The world’s best young players born in 2001 or later have been named in an eye-catching top 50 list.
FC Barcelona forward Ansu Fati has been ranked as the best young player under the age of 20 by French outlet L’Equipe, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich stars also making the cut.
The world’s best young footballer of 2021 title belongs to Fati. The 18-year-old is already a first-team regular at Barcelona, having made 43 appearances, and is tipped as the rightful heir to Lionel Messi.
Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Ajax star Ryan Gravenberch complete the top three. While Fati’s Barcelona teammate Pedri, who arrived at Camp Nou last summer in a €5m deal from Las Palmas, sits fourth in the list.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, on the other hand, came in a surprise sixth-place ahead of Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood and Arsenal star Bukayo Saka, with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo Goes only 32nd.
Top 50 best players U-20 born in 2001 or later
* YoB – Year of Birth.
| Pos | Player | Club | YoB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ansu Fati | Barcelona | 2002 |
| 2 | Eduardo Camavinga | Rennes | 2002 |
| 3 | Ryan Gravenberch | Ajax | 2002 |
| 4 | Pedri | Barcelona | 2002 |
| 5 | Giovanni Reyna | Borussia Dortmund | 2002 |
| 6 | Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund | 2003 |
| 7 | Yari Verschaeren | Anderlecht | 2001 |
| 8 | Mason Greenwood | Manchester United | 2001 |
| 9 | Bukayo Saka | Arsenal | 2001 |
| 10 | Myron Boadu | AZ | 2001 |
| 11 | Florian Wirtz | Bayer Leverkusen | 2003 |
| 12 | Nuno Mendes | Sporting CP | 2002 |
| 13 | Harvey Elliot | Liverpool | 2002 |
| 14 | Mohamed Ihattaren | PSV | 2002 |
| 15 | Youssoufa Moukoko | Borussia Dortmund | 2004 |
| 16 | Josko Gvardiol | Dinamo Zagreb | 2002 |
| 17 | Curtis Jones | Liverpool | 2001 |
| 18 | Thiago Almada | Velez | 2001 |
| 19 | Yunus Musah | Valencia | 2002 |
| 20 | Noni Madueke | PSV | 2002 |
| 21 | Charles De Ketelaere | Brujas | 2001 |
| 22 | Jeremy Doku | Rennes | 2002 |
| 23 | Ilya Zabarnyi | Dinamo Kiev | 2002 |
| 24 | Kaio Jorge | Santos | 2002 |
| 25 | Becir Omeragic | FC Zurich | 2002 |
| 26 | Filip Stevanovic | Partizan | 2002 |
| 27 | Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich | 2003 |
| 28 | Kamaldeen Sulemana | Nordsjaelland | 2002 |
| 29 | Adam Hlozek | Sparta Prague | 2002 |
| 30 | Anatoliy Troubine | Shakhtar Donetsk | 2001 |
| 31 | Benoit Badiashile | Monaco | 2001 |
| 32 | Rodrygo | Real Madrid | 2001 |
| 33 | Gabriel Martinelli | Arsenal | 2001 |
| 34 | Kvaratskhelia | Rubin Kazan | 2001 |
| 35 | Gabriel Veron | Palmeiras | 2002 |
| 36 | Moisés Caicedo | Brighton | 2001 |
| 37 | Christos Tzolis | PAOK | 2002 |
| 38 | Michael Olise | Reading | 2001 |
| 39 | Ander Barrenetxea | Real Sociedad | 2001 |
| 40 | Aster Vranckx | Malinas | 2002 |
| 41 | Fabio Silva | Wolves | 2002 |
| 42 | Matias Arezo | River Plate (Uruguay) | 2002 |
| 43 | Leonidas Stergiou | St-Gallen | 2002 |
| 44 | Nicolas Raskin | Standard Liege | 2001 |
| 45 | Aaron Hickey | Bologna | 2002 |
| 46 | Alan Velasco | Independiente | 2002 |
| 47 | Arnaud Kalimuendo | Lens | 2002 |
| 48 | Lassina Traoré | Ajax | 2001 |
| 49 | David Strelec | Slovan Bratislava | 2001 |
| 50 | Rayan Cherki | Lyon | 2003 |
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