
Gavi is a Spanish central midfielder for Barcelona who is 21 years old. Spanish midfielder Gavi is highly regarded for combining the world-class technical skill of a La Masia academy graduate with the relentless aggression and work rate of a defensive enforcer. At just 21 years old, he has become a key player for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team because of his exceptional passing range which allows him to distribute the ball accurately over both short and long distances, consistently finding teammates in dangerous positions. Additionally, he also possesses a high game IQ enabling him to read the game and make quick, intelligent decisions, often creating solutions in situations with no clear passing lane.
4. Joao Neves
Neves is a Portuguese 21-year-old midfielder who plays for Paris Saint German he is considered a top young player due to his exceptional all-around ability as a central midfielder, which includes superior technical skill, defensive tenacity, and leadership qualities. He combines creative passing and ball retention with tireless pressing and tackling, all supported by a low center of gravity, agility, and physical strength. His maturity, composure, and tactical intelligence also set him apart for his age. In fact, he recently scored what is regarded as one of the best hat tricks of all time, scoring 2 bicycle kicks and a rocket from outside of the box.
3. Arda Güler
Güler is a Turkish 20-year-old attacking midfielder who is considered so good due to his exceptional technical skills, including creative dribbling, precise passing, and a powerful left foot for both shooting and set pieces. He is also praised for his soccer IQ, with strong vision and awareness of space, which allows him to create scoring chances and control the game's tempo. His ability to perform under pressure and his composure in tight situations. At the age of 20 he is already a frequent starter for his club and countries national team. Take note that he plays for Real Madrid, which is considered the best team in soccer history.
2. Désiré Doué
Doué is a 20-year-old French winger and is considered one of the best young players because of his technical skills, including excellent dribbling, agility, and two-footedness, as well as his versatility and ability to play multiple attacking positions. He is also known for his tactical intelligence, creativity, and fearlessness in taking on defenders, which has led to his impressive performances in major matches like the Champions League final, scoring 2 goals in an amazing win against Inter Milan. He is a gifted dribbler, capable of gliding past defenders with ease. He uses body feints, agility, and close control to get past opponents easily.
1. Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal is an 18-year-old Spanish winger who plays for Barcelona he is considered the best young talent in the world recently winning his second Kopa trophy which is awarded to the best young player of the year and was runner up for the ballon d'or. Lamine Yamal is considered a generational talent due to a combination of exceptional technical skills, advanced footballing intelligence, and supreme confidence. His dribbling is both flashy and effective, and he uses his left foot with incredible precision, but his ability to make the right decision, create chances, and maintain a high-level of play at such a young age is what truly sets him apart.
