With every season that comes, there are massive chances for wonderkids to break out onto the scene. There are always a few players that come from absolutely nowhere into the limelight. Well, we’ve seen some of those this year. Let me take you through them, from smallest to biggest leap forward.
Honorable Mentions
Bryan Zaragoza
Assane Diao
Guillaume Restes
Assan Ouedraogo
Patrick Dorgu
Ayyoub Bouaddi
George Ilenikhena
Marc Guiu
Yarek Gasiorowski
Kenan Yildiz
Ben Doak
#10: Eli Junior Kroupi
Age: 17
Position: ST
Team: Lorient
Nationality: France
Not talked about nearly as much as he should be, Kroupi has been given his Lorient chance this season, and has taken it greatly. 16 games, 4 goals, and 2 assists in Ligue 1. He’s been deployed as a Striker, Left Winger, and Attacking Midfielder this season, an interesting mix. He may not yet be just a striker.
#9: Shea Charles
Age: 20
Position: CDM
Team: Southampton
Nationality: Northern Ireland
Man City dropped the ball here. In the City academy up until last summer, Shea Charles may go in the same category as Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Roméo Lavia as talents City let slip through their fingers in recent times. 21 appearances for Southampton in the Championship, as well as breaking into the Northern Irish national team, Charles has had the 23/24 of his dreams.
#8: Estevao Willian
Age: 16
Position: RW
Team: Palmeiras
Nationality: Brazil
The next big thing, “Messinho” is one of the big gems of Europe, having half a dozen big clubs fighting over his signature. To think, only this season has Messinho broken onto the scene, and he’s also only 16. He impressed in the U18 World Cup, and before it was all over, got in a 12-minute cameo in the final match of the Brazilian Serie A season. Who’s going to get this star?
#7: Claudio Echeverri
Age: 17
Position: CAM
Team: River Plate
Nationality: Argentina
We know who’s getting this fella. Bursting onto the mainstream last month after scoring a hat trick at the U18 World Cup against Brazil, Echeverri was also the holder of Argentina’s legendary #10 at the tournament. With a lot of weight on his shoulders, Echeverri will very likely join Man City after the end of the season, a very interesting move.
#6: Fermin Lopez
Age: 20
Position: CM
Team: Barcelona
Nationality: Spain
Only in year one with Barca, Fermin immediately won the hearts of Barca fans after an extraordinary goal from outside the box against Real Madrid in preseason, in a 3-0 win. Since then he’s been used, mind sparingly, as Xavi looks to incorporate yet another talent in a stacked midfield. I hope this guy does well, Barca may need it.
#5: Oscar Bobb
Age: 20
Position: RW
Team: Man City
Nationality: Norway
Man City and Norwegians go together as well as apples and pie, and Oscar Bobb is showing that. Even at Man City, he’s against the odds for immediate success there, but he’s certainly getting his chance from Pep. I hope for the best from Bobb.
#4: Samu Omorodion
Age: 19
Position: ST
Team: Alaves (On loan from Atleti)
Nationality: Spain
Signed by Atleti this summer and moved on to Alaves on loan, Samu Omorodion’s rise up the ranks is barely talked about outside Spain. He’s played 17 Alaves matches, and scored in 5 of them, great efficiency for someone playing his first senior games this season. Atleti made the right move signing him for (at the time) 30 times his market value, and now have a 70% discount looking at his current value. Excitement will surround this guy at the Wanda Metropolitano next season.
#3: Gabriel Moscardo
Age: 18
Position: CDM
Team: Corinthians
Nationality: Brazil
Looking to be the next Fernandinho or Fabinho, Moscardo, like others, just got his first senior level games this year and he’s now become a Corinthians regular. Turning the heads of many, including Chelsea and Barcelona, Moscardo looks now like he’s signing for PSG for 20 million euros, a deal I hope works out for him.
#2: Lewis Miley
Age: 17
Position: CDM
Team: Newcastle
Nationality: England
Did anyone know who Lewis Miley was before the season started? No? Well, you know him now. Forced into the team after Newcastle’s injury crisis, Miley shocked everyone with his maturity at such a young age. I mean, not everyone can come on vs Man City, while leading, and stay calm and focused to hold out for the victory. Miley did. He’s now a mainstay of the Newcastle team.
#1: Lamine Yamal
Age: 16
Position: RW
Team: Barcelona
Nationality: Spain
Officially crowned 2023’s king of the wonderkids, after first hearing of this guy in August 2022, I knew he’d likely make his debut, and get known worldwide this season, but not to the scale that he has done. So far, 32 matches from Yamal for club and country this season, scoring 3 times and assisting 3 times. We mustn’t forget that Yamal is only 16, a year younger than Gavi and Ansu Fati when they broke out for Barça, and two years younger than Pedri when he did. He has the world at his feet and time on his side. Positivity when talking about this fella is key.
Those are the 10 Breakout talents of the 2023/24 season so far. I can just tell, in 2 years, I’m coming back here and seeing how well these guys did. It won’t even feel that long ago. Anyway, I’m Jim James, until next time!.