Super Teens 2022: The best Teenager in every top 40 country in the world

Super Teens 2022: The best Teenager in every top 40 country in the world

 

By Jim James

 

Hello everyone, welcome back and today I’m making something I’ve wanted to make for a while. A bobandjim.ca version of The Guardian’s next generation list. Today I present to you; the 40 super teens. The best U17 (U18 for a couple) player from every top 40 nation in the world (according to the latest edition of FIFA’s country coefficients). I have a LOT to get through here, so let’s get cracking!

 

#40: Canada: Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty

Age: 17

Team: Toronto FC

Position: RM

Transfermarkt Value: 1.50m

 

This youngster has been at the Reds his entire career, and got his big breakthrough in the MLS this year, getting 12 appearances. With more youngsters, Canadian or American, trying to take the Alphonso Davies route, Marshall-Rutty is just one of the many youngsters the MLS boasts right now. Although he is expected to take a reduced role next year with Toronto FC’s likely signings of Lorenzo Insigne and Andrea Belotti, Canada should keep an eye out for this player, maybe 2022 is the year he gets his first Canada cap.

 

#39: Hungary: Zalan Vancsa

Age: 17

Team: MTK Budapest

Position: LW

Transfermarkt value: 150k

 

Vancsa is one of the worse wonderkids on this list, but it by no means means that he can’t develop, and Hungary fans will be crossing their fingers that he can develop. He’s gone mental in the Youth League, where the likes of players such as Billy Gilmour, Fabio Silva, Riqui Puig, Reece James, Ruben Dias, Joao Felix, and Tammy Abraham have all developed and scored 5 and assisted 2 in 4 games. Despite being given up on by Ferencvaros, a team still giving Adam Bogdan a chance, they might regret it as he’s been given a chance at MTK, getting 10 top flight Hungarian appearances this season so far.

 

#38: Scotland: Kerr Smith

Age: 17

Team: Dundee United

Position: CB

Transfermarkt Value: 200k

 

The loyal, eagle-eyed readers may notice that we signed Kerr Smith for Tooting Town FC in our first episode, but his legacy on this blog will be more than that. To be fair, if he becomes successful, it will be his legacy. Anyway, the defender has been at Dundee his whole career, but if he becomes successful, he won’t be there much longer. If all goes well, he could lead Scotland’s back line with Jack Hendry for years to come.

 

37: Turkey: Burak Ince

Age: 17

Team: Altinordu

Position: CM
Transfermarkt Value: 2.20m

 

Just because he’s in the 2nd division doesn’t mean he’s not spotted. On his 18th birthday, January 20, he’s switching clubs to Arminia Bielefeld. He’s taken a huge role in the Altinordu team this year, playing 15 games in the league and 2 in the cup. He could be the future of Turkey’s midfield. 

 

36: Nigeria: Rafiu Durosinmi

Age: 19

Team: Karvina

Position: Attack

Transfermarkt Value: 125k

 

One of the most unknown wonderkids on this list, Transfermarkt hasn’t even got a position for him. He plays for Karvina’s U-19s, a Czech side and turned 19 on New Years’ Day. He’s played 11 games and scored 6 in the Dorostinecka Liga, the Czech Republic’s Youth Division, and he’s played 8 games in the Czech 1st Division. If he became good it would be the biggest underdog story on the list.

 

35: Australia: Mohamed Toure

Age: 17

Team: Adelaide United

Position: LW

Transfermarkt Value: 300k

 

A Guinean-born Austrailian-raised winger, Mohamed Toure has had quite the career so far. He signed for Croydon Kings’ youth team at age 11, was transferred to SANTC at age 14, and then a year later, Adelaide saw something in him, signed him in 2019, and after only a couple months at the club, scored his first goal for the senior team, becoming the youngest player ever to score in the A-League Men at 15 years 326 days old. One to watch.

 

34: Russia: Sergey Pinyaev

Age: 17

Team: KS Samara

Position: LW
Transfermarkt Value: 1.5m

 

The former Lokomotiv man, after a great season with 3rd tier Chertanovo Moscow got a transfer to Samara in the summer, and has played 17 games with the 1st division side and played 2 games in the cup and has got 2 goals and 2 assists. The player with 9 Russian U-19 caps is one of the breakout stars this year in Russia. 

 

33: South Korea: Si-hyeon Gong

Age: 16

Team: Jeonbuk Hyundai U-18

Position: GK

Transfermarkt Value: 25k

 

One of the worst wonderkids on the list, I just couldn’t find a good wonderkid for South Korea. However, Gong has had 15 minutes in a Korea U-18 Championship game, conceding 1 goal, and he also won the GK of the year award in the 2020 K-League Junior Group B. Other than that, I don’t know too much about him.

 

32: Czech Republic: Daniel Samek

Age: 17

Team: Slavia Prague

Position: DM

Transfermarkt Value: 2.2m

 

Samek is one of the more proven wonderkids on this list, and one of the few who have played European Football, having played 3 Conference League games and 1 Europa League Qualifying game. He’s also played 13 league games, scoring 3 and assisting 3. Could 2022 be the year Samek gets his Czech senior debut?

 

31: Austria: Luka Reischl

Age: 17

Team: FC Leifering

Position: ST

Transfermarkt Value: 500k

 

The 2nd division star seeming destined for an RB Salzburg return, Luka Reischel has bounced around 5 clubs already; Altenmarkt, Radstadt, Bischofshofen, RB Salzburg, and now RB Salzburg feeder team FC Leifering. He’s played 12 games and scored 3 goals in Austria’s 2nd division, 4 games in the UEFA youth League, and 1 game in the Austrian Youth League. The next Marko Arnautovic?

 

30: Tunisia: Hannibal Mejbri

Age: 18

Team: Manchester United

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 5m

 

The French-born Tunisian is the highest valued player so far. He hasn’t done much so far for Man U, he’s played 1 Premier League game, 5 EFL Trophy Games, but he already has a whopping 9 Tunisia caps, including going on their run to the Arab Cup final. He also has 24 goal contributions already including 18 assists in all comps Youth and Senior. Despite not lighting the world on fire yet, he’s still a solid piece. 

 

29: Algeria: Yacine Titraoui

Age: 18

Team: Paradou AC

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 700k

 

This is what I love about doing this post. One player is a great wonderkid who has always been perceived like that and already has a Premier League debut and the next one is an Algerian who has had little to zero impact on the football world. He is Paradou AC’s Wonderkid star, getting promoted to the first team in October, and has already played 8 league games. If he keeps this up I’d expect a move to a big club in 2023.

 

28: Morocco: Camil Mmaee

Age: 17

Team: Standard Liege

Position: ST

Transfermarkt Value: 25k

 

Sadly, known more for his family than his football, Camil Mmaee is the youngest with 3 brothers who play football, all of which have higher market values than him: Jack Mmaee, Samy Mmaee, and Ryan Mmaee. Because of his low value, we don’t know much about him, even less than Si-hyeon Gong. If he didn’t choose Spain, we would have been talking about Ilias Akhomach today…

 

27: Poland: Iwo Kaczmarski

Age: 17

Team: Rakow

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 700k

 

Kaczmarski is a new Rakow signing, from Korona Kielce in the summer for 300k, and has had a breakout season, making his Ekstraklasa debut and playing in the Polish Cup, getting 1 assist. He is definitely one to watch.

 

26: Japan: Taishin Yamazaki

Age: 17

Team: Yokohama

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 50k

 

Another Wonderkid who we don’t know too much about. At a market value of 50k, playing for a team in the Japanese 2nd tier,  he’s still yet to make his debut, with the new season in Japan starting soon. We know as much about him as we do Camil Mmaee, unfortunately.

 

25: Ukraine: Yegor Yarmolyuk

Age: 17

Team: Sk Dnipro-1

Position: CAM

Transfermarkt Value: 400k

 

He’s starting to get some game time for Dnipro, he’s got 7 league appearances and 2 cup appearances, scoring once. He also has 3 Ukraine U19 Caps, scoring 3 times. He’s been utilised most as a CAM, but also playing some games at CM, and even in the front line. I’d expect some bigger clubs monitoring him in the future.

 

24: Chile: Lucas Assadi

Age: 17

Team: Universidad

Position: ST

Transfermarkt Value: 325k

 

The right footed Striker is currently kicking about for Universidad’s U-19s, however, he has played 7 league games for the senior squad, getting 127 minutes during it. He’s also played 2 games for Chile’s U-20s, as their #7. I would expect him to be getting regular game time as soon as next season for the senior squad.

 

23: Serbia: Marko Lazetic

Age: 17

Team: Red Star Belgrade

Position: ST

Transfermarkt Value: 1.5m

 

One of the better players on this list, this year has been the breakout one for Lazetic. He came back in the summer from a loan to Graficar, got promoted to the senior squad, and has had 14 league appearances, scoring once, 4 in the Serbian youth league, scoring 4, 1 game in the Youth League, scoring twice, a game in the Champions League Qualification, and a game in the Europa league. He should be a regular this season and next for Red Star. 

 

22: Peru: John Cortez

Age: 17

Team: NY Red Bulls Academy

Position: LB

Transfermarkt Value: 75k

 

That’s the amount of variation in this list. A player who has already got European game time, to a player who is still in the academy of New York Red Bulls, and will leave soon to UCLA to try his hand in college football and the MLS draft. So far he has played 16 games in the USL Championship, not doing much, and I look forward to seeing how he’s going to do in the MLS Draft in a few years time.

 

21: Iran: Farjam Jamal Livani

Age: 17

Team: Free Agent

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 75k

 

If Livani becomes the star of Iran’s midifield in his prime, it would be a huge underdog story. He is currently without a club after being released from FC Nassaji Mazandaran in August. He should get a club soon, though, if he wants to become a good player.

 

20: Senegal: Assan Seck

Age: 18

Team: Pisa

Position: RW

Transfermarkt Value: 150k

 

Signing for Pisa in the summer from Pescara, Seck turned 18 on New Years day. He has made his Serie B debut, but usually plays in the Primavera B, the 2nd tier of Italian youth competition, making 8 appearances and scoring 2. He should start getting good game time next season.

 

19: Wales: Elliott Orton

Age: 17

Team: Airbus UK

Position: LB

Transfermakt Value: 25k

 

I was surpised to learn that Wales’ best prospect was this man, a Left Back in the 2nd tier of Welsh football. I hope that he can get into the Football League system soon, as he will need to to get into the Wales’ squad.

 

18: Sweden: Williot Swedberg

Age: 17

Team: Hammarby

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 1.8m

 

The Hammarby player since 2011 hasn’t yet made his debut in the league, but has played 5 Conference League Qualifiers, scoring once. He has been out on loan a few times, to IK Frey Taby in 2020 and Hammarby TFF in 2021. I’m eager to see how he does in the new year.

 

17: Uruguay: Nicolas Siri

Age: 17

Team: Montevideo City Torque

Position: ST
Transfermarkt Value: 1.6m

 

This youngster seems destined for Man City sometime in the future, with Montevideo City Torque part of the City group. He already has 12 games and an even more impressive 4 goals in the Primera Division. He signed from Danubio FC in the summer for 300k, where he got all of his goals. He has also played 10 2nd division games, and 5 1st division games this year with Montevideo, looking set to break through in the 2022 season.

 

16: Columbia: Miguel Monsalve

Age: 17

Team: I.Medellin

Position: AM
Transfermarkt Value: 200k

 

We don’t know all that much about Monsalve, but what we do know is his games. Despite not getting any Columbia call-ups so far, he’s played 7 1st division games, and 134 minutes altogether. He turns 18 in February, and will hope to get more than the 3 league games that he got last year. 

 

15: Croatia: Lovro Zvonarek

Age: 16

Team: Slaven Belupo

Position: AM

Transfermarkt Value: 1m

 

I am excited for this player. 16 and already worth 1m. He also joins Bayern’s youth team in the summer. He’s played 9 first division games and got 2 assists. He also had a stint for Koprivnica. He’s also got more minutes than most of our prospects, starting 40% of the games he’s played and getting 585 minutes. One of the prospects with the highest ceiling on this list.

 

14: Mexico: Christian Torres

Age: 17

Team: LAFC

Position: LW

Transfermarkt Value: 350k

 

There is 4 other Christian Torreses on Transfermakt, it caught me off guard, but this Christian Torres seems to be the best. The California-born youngster already has 6 U-20 Mexico caps, scoring once and 8 games for LAFC, and that was all in the first half of the season, as in Augustm he went on a 3-month spell at Las Vegas, during which he somehow got 25 USLC games, scoring 3 times and assisting once. He was also originally spotted by LA Galaxy before LAFC snatched him away in 2018, a dire mistake for Galaxy.

 

13: Switzerland: Alessio Besio

Age: 17

Team: FC St. Gallen

Position: ST

Transfermarkt: 1m

 

 Besio, unlike a lot of wonderkids before him, is actually an integral part of Peter Zeidler’s St. Gallen side, playing 16 league games, and starting 44% of them. However, he’s had 0 goals yet and 2 assists, so he’s been a Swiss Timo Werner, but the first team game time is good. His market value has skyrocketed recently, from 100k in the summer to 1m now. 

 

12: Germany: Youssoufa Moukoko

Age: 17

Team: Borussia Dortmund

Position: ST
Transfermarkt Value: 15m

 

The former St. Pauli man is by far the best wonderkid we’ve come across so far. BY FAR. However, he isn’t quite as experienced as you may think. He’s only played 6 league games, 1 DFL Pokal game, 1 Champions League game, 1 3. Liga game for Dortmund II, and hasn’t scored in any of them. However, that’s only this season. In 20-21, Moukoko scored 3 goals in 14 league appearances, and 10 goals in 3 U-19 Bundesliga games. That’s not all. In 19-20 he got 34 goals and 18 assists in 20 Bundesliga games. He also got 46 goals in 25 games in the U-17 Bundesliga in 18-19, the season he was turning 14, and got 37 goals in 25 games the year before. HE STARTED THE SEASON AGE 12. This was against players up to 5 years older than him, an even bigger difference when you consider it’s 5 more years of Physical Maturity. You’d think these guys could run Moukoko over if they wanted to. 

 

11: USA: Quinn Sullivan

Age: 17

Team: Philadelphia Union

Position: AM
Transfermarkt Value: 800k

 

The Philly-born talent already has a humongous number of games for his age, with 21 MLS games, with 2 goals and 1 assist. He’s also played 3 games in the CONCACAF Champions League, but only 14 minutes between it all. Next season will be make or break for Sullivan. I predict a big move by 2023. 

 

10: Netherlands: Antoni Milambo

Age: 16

Team: Feyenoord

Position: AM
Transfermarkt Value: 1m

 

Antoni Milambo is a mystery of sorts. He only has 2 senior games for Feyenoord, a Conference League Qualifier and a Conference League group stage game, a 19-minute cameo. He still has yet to make his Eriedivisie debut, but I’m hopeful that Feyenoord can implement him into their game plan for the second half of the season.

 

9: Denmark: Zidan Sertdemir

Age: 16

Team: Bayer Leverkusen

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 2m

 

The former Nordsjaelland & Brondby man is adjusting well to his first year in Germany. He has 2 Bundesliga games, 7 U-19 Bundesliga games, scoring 4, 3 U-19 Pokal games, scoring 4 goals, 1 every 65 minutes. Denmark has a gem here.

 

8: Portugal: Goncalo Esteves

Age: 17

Team: Sporting B

Position: RB

Transfermarkt Value: 3m

 

Goncalo Esteves is going to be in a huge sibling rivalry with his 2 years older brother Tomas, on Porto B. He got acquired by Sporting in the summer by Sporting B, and despite currently playing for Sporting B, he has already made his Liga NOS debut and his Champions League debut. He’s set for a very intriguing career.

 

7: Spain: Gavi

Age: 17

Team: Barcelona

Position: CM

Transfermarkt Value: 40m

 

Here we are. The highest valued player on the list. He’s already been selected by Spain 4 times, and been an integral piece of the current Barca team, with 16 La Liga games and 6 Champions League games. Not many people know this, but he was found by Betis, but got signed by Barca in 2015. Has the highest ceiling of anyone on this list and I love it. Prepare for Spain to rekindle the dominance of the late 2000s-ealry 2010s in a few years. The next generation is coming. 

 

6: Italy: Samuele Vignato

Age: 17

Team: AC Monza
Position: AM

Transfermarkt Value: 600k

 

From a great to a not so great prospect. Vignato is a new Monza player, having signed from Chievo in the summer. He’s played 11 Serie B games this year, scoring and assisting once. He’s been pretty good in the Italian Youth 2nd tier, 14 goals in 18 games for Chievo last year. He does have a lot of promise. 

 

5: Argentina: Valentin Barco

Age: 17

Team: Boca Juniors

Position: LB

Transfermarkt Value: 1.2m

 

His value has just gone straight up this season. He was valued at 50k to start the season and now he’s 1.2m. He’s played 3 1st division games so far this year, and that’s it. Again, we don’t know all that much about Barco. 

 

4: England: Shola Shoretire

Age: 17

Team: Manchester United U23

Position AM

Transfermarkt Value: 3m

 

The player who’s made his Champions League debut this season was a traveler before going to Man U in 2014. He is like Jadon Sancho without the Dortmund, playing for his hometown club in Newcastle for a while, then going to Man City, but only for 7 months before going across town to sign for Man U. He’s already played 31 Premier League 2 games, scoring 14 goals. He’s also played 2 Premier League games. Not confusing at all, right? This kid is showing loads of potential, and I can’t wait to see his Man U breakthrough the season Ralf Rangnick is sacked.

 

3: France: Mohamed-Ali Cho

Age: 17
Team: Angers

Position: ST

Transfermarkt Value: 12m

 

The story of Mohamed-Ali Cho is odd, as we could have seen him at #4 on the list, for England. In truth, he could have represented loads of National Teams and still could, as he was born to an Ivorian father and his mother has Moroccan roots. However, they moved to London when Cho was 1 week old, until Cho got scouted by the Chantilly academy then the PSG academy. However, Cho’s story in England isn’t over. In 2015 he moved back to England to play for Everton’s academy until 2020, when he went back to France to play for Angers. He even accepted a call-up from England’s U-16s in 2019, and played twice. In fact, if you search it up, you can see Cho in an England shirt. However, he has chosen to represent France, and has got 5 U-21 caps. If you look at his stats, you can see why his Value is 12 million. He’s played 39 Ligue 1 games over 1.5 seasons, and has played all but 1 of the Ligue 1 games this year for Angers. No wonder he’s linked so closely with Dortmund. 

 

2: Brazil: Angelo Gabriel

Age: 17

Team: Santos

Position: RW
Transfermarkt Value: 10m

 

Angelo Gabriel only turned 17 15 days ago, but has been a regular for Fabio Carille’s Santos squad. He played 28 of the 38 Brazilian Serie A games last season, 8 Libertadores games, and 5 Brazilian Cup Games. He hasn’t been much of a goalscoring threat, netting only once in those appearances, but he looks like a future superstar nonetheless.

 

1: Belgium: Noah Mbamba

Age: 17

Team: Club Brugge

Position: DM

Transfermarkt Value: 5m

 

I know he’s 17, but he only turned 17 yesterday. He’s played a ton this year, 3 UCL games, 14 League games, 3 Cup Games, he’s been key. His rise has been astonishing, only being valued at 800k back in June. The former Genk man can’t do much more before attracting big name clubs for his signature.

 

There we go. I’m sorry for not posting over the last couple days, this post took a while. However, I do want to make this a tradition, so I hoped you liked it, and see you next time!