By Samuel A. December 20, 2022
As we all know, our favorite players are getting older and their era is coming to an end, but football is a generational sport that’ll continue to produce talents for years to come. As the likes of all time greats like Leo Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez, Luka Modric, amongst others come to an end, a new era is shaping up, and it promises to be the most exciting yet. So here are my top 5 stars tipped to dominate the next generation of football
1) Kylian Mbappe (France)
I don’t think there’s any doubt as to who’s fit to pick up from where the legends – Messi and Ronaldo left off. Kylian Mbappe has proven to be a special, special talent for his club, as well as his country. Winning a league title at 17, and then the world cup at 19, this lad has shown the world that he can rise up to any challenge. At the just concluded 2022 world cup, kylian put on a show in arguably all the games he featured, ending with 8 goals, 2 assists, and winning the golden boot. He moved up to 6th in France’s highest goal ranking, one behind Benzema, and 17 behind the current holder, Olivier Giroud. With better records than Leo Messi and Cristiano at similar stages of their careers, Mbappe is undoubtedly the next big thing in football.
2) Erling Haaland (Denmark)
Another name that easily comes up in the next generation debate is Erling ‘the robot’ Haaland. Apart from his unique and straightforward style of play, Haaland displays a calculating coolness in the area and has a vast movement skill. Carrying the ball with ease and being a target man using his height, he is difficult to contain, and that’s one of the reasons why it seems like he’s an ordinary player. The power that comes out of his left foot and his penalty expertise make him close to the complete package as a modern No 9. However, analysts have doubts on how a 1.95m player who weighs 90kg can enjoy a career without major injuries. He started his career at Bryne, scoring on his debut. He has since then gone on to score on his debut for other clubs in all competitions he has played in, including a first half hat trick in his champions league debut. Haaland has started the season quite well in the premier league as well, scoring in all but 3 games for Man city so far.
3) Pedri (Spain)
Many footballers that are highly respected around the world in football are mainly strikers or goalscoring midfielders. However, one player that still oozes class without the numbers, is Pedri Gonzalez. He started his club career at Las Palmas, a second-division football team in Spain. In 2020, he joined Spanish Giants FC Barcelona. Pedri was just 17 years old but unlike others, he started his career in the first team of the club. When he was signed, the hype on a talent like him was low due to a major reason that Barca faced probably one of the biggest humiliations against German giant Bayern Munich. But since then, he has gone on to be a vital talent for Barcelona, with his silky movement and well timed passing. He won the prestigious Golden Boy award, as well as the Kopa Trophy given to the best under 21 player of the year. He was also nominated for the Ballon D’or in the same year. Pedri is a special talent in football, in this young age, he shows great maturity in Midfield. He has great game intelligence with beautiful passing skills and playmaking. Players like him make the sport beautiful to watch. He doesn’t score the bulk of goals but he will entertain every football fan with his amazing game style. Fans and Football Legends including Xavi consider Pedri to be like Barca’s legend Andres Iniesta. Many players are considered to dominate football in the future, Mbappe and Haaland are at the top. But, Pedri probably isn’t far from those two.
4) Phil Foden (England)
Phil Foden has been the biggest talent of the latest England generation. Asides that, he has been very spectacular under Guardiola, who insists Foden wouldn’t be sold, not even for €500 million. The 22-year-old Manchester City attacker is already one of the most exciting players in the Premier League. Few players possess the same quality of touch, passing and control as Foden, no matter their age. Since making his debut in 2017, Foden has won four Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups, the FA Cup and reached the Champions League final. On the international stage, he was part of the England squad which reached last summer’s European Championship. He committed his future to Manchester City in October, signing a mega deal that keeps him till 2027. There’s no doubt that Phil is definitely going to rule football alongside Mbappe and others.
5) Vinicius Junior (Brazil)
One reason why Real Madrid are highly regarded as the best in the world is their ability to pick anyone and turn them into world beaters. At first, Vini was criticized for his wasteful football style, with his poor conversion rate, (though he has the ability to easily dribble past players). But since the last season, he has been a man reborn. 22 goals, including one in the champions league final, 20 assists, in the 2021/22 season, Vini was a vital player for Real Madrid throughout the tournament. He finished 8th at the Ballon D’or ranking and has been equally as vital so far this season as last. He’s certainly one to watch in the coming years.
Honorable Mentions :
6) Jude Bellingham (England)
7) Jamal Musiala (Germany)
8) Bukayo Saka (England)
9) Pablo Gavi (Spain)
10) Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)
