Ahead of the Game: Identify Child Football Prodigies here

'but there are other madrids. thats like using the 'manchester' part to refer to... either utd or city.

nobody refers to atletico as madrid (they're atleti) whereas ~madrid~ is always real madrid

Anyone remember this kid?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG47FDenyXw

Only recently found out that Spanish clubs all had to change their names back & forth in the 30s & 40s depending on who had the upper hand in the civil war and surrounding events. So Real *were* Madrid CF while the republican govt was in power, and for example Donostia had to become Real Sociedad when Franco cracked down on foreign & seditious tongues later.

'but there are other madrids. thats like using the 'manchester' part to refer to... either utd or city.

Is it not more like Inter and Milan?

http://arsenalyouth.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/afobeenglandstats.jpg?w=512&h=277

future kevin davies rite herre

http://www.theoffside.com/files/2008/09/gato-edgardo-obregon.jpg http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/1354/elgato.jpg

here's Edgardo Obragon, or 'el Gato', an 11 year-old Mexican kid signed by Milan a couple of years ago and so far as I know still on their books (l-r el Gato, Big Feast, el Gato)

reminds me of a young tom huddlestone in that 2nd pic

article on nascent USA/MLS youth development (they're finally doing it right)

http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/news?slug=ap-homegrownplayers

just turned on victory shield and wales u15 are beating english counterparts 4-0 after 40 mins- england have only lost one out of 27 previous fixtures in this tournament

u-16's

the prodigy that will never be tarnished by time

That is superb.

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1998/gyasi.jpg

Meanwhile, here's 11-year-old Michael Gyasi, snapped up by Chelsea this week.

Dude looks intense

Masal Bugduv, amazing

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51290000/jpg/_51290390_sterling.jpg

"Youth team striker Raheem Sterling could become Liverpool's youngest first team player should he feature against Sparta Prague on Thursday.
Sterling, who turned 16 in December and is on half-term holidays from school..."

Hadn't heard of this lad before, I reckon he qualifies as a child prodigy for another day at least.

Scored 5 of our 9 goals v Southend in the Youth Cup on Monday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31pxEs64z9s

Baerke van der Meij, VVV Venlo's eighteen-month old new signing. He'd already been at Arsenal a year.

callin bullshit

http://www.vvv-venlo.nl/nl/clubtv-bear-vd-meij.htm

"My client can kick a ball into a toy box from not very far away" - European football off-season and transfer speculation thread 2030

a+

He's no Baerke van der Meij, but seven-year-old Leonel Angel Coira has joined Real Madrid.

there's no thread for the nextgen series right? spurs battering inter 6-1, 2 for coulibay and a hat trick (and a red card) for young croatian tomislav gomelt.

Was toying with going to the Celtic v Barca nextgen game tonight, but, um, didn't. We got beat 3-1, but sounded like a decent game. Might try to get along to one of the others.

I think this marks our first poached prodigy: Islam Feruz set to sign for Chelsea

'i don't think football is the main issue herre'

yup i'd much prefer to play scottish football than european and premiership football if given the chance, its just so much more enticing.

Turns out he already moved a couple of weeks ago. Still, spotters' badge for ailsa, and a fat cheque every week to the young lad.

Lost a Feruz, gained a McBean.

in other hyphenated American news...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/high-school-freshman-gedion-zelalem-may-join-arsenal-in-two-years/2011/09/17/gIQAUJyDgK_story.html

oh shit not actually american

If McBean genuinely is good enough for the usmnt, why on earth would he switch to Scotland?

Everton have agreed to sign 15-year-old Bradford City midfielder George Green in a deal that could eventually rise to £2 million.

Talks took place on Saturday, according to the Telegraph and Argus newspaper in Bradford, and a deal has been agreed that will see Everton pay almost £300,000 upfront plus bonuses based on appearances, new contracts and international appearances. A sell-on clause will also be included.

Bradford head of football development Archie Christie said Green, who has also attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers, has the potential to be a leading star.

"This is one of the highest deals ever for a 15-year-old from a League Two club, but George is the best I've seen in his position at his age," he said. "He could become another Wayne Rooney or Paul Gascoigne."

It's almost touching that there are still people who see being the next Paul Gascoigne as a good thing

George Green! He could be a stalwart from Preston's invincibles - it's like the footy equivalent of all those posh kids called Alfie or Rose.

Hold on, "head of football development Archie Christie" - what year is it in Bradford?

Everton, money?

(On the matter of names, I'm pretty sure that Jack McBean isn't remotely Scottish and his parents just decided to give him their idea of what a Scottish name would be.)

http://www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2011/10/remember-the-name-george-green/

whatever happened to Danny Gosling?

I like that article xp and it's churlish to criticise what is, after all, a pretty excellent exclusive - but gosh, it's hard work to read. Every sentence has mangled syntax or missing commas; it takes a couple of goes to work out what's being said.

I guess I'm saying well done ILF, you lot are a breeze to read and I don't usually notice.

Anyway, George Green - I'm a fan already.

TOP SCHOOLBOY SIGNINGS

Michael Woods & Tom Taiwo, Leeds to Chelsea, £5m, both aged 16, 2007
Jermaine Pennant, Notts County to Arsenal, £2m, aged 15, 1999
John Bostock, Crystal Palace to Tottenham, £2m, aged 16, 2008
Dean Parrett, QPR to Tottenham, £2m, aged 15, 2007
John Cofie, Burnley to Manchester United, £1m, aged 14, 2009
Scott Sinclair, Bristol Rovers to Chelsea, £1m, aged 16, 2005

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-490798/Meet-John-Bostock-aged-15-boy-Barcelona-buy.html

Chelsea have agreed to pay a staggering £2million to make an MK Dons youth-team player the most expensive 14-year-old in football.

Teenage sensation Oluwaseyi Ojo is viewed as one of the hottest prospects in English football, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City all having tracked the youngster.

But Chelsea have won the race to sign the midfielder after making three offers for Ojo while he was playing for England Under 16s against Northern Ireland at Chesterfield on Wednesday.

The teenager was introduced as a half-time substitute and made an impact after two minutes, setting up Mason Bennett's second as England secured a 3-1 win.

The impressive cameo sparked an incredible series of bids from Chelsea during the game. Knowing that scouts from the country's other top clubs were also at the game, they made three bids in 45 minutes. MK Dons rejected the opening two offers before agreeing a package understood to be worth an initial £1.5million, plus another £500,000 in add-ons.

On paper it is not hard to see why Chelsea have paid a record fee paid for the 14-year-old - who joined the League One club in 2007.
Despite his tender age, Ojo has already been invited to train with Karl Robinson’s first team. Furthermore, he made his debut for the Dons’ Under-18 team aged just 13 and is already a fixture for the Under-16’s.

Chelsea’s youth coaches will take a closer look at Ojo upon his arrival at the club’s Cobham HQ before deciding which age group he should begin his Blues education.

i was pleasantly surprised to see he cited xavi iniesta and cesc as his ideals/idols

Derby County's new 15-year-old wonderkid Mason Bennett was prevented from making his debut because club officials were wary that he had to be up early for school the next morning.

Bennett - who is being tracked by Manchester City - looks set to make his first-team bow this weekend at Middlesbrough after being sidelined for the trip to Reading on Tuesday.

Clough said: 'It won't be a problem this weekend, because he's breaking up for half-term next week.'

Bennett was born on the day England beat Scotland at Euro 96 and will beat Derby's previous record holder Lee Holmes as the youngest player in their history by 169 days if he plays on Saturday.

http://i.imgur.com/xO9O7.png

omg best name ever

Led by Chelsea’s superb box-to-box enforcer Ruben Loftus-Cheek, this current crop of England starlets has real depth. Arsenal’s Jordan Brown, MK Dons’ Oluwaseyi Ojo and Aston Villa’s Dan Crowley all made impressions off the bench, showing a real swagger and style with the ball.

Manager Kenny Swain has a huge pool of talent to choose from, and will likely rotate his whole squad next time out against Wales. Expect more prospects to show themselves, including Alex Iwobi, a teenage Arsenal forward, and the nephew of Nigerian legend Jay-Jay Okocha.

The future is looking good.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2051541/Former-Chelsea-starlet-Taiwo-I-let-down.html

La Masia isnt the be all and end all, if you look at the technically gifted players they produce how many good defenders have come out of it?

- Martin, Belfast, 21/10/2011 10:48

re: McBean -- Galaxy started a lot of youth this past weekend losing @ Houston

Perhaps the only bright spot of the match for the Galaxy involved a 16-year-old striker. Jack McBean, who hails from nearby Newport Beach, Calif., scored his first goal of the season as he made his MLS debut.

The 10-year-old US soccer sensation and social media star snapped up by Roma
Alessandro Cupini has more than 40,000 followers on Instagram and his own pitch in his basement in Kansas City which he will soon be leaving to join the Serie A club, getting around Fifa’s youth regulations thanks to dual-citizenship

Baniyas[edit]
Drenthe joined UAE Pro League side Baniyas Club in September 2015.[34] He was released in July 2016.[35]

Retirement[edit]
Unable to find a club, Drenthe has since then announced that he is 'no longer a footballer', and 'fed up with all the stuff in the football world', dedicating himself to rap instead.[36]

Youssoufa Moukoka. Twelve years old, playing with the U-17's, racking in the goals.

This should have been Pandemic's call tbh goddamnit

Zlatan Sehovic, a 17 year old left-back, made his first team debut for Partizan in a Europa league qualifier tonight, contributing an assist. Apparently one to watch for the future.

Aminu Mohammed, who has looked exceptional in youth competitions and in the Ghanaian league, is going to be playing for Breda (on loan from Man City, obviously) this season. Could be worth looking out for.

"Youth team striker Raheem Sterling could become Liverpool's youngest first team player should he feature against Sparta Prague on Thursday.
Sterling, who turned 16 in December and is on half-term holidays from school..."

Hadn't heard of this lad before, I reckon he qualifies as a child prodigy for another day at least.

― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 16 February 2011 12:13 (seven years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

found out klata

found out

Dejan Joveljić, 18 year old striker for Crvena Zvezda looks no bad

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5979783/Bayern-Munich-talks-15m-Vancouver-Whitecaps-teenager-Alphonso-Davies.html

Cracking 17 year old Canadian winger being eyed by Bayern Munich, probably going to break the record for a signing rom the MLS

Alphonso Davies to Bayern Munich is a done deal. Fee is around 13 million euros with substantial add ons that could make the entire package worth a record https://twitter.com/KristianJack/status/10217936728940011520 million. Davies will remain with the Whitecaps for the rest of the season.

— Kristian Jack (@KristianJack) July 24, 2018

I know its only pre-season friendlies but I've been impressed by 18 year old English kid Jadon Sancho for Dortmund

ah cmon mike that fella has been in the papers 2 years!

the prodigy that will never be tarnished by time

― ilxinho (nakhchivan), Saturday, 16 October 2010 00:29 (eight years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

at some stage galway advertiser editor declan varley has outed himself as the culprit here

Anssumane Fati, 16, starting for Barca against Valencia tonight.

And scores after two minutes.

Too old, at 19, to be a proper prodigy but Alf Inge Haaland’s son Erling has just scored a hat trick in the first half of his CL debut - taking his total for the season to 17 goals in 9 games.

some 16 year old scored the winner at the valley for brum the other day but it was a tap-in cos we forgot how to defend so prodigy status is on hold idk

Tap in's still - literally - miles away from kicking a ball into a skip from quite far away. Supposed prodigy cancelled.

Ya ex-Spurs boy and English player Madueke (17) bagged another two goals for PSV today.

Musah (17-y-o, ex-Arsenal) has just scored his first goal for Valencia too.

^^^and accepted a call-up from the US apparently

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10116025/Arsenal-sign-FIVE-YEAR-OLD-nursery-dubbed-little-Messi.html

In April 2020, it was reported that Feruz had given up football to set up a company selling designer caps.

Tempted to wiki every single prodigy mentioned in this thread, but could be a long and depressing task.

Alphonso Davies has to be the most successful at this point, I would guess?

Dele Alli will come good mark my words

Gaga from Chicago has been attracting attention. He played well as starter for a shitty team the last third of the season or so. My friend's little brother is super tight with him, says it's been a wild ride for the dude.

https://www.90min.com/posts/gabriel-slonina-attracting-interest-serie-a-bundesliga-la-liga-transfers

Lamine Yamal crowned becoming the youngest men’s player in Spain’s history by scoring in his country’s 7-1 win against Georgia.

Yamal, aged 16 years and 57 days, came on as a first-half substitute in the Group A Euro 2024 qualifier, to break the record set by Gavi in 2021 when the Barcelona star was aged 17 years and 62 days.

some 16 year old scored the winner at the valley for brum the other day but it was a tap-in cos we forgot how to defend so prodigy status is on hold idk

― imago, Tuesday, 17 September 2019 19:52 (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Tap in's still - literally - miles away from kicking a ball into a skip from quite far away. Supposed prodigy cancelled.

― Le Bateau Ivre, Tuesday, 17 September 2019 19:55 (three years ago) bookmarkflaglink

jude bellingham fyi

sharivari getting erling haaland in just before I said that besting me yet again, curses etc

Everton have agreed to sign 15-year-old Bradford City midfielder George Green in a deal that could eventually rise to £2 million.

Talks took place on Saturday, according to the Telegraph and Argus newspaper in Bradford, and a deal has been agreed that will see Everton pay almost £300,000 upfront plus bonuses based on appearances, new contracts and international appearances. A sell-on clause will also be included.

Bradford head of football development Archie Christie said Green, who has also attracted interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers, has the potential to be a leading star.

"This is one of the highest deals ever for a 15-year-old from a League Two club, but George is the best I've seen in his position at his age," he said. "He could become another Wayne Rooney or Paul Gascoigne."

Currently playing for Thackley in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

I didn't mean to single that guy out but that one jumped out at me. Frankly, most of these guys went on to have totally mediocre and occasionally disastrous careers. Which I find somewhat depressing tbh.

THIS talented Irish player is set to take the football world by storm — after signing for Barcelona FC.

Zak Gilsenan, nine, from Castleknock, Dublin, has been snapped up by the Spanish giants after wowing scouts when he scored SEVEN goals in a trial.

Now 20 and playing for Blackburn Rovers, he hasn't actually played a league game for any team yet but I notice he played one game for the Ireland under-21 team this year - and scored! Fingers crossed we don't have another George Green on our hands.

come on ye poison green

i think the vast majority who show class at a young sge are destined to not need to find either the work ethic or professionalism or ego management traits or whatever might support them through the slow emergence into consistent first team talents

most hyped 19 year olds seem to lose their way ffs, let alone tadpoles as featured itt

Is this where we talk about Baby Gronk?

Baby Gronkjaer lol