Barcelona dominates ranking of the top five best teenagers in the world

The world of football is constantly evolving, with new stars emerging, and these players represent the future of the sport. 

Here are the top five young players as ranked by the CIES Football Observatory.

Yamal has captured the attention of football fans worldwide since he broke into the Barcelona senior team in 2023. 

At just 17 years old, he has already made significant strides in his career, showcasing exceptional skills and maturity beyond his years. Yamal's dribbling ability, vision, and composure on the ball have earned him comparisons to some of the greatest players in the game.

The youngster played a major role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, providing the most assists in the tournament while also winning the goal of the tournament and the young player award.

Another top talent from Barcelona’s highly-rated La Masia academy takes second place in the list.

Like Yamal, the defender broke into the Barcelona first team last season aged just 17 and immediately cemented a place at the heart of Barca’s defence.

Though he did not make it to the Euro 2024 squad, Cubarsi was part of the Olympic football squad that won gold for Spain in Paris. 

Real Madrid’s 18-year-old Brazilian forward, who was signed for €47.5 million from Brazilian club Palmeiras, is third on the list. 

Though he has failed to nail down a starting place in the Madrid team due to the quality of forwards in the team, he has still managed to showcase his ability in the few minutes he gets. 

He was also part of the Madrid side that won the UEFA Super Cup against Atalanta in 2024.

Fourth on the list is the 18-year-old French midfielder, who has rapidly emerged as one of the most promising talents in European football. 

After making his debut for Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, becoming the club's youngest-ever player, Zaire-Emery quickly established himself as a key contributor.

In his debut season, he achieved several notable milestones, including becoming the club's youngest-ever goalscorer and the youngest player in UEFA Champions League history to start a knockout phase match at the age of 16.

He also won his first Ligue 1 title in his first season before winning a domestic treble in the second season while being a starter.

Mainoo, a product of Manchester United's academy, has grown leaps and bounds within a short time, taking him to fifth place on the list.

The midfielder won Manchester United’s Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2023, in what was a season of revelation for the youngster. 

Since making his first-team debut in an EFL Cup match in January 2023, Mainoo has been an important player in the team, playing a vital role in the Red Devils’ FA Cup triumph in 2023-24.

He also made his debut for the England senior team in March 2024, and he earned a starting role at Euro 2024, where the team finished as runners-up.