Top 10 young players in world football in 2022

Every year, we are treated to a plethora of young talents making their debuts for their clubs. Some go on to become legends, some entertain us for a while and become regular players, while some totally fall off.

However, it always excites fans when the kids show up the adults in the men's game, proving that football is a game that respects no one and why it remains the world's most popular sport.

With that in mind, we thought to bring you some of the best players under the age of 23 that made their debuts in recent years and have continued to dazzle since then. Overlyzer provides data from top in-play statistics websites for football fans and this article was also put together using those metrics.

Erling Haaland

This goes without saying. The 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund striker is football's hottest property right now. He is currently embroiled in several transfer battles but has managed to keep churning out the numbers that made him one of the world's deadliest strikers in the past few years at just 18 years old.

He has started the year on a blistering note as usual, and is currently duking it out with Robert Lewandowski in the Bundesliga. The veteran Pole has been put under pressure by Haaland since his move from Austria to Germany and will feel some relief if the young Norwegian eventually leaves the Bundesliga to continue his record breaking exploits elsewhere.

Jude Bellingham

Pep Guardiola is a manager renowned for dishing out praise but when he makes a statement like, "I can't believe he's just 17", then the player being praised can take that to the bank. Bellingham, 18, has been a revelation since his Birmingham City days and has continued to deliver masterclass performance playing for Borussia Dortmund among the best talents in Europe.

A big money move back to England with either Manchester United or Liverpool is in the youngster's his future, who is now a staple in England's national team where he is keeping out the likes of Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice. 

Jamal Musiala

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder broke into the Germany national team in 2020 and has been a staple in the side that boasts amazing attacking midfield talents like his fellow Bayern Munich teammate Thomas Muller, Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan. He is regularly called upon by his trainers at Bayern Munich and has delivered quality performances for the Bavarians.

Musiala is already touted as Thomas Muller's long term successor at Bayern Munich and in the German national team, who also trusted him enough to become the youngest ever player to represent the nation at an international tournament in Euro 2020.

Karim Adeyemi

The young German of Nigerian descent is another youngster, alongside Musiala to take over German football by storm. Plying his trade at Red Bull Salzburg, he has proven to be Erling Haaland's perfect replacement at the Austrian Bundesliga club.

Adeyemi averages a goal a game for Salzburg and is the first player in UEFA Champions League history to win three penalties in one half. He is currently wanted by many clubs including Borussia Dortmund where his predecessor at Salzburg, Haaland, currently plays as they prepare for the Norwegian's inevitable Arsenal-monitoring-Karim-Adeyemi.html">exit to one of the world's biggest clubs.

Fast, nimble and possessing a great shot for a small-framed player, we expect the 18-year-old to seal a big move by the summer at the earliest and by the end of the 2022/23 season at the latest.

Phil Foden

Manchester City's answer to the question of who replaces David Silva is Phil Foden, and he has proven every critic wrong. Guardiola, who coached the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi and made him into a monster of a footballer, claimed Foden is the best young talent he has ever coached. That statement from Guardiola seemed a bit over the top, but the signs are there as Foden continues to come into his own at City.

He has also secured a place in the England Three Lions' setup, and is touted by the manager to become a key player for the side in the coming years. Foden is already a Premier League young player of the year award winner and has made the Ballon d'Or nomination list at 21. The future holds even more for the young Englishman.

Pedri Gonzalez

Pedri, 19, is already Barcelona's future after only one season at the club. The Catalan giants have struggled to find a replacement for Xavi and Iniesta since they both left the club a few years ago until Pedri came along. In his first season at Barcelona, he broke into the Spanish national team and played almost every minute of their Euro 2020 tournament, where he won the best young player award.

He also played for the Spanish Olympic side and won silver in that tournament, putting in amazing performances in the middle of the park for the La Roja Olympians. In 2021, he played more than 70 games for club and country as a testament to his immense talent, which also earned him both the European Golden Boy title and the Ballon d'Or Kopa Trophy for best young player in the world.

Vinicius Jr

The 21-year-old Brazilian has seen his footballing stock rose astronomically with his fine performances in the 2021/22 season for Real Madrid. As a result, he is being valued at €100 million and any club bold enough to attempt to pry the Brazilian away from Madrid will surely be getting their money's worth.

Vinicius has been Real Madrid's main source of inspiration in attack as they charge towards a 35th LaLiga title this season. He is the player with the most progressive runs into the opposition box in Europe's top five leagues, and is, alongside striker partner Karim Benzema, LaLiga's most deadly attacker.

His finishing has greatly improved and Real Madrid will owe any title they Kay their hands on this season to his stellar performances in front of goal.

Ansu Fati

Already touted as the mercurial Lionel Messi's heir at Barcelona, Anssumane Fati has shown the world what it is like to love a player regardless of club affiliation in these times of fierce rivalry.

Spain manager Luis Enrique said that the 19-year-old Fati is a kid with amazing confidence which "just isn't normal" and Messi, who he had the privilege of learning from for two seasons, stated that Fati impressed him in just one training session.

Constant injuries have since hampered the blistering start of Fati's career but every time he comes back, he does something to remind fans why he is a prodigious talent the world should not sleep on. Barcelona fans will be hoping injuries do not get the best of him this year as their club moves further and further into the post-Messi era.

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal's number 7 started as a utility player for the Gunners, but convinced the manager Mikel Arteta that his talents would be much more appreciated further forward. Now the club's first choice right winger, the 20-year-old makes Arsenal look even more deadly than they have proven to be in past games.

Defenders have a problem dealing with his electric pace, his impressive vision, and his spatial awareness. He has also broken into the England Three Lions' setup, where he has earned more than a few fans especially after his unfortunate penalty miss in the final of the Euro 2020 tournament.

Noni Madueke

English starlet Noni Madueke left Tottenham Hotspur in 2019 at the age of 17 for a chance at senior football with PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie. He has since become a staple at the Dutch side, and is attracting the attention of the biggest clubs in the world.

He showed immense quality for a 17-year-old in his first full season with PSV, scoring nine goals and providing six assists, playing an average of 16 minutes per game in that season.

Madueke’s versatility in attack and midfield, and his superior passing ability make him one of the best young players in the world.