Who are the best wonderkids in Europe’s top five leagues right now? | OneFootball

Across Europe right now, there’s a host of young players getting fans off their seats with attacking flair, or keeping them firmly sat down with defensive domination.

Lamine Yamal is arguably the best of them at just 17 years old, and we’ll get to the Spanish sensation later.

But what about the others? We used our Squawka Score to pick out some of the best wonderkids in Europe’s top five leagues right now, so read on for the talents you need to keep an eye on.

Abdukodir Khusanov (CB)

He’s only 20 years old but already, Abdukodir Khusanov is staking his claim as Uzbekistan’s most talented player ever. That title is held by international teammate Eldor Shomurodov, who is his nation’s record goalscorer with 41 strikes in 76 caps, now plying his trade with Roma.

Khusanov is providing poise and composure to the Lens backline, while defensively, he’s first among all Ligue 1 central defenders for interceptions that retain possession (3.09 per 90) and possessions won in the defensive third (3.48). Elsewhere, he’s second for clearances (6.37).

Nathan Zeze (CB)

They don’t call it the ‘league of talents’ for nothing. Another youngster shining in the French top flight is Nathan Zeze.

The Frenchman is already showing excellent defensive and ball-playing qualities from centre-back, so much so that Liverpool and Aston Villa are reported to be interested.

Zeze’s best performance of the season so far was probably in Nantes’ 0-0 draw away at Toulouse, in which he made 10 clearances, three recoveries, two tackles and two interceptions, while winning all four of his ground duels.

Levi Colwill (CB)

Club: Chelsea

Age: 21

Squawka Score: 74%

Levi Colwill showed the good, the bad and the ugly in England’s recent 2-1 defeat to Greece, making an excellent goalline clearance to spare the blushes of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but more than playing his role in some shambolic Three Lions defending.

However, there’s no doubting his talent and he’s proving himself a key figure in what is a promising start for Chelsea under Enzo Maresca. He’s one of three centre-backs to make 2+ interceptions inside his box — the others being Virgil van Dijk and Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic —

In terms of passing range, only Maxence Lacroix, Jan Paul van Hecke and Van Dijk are playing more successful long balls per 90 than Colwill (3.43). Being left-footed only increases his value as a centre-back.

Carlos Baleba (DM)

Carlos Baleba arrived at Brighton from Lille in 2023 with a big reputation and after a year of adjustment, he seems to be hitting his stride. The 20-year-old defensive midfielder — already capped four times for Cameroon — is first among Brighton players with 200+ Premier League minutes this season for tackles (3.19) and interceptions (2.13) per 90 minutes. He’s also already popped up with a goal in both the Premier League and EFL Cup.

Xavi Simons

A player who needs no introduction, Xavi Simons is once again on loan at RB Leipzig and already has a goal and two assists under his belt in six Bundesliga appearances. That actually feels like a modest return for a player of his standards. But so far, Leipzig have kept pace with Bayern Munich based on a defensive record of just two goals conceded. If they find their attacking rhythm as well, you can expect Simons to start unloading on teams.

Joao Neves (CM)

Moving for a fee that could reach €70m is always going to put a certain amount of pressure on a young player but so far, the early signs from Joao Neves are very good. The Portuguese prodigy already has five assists in seven Ligue 1 appearances, putting up Bukayo Saka-esque creative numbers from a deeper midfield role. Those assists have come from 2.05 chances created per 90 minutes, which is only fifth among PSG players, proving that sometimes, quality matters far more than quantity.

Yaya Fofana (CM)

We’re back in France, this time for a prodigious midfield talent by the name of Yaya Fofana. The 20-year-old has a goal and an assist on the board already for Reims in Ligue 1 this season, while he’s averaging 5.82 final third passes, 1.5 take-ons completed and 2.7 tackles per 90. All action.

Pedri (AM)

Pedri suffered injury heartbreak at Euro 2024, but he’s back in action now and already has two goals and an assist to his name in seven La Liga appearances. It’ll probably come as no surprise to you that Pedri has completed more passes into the final third per 90 (19.01) than any other Barcelona player this season, while his 2.45 chances created per 90 puts him second only to Raphinha.

“I feel free,” Pedri said of his role under new Barcelona boss Hansi Flick. “I think that’s what he has transmitted to me, to play without pressure and to do what I know. I feel much more at ease.”

Florian Wirtz (AM)

Is there anything we really need to tell you about Florian Wirtz? After a phenomenal, double-winning 2023/24 campaign, the 21-year-old has started the new season in stunning fashion, scoring four goals in six Bundesliga appearances, with another two strikes in the Champions League as well. Simply put, this lad is on the path to becoming one of the greatest players of his generation.

Eliesse Ben Seghir (W/AM)

Eliesse Ben Seghir has been growing in stature for a few years now but this season, he’s taking off. The 19-year-old already has two goals and two assists in seven Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco in 2024/25, while he’s second at the club only to Aleksandr Golovin (18.79) for final third passes completed per 90 (14.39). After an extensive journey through the French youth system, Ben Seghir now has four senior caps for Morocco, grabbing a goal and assist in World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Congo, respectively.

Alberto Moleiro (W/AM)

Las Palmas are stranded at the bottom of La Liga without a win in nine matches, with just nine goals scored. However, that hasn’t stopped Alberto Moleiro from shining. The attacking midfielder is responsible for a third of his side’s La Liga goals this season, while he’s averaging 1.84 chances created and 2.62 completed dribbles per 90 — second and first among his teammates, respectively.

Lamine Yamal (W)

The reason Wirtz is only ‘one of’ the biggest talents right now is because Lamine Yamal is the biggest. Honestly, how is this kid still only 17?!

Anyone left in doubt about what Yamal is capable of was given a front-row seat in the summer as he helped inspire Spain to Euro 2024 glory. Since then, he’s helped himself to four goals and five assists in nine La Liga appearances while opening his Champions League account to sit second only to Ansu Fati as the competition’s youngest-ever goalscorer. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Yamal is also averaging 3.37 successful dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga this season, which is substantially more than any of his teammates.

Santiago Castro (FWD)

Santiago Castro looks to have found his footing in Italy after arriving from Velez in Argentina back in January. The 20-year-old already has three goals and an assist to his name in Serie A this season, seemingly filling the gap left in Bologna’s attack by the departure of Joshua Zirkzee.

However, standing at just 5ft 8″, Castro relies on diffferent skills to the Dutchman. More on craft than force, he averages 1.17 completed dribbles per 90 minutes this season.

Emanuel Emegha (FWD)

We’re back in France, but this time for a Netherlands youth international who has already played in his homeland, Belgium, Austria and France at just 21 years old. Chelsea are reportedly keeping a close eye on Emanuel Emegha, who has 12 goals and three assists to his name in 38 appearances across all competitions for sister club Strasbourg, who he joined from Sturm Graz at the start of last season.

This season in Ligue 1, only two forwards — Ousmane Dembele and Jonathan Rowe — average more shots on target per 90 than Emegha (1.97).