Football
Next Generation 2017: 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs
The Guardian picks the best prospect from each club born between 1 September 2000 and 31 August 2001, an age band known as first-year scholars. Check the progress of our 2016 class | 2015 | 2014
1
Lionel Messi
Paris
Saint-Germain
Comments (2055)
This discussion is now closed for comments but you can still sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion next timeComments (2055)
This discussion is now closed for comments but you can still sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion next timeGuardian Pick
A Fulham player in the top 100! Mitro is a very good player: great in the air, decent finishing and links play well. He has some limitations, mainly lack of pace, crap penalty record and picks up too many bookings. Not sure he's necessarily one of best 100 in the world but at least it will annoy the surprisingly large numbers of people on internet desperate to be proved right that he's 'not good enough'.
Guardian Pick
I always look forward to this piece. I'm predicting a huge fall for Ronaldo, maybe off the list entirely? Arsenal's only entry was Saka last season who snuck in in 95th place, surely that will change this year. Also hoping the World Cup win doesn't secure Messi top spot. I'm a huge fan but some of the GOAT hyperbole has been pretty nauseating.
Comments (2055)
This discussion is now closed for comments but you can still sign in or create your Guardian account to join the discussion next timeGuardian Pick
A Fulham player in the top 100! Mitro is a very good player: great in the air, decent finishing and links play well. He has some limitations, mainly lack of pace, crap penalty record and picks up too many bookings. Not sure he's necessarily one of best 100 in the world but at least it will annoy the surprisingly large numbers of people on internet desperate to be proved right that he's 'not good enough'.
Guardian Pick
Rodrigo De Paul Is a strange inclusion. Struggling with Athletico Madrid and questioned from all quarters about his commitment. Yet he was the complete opposite for his National
team at the World Cup. To be honest I never knew of him before Qatar. He played solidly throughout the tournament, but what really made me sit up and take notice was his performance in the final. I wasn’t even looking at him as a player to keep an eye on, but he was…
Guardian Pick
Martin Odegaard has gone from a nervy, lightweight into a highly talented ball player and probably more to come?
I doubt Liverpool fans are questioning Sadio Mane at 11, because boy are they missing him leading their thrust up top.
One of the great formula's in football what Jurgen created in Liverpool's forward press, you knew what was coming but could do very little to beat it.
Guardian Pick
Not one to critique these lists - they are what they are.
But I really dont get the Theo Hernandez love. He also appeared in more than one "team of the tournament" I saw from different media channels and pundits.
While tactical shape of France was a big part of it he was completely rinsed on more than one occasion in the world cup. And while he can point to those tactics as a root cause, the manner of his rinsing was not good in my …
Guardian Pick
Gakpo was extremely good for PSV throughout 2022. Top scorer in the 21/22 season as they took the league to the last day, had a goal every other game before the WC. In fact I believe in the 22/23 season (so the August-December period) only Messi and Mbappe had accumulated more goals and assists for club and country before EOY. Consistently good performances and high output.
Guardian Pick
So we're down to the top 10. These 8 will surely make it (in no particular order): Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, Lewandowski, Benzema, Modric, Salah, De Bruyne. What about the other 2? Vini Jr.? Can't think of another.
Haaland better than Kane? You jest. A goalscorer, versus a complete player. Think about the overall impact. Trite and simplistic scoring
Kane is shite he shouldn’t be it the top 50
Salah at 10 ?
Gerrah't of it !
Kevin De Bruyne is the best player of football on this planet. But this list is not just about that. It's about entertainment and exposure. That's modern football. Which is fine, but one must recognise that for pure footballing brilliance KDB is number 1 (with a small, hugely entertaining and overly exposed Argentinian just behind him).
I never knew his mum posted on here ...
Not here to discuss the who's who and where they lie in terms of numbers....but some of the photos of the players...!?!?!?
Come on...be a bit better...prime example being a deserved No5 ...Modric...you'd have thousands of picture of this guy and cops the one looking like an U8 crapping his shorts because he has to head a ball !!
He was 5th...not 55,555th !!!
I think Messi deserves top spot just for the jedi assist against the Netherlands. I still wake up thinking about that sometimes. Genius.
The one where he miss hit the pass to the striker, but luckily the full back ran on to it?
He's made similar passes many times... he drags players in one direction and then cuts it back, often without looking. That was no mistake.
Interesting, so he has form for miss hitting passes. I'm joking.
Interesting, so he has form for miss hitting passes. I'm joking.
No place for Jordan Fitzpatrick of Darvel, or is he being lined up for this year's list.
Thiago Silva at #75!
Comedy gold. I know this is pointed out elsewhere on here but it bears repeating, Silva is one of top 5 defenders in Europe.