A decade ago, Bleacher Report tried their hand at ranking the 25 best and most exciting teenagers in world football.
But how have their careers aged? Well, predicting the future in football is a tricky business and it goes without saying they were very, very wide of the mark when it comes to a few of their selections.
However, it wasn’t a total disaster, with some of their picks representing amongst the game’s elite ten years on and now find themselves in the prime of their careers.
25. Candido Ramirez
Ramirez raised a few eyebrows with his impressive performances as a youngster in the Mexican youth teams.
Many anticipated a European switch for the young star but a move never materialised. Instead, he spent his career in the Liga MX and recently joined FC Juarez.
24. Matthias Ginter
A decent Bundesliga player nowadays but way off what Bleacher Football expected from him.
Ginter couldn’t quite make the step up when he got his chance at Borussia Dortmund and now plays for SC Freiburg.
23. Lucas Piazon
A prime example – or victim – of Chelsea’s loan model, Piazon never quite made it with the Blues and was sent on loan an incredible seven times during his time contracted by the London club.
He was playing for Braga last campaign after eventually leaving his parent club permanently, however has now been sent out on loan again to Botafogo – no surprise there, then.
22. Leandro
Any idea who this guy is? No, me neither.
It turns out he plays in Japan’s J-League with FC Tokyo.
21. Gerard Deulofeu
A talented lad, there can be no doubting that. However, Deulofeu’s career has taken a rather strange trajectory going from Barcelona, to Everton and Watford.
Nowadays you can find him playing for Udinese.
20. Paul Pogba
Ea
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