Learn more about the teenage footballers who are set to become major stars. See which young players could well be at the top of their game soon.

6 Football Teens To Watch

The 21st Century is passing at speed. If any proof of that is required, you only need consider that some of the most exciting talents in professional football today were born after 1 January 2001. A respected football authority recently rounded up a list of the 50 top teenagers to watch in modern football.

A closer look at the list reveals that six of these rising stars still call the Americas home. These are the stars of the future who are already making an impact for club and national teams:

Rodrygo; Brazil

At the age of 19, Rodrygo Silva de Goes from Osasco has already played for Brazil twice. Since his debut for Santos in 2017, he has impressed enormously at club level. He transferred to Real Madrid in September 2018, scoring his first La Liga goal within a minute in his first match. Less than two months later, he also pulled off a perfect hat-trick in a 6-0 thrashing of Galatasaray.

Reinier; Brazil

Brasilia-born Reinier Jesus Carvalho turned 18 on 19 January 2020. The very next day, he too was snapped up by Real Madrid. The transfer from his former club, Flamengo, cost around $39 million, but in years to come, the Spanish team could see this as a bargain. The attacking midfielder reminds many of a young Kaka.

Gabriel Martinelli; Brazil

Sao Paulo native Gabriel Teodoro Martinelli Silva was signed to Arsenal on 2 July 2019, exactly two weeks after his eighteenth birthday, making him barely old enough to play best pokies online games in his home country. He had only turned professional in 2017, but his two years at Ituano was what got him noticed and thrust into the big league. He has also played for the Brazil Under-23 side.

Thiago Almada, Argentina

Many see this winger/midfielder as another Carlos Tevez, and the two even come from the same town: Fuerte Apache near Buenos Aires. Almada has been playing in the Argentine Primera Division since 2018, and he is often the backbone of the Velez Sarsfield attack. Former coach Gabriel Heinze has confessed to feeling guilty about how heavily he relied on Almada, but maintains the young star is just too good not to play. He turns 19 on 26 April 2020.

Gabriel Veron; Brazil

Brazilian dominance of this list continues with Veron. His winning three goals and two assists in the final of the 2019 Under-17 FIFA World Cup makes him of the stars of Brazil’s youth side. Gabriel Veron Fonseca de Souza was born in September 2002. Nurtured since 2017 by Sao Paulo club Palmeiras’ youth squad, he is now proving to be a useful winger for them in the Serie A.

Efraín Álvarez, Mexico/USA

Born in the USA to Mexican parents in June 2002, Alvarez has dual citizenship. He’s taking full advantage of that situation. He plays his club football with LA Galaxy in California, and has played in international competition for both countries. In 2016, he represented the US Under-15s. Then he played for Mexico in the 2019 Under-17 World Cup, finishing as runners-up to Brazil in the final. Alvarez is still eligible to play for either country, and he appears to be keeping his options open.