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Talented young footballers are the future of the sport as they are expected to carry on and pick up from where the older generation left.
With players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Europe, all eyes are on the lookout to see which young player has what it takes to fill the void left by some of the greatest names in football history.
Unlike before, top managers no longer consider age as a deciding factor when selecting their starting eleven.
This has given rise to countless young footballers who have made themselves known and captured the hearts of football lovers with their incredible talents with Kylian Mbappe being a prime example.
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Without further ado, let's take a look at five young footballers within the age of 20-22, who have established themselves as key figures in their team.
5. Gavi
Gavi has already established himself as a key footballer for both Barcelona and the Spanish national team.
Playing mainly as a midfielder, his impact on the field and on games has been nothing short of extraordinary.
The 19-year-old starlet has already played 100 games for Barcelona and has made 21 appearances for Spain.
His technical skills, and ability to create goal scoring opportunities have impressed fans and pundits alike, leading to comparisons with the legendary Xavi.
Because of his impressive performances, Gavi was awarded the Kopa Trophy for the world's best player under the age of 21 at the prestigious Ballon d'Or awards in 2022.
Even with his noticeable talent, you wouldn’t expect a 19-year-old to be playing with so much maturity and confidence.
4. Pedri
Another young footballer who has made himself a key player for his team is Pedri.
At the age of just 20, Pedri is the metronome in midfield that makes Barcelona tick.
His rise to prominence is actually quite different from other football stars around the world.
He joined the Barcelona in 2020 for just €5 million, and it didn’t take long before he cemented his place in the first team.
Though his main role is to provide assists and create goal scoring opportunities for his teammates, Pedri can also score when needed.
Pedri's impressive performances are not just limited to club level, as he has also become a key figure in the Spanish national team's midfield. He made his debut for Spain in 2021 and has since become a regular starter in the squad.
3. Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka, is an English professional footballer who plays for Arsenal in the Premier League and represents England at the national level.
Saka is 22 years old, and despite playing in one of the toughest leagues in the world, nothing has stopped him from establishing himself as one of the best young players in the world.
Under the guidance of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, his performances have been remarkable.
Saka has become one of the important players in the team that challenged Manchester City for the Premier League title last season. As long as he’s fit and able to play, he is always included in the starting eleven.
In the 2022-23 season, Saka's numbers were quite impressive. He scored 15 goals and registered 11 assists in 48 games in all competitions.
Arsenal might have lost the Premier League title to Manchester City last season, but Saka’s contributions played a key role in ensuring that they finished in 2nd place.
2. Eduardo Camavinga
20-year-old French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has already established himself as an important player in a star-studded team like Real Madrid.
His move to Los Blancos was quite a controversial one as Madrid secured his signature for just £26 million.
Camavinga's teenage success at Real Madrid has taken both Madrid fans and rival fans by surprise.
Because of his price tag, most people never expected him to establish himself as an important team player. They thought he was going to be a backup player in the team.
His confidence level has made him a first team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred starting lineup.
Be it in a regular match or even a top Champions League game, Camavinga always seems to make the starting eleven and he repays the manager's trust by producing a top-tier performance.
Camavinga is an extremely versatile footballer and we have seen him play a variety of positions at Real Madrid including left-back last season. The Frenchman excelled in that role too, but his ideal position is in the center of the midfield.
1. Jude Bellingham
20-year-old English superstar Jude Bellingham is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world right now.
Before his highly anticipated big money move to Real Madrid, he already made himself a key player in Borussia Dortmund and the England national team, where he operated mainly as a midfielder in a free role.
Bellingham has shown his quality by consistently performing at a high level for both club and country.
He has won several awards, such as the Bundesliga Player of the Season, and has been included in the UEFA Champions League and World Cup teams of the season.
Though Bellingham is still very young, he has already achieved so much in his career and it’s not surprising why Real Madrid decided to break the bank to sign him.
After just playing five games for Madrid so far this season, Bellingham looks like he has played for Los Blancos for years!
Apart from just his midfield duties, Bellingham is currently the highest goalscorer for Real Madrid, with five goals. Surprisingly, most of the goals he has scored so far are match winning goals.
