Words: Michael Yokhin, Mark White
80. Malang Sarr (Nice)
Need to know: Nice boss Lucien Favre is known for nurturing young players, but few expected him to make a 17-year-old the lynchpin of his central defence during 2016/17.
Sarr scored the winner on the opening weekend and never looked back, showing maturity beyond his age. He made 27 appearances as Nice took Ligue 1 by storm to finish third, his tactical awareness and bravery truly astonishing for a stopper with such little experience.
Highlight so far: Sarr was outstanding as Nice thrashed Monaco 4-0 in September 2016, keeping a clean sheet against a potent attacking line-up that would go on to secure the Ligue 1 title. MY
79. Calvin Stengs (AZ Alkmaar)
Need to know: The exciting left-footed right-winger broke into AZ Alkmaar’s side towards the end of 2016/17 in emphatic fashion, catching the eye with his superb speed, imagination and trickery.
Stengs was set to be one of the rising stars of the new season, but a broken leg on the opening weekend at PSV ended his campaign before it had barely begun. He’ll hope to return stronger next term.
Highlight so far: Stengs bagged a brilliant brace against Groningen in May’s European play-off competition, the icing on the cake after a string of supreme performances for the Cheeseheads. MY
78. Gedson Fernandes (Benfica)
Need to know: The 18-year-old Portuguese is yet to make his senior debut for Benfica, but his performances for the youth national teams have been sensational and he has already represented their U20 side.
A central midfielder with excellent vision and magical passing skills, Fernandes is a joy to watch and was deservedly in the team of the tournament as Portugal won the 2016 European U17 Championship.
Fittingly, Gedson scored the winning spot-kick in the final to overcome Spain on penalties.
Highlight so far: An astonishing UEFA Youth League goal against Besiktas in 2016, from inside his own half. MY
77. Johannes Eggestein (Werder Bremen)
Need to know: Older brother Maximilian Eggestein has already become an important player in Werder Bremen’s midfield – and now 19-year-old Johannes is making his first steps in the Bundesliga.
They made history as the first pair of brothers to be on the pitch at the same time for Die Werderaner, and have represented Germany U21s together too. Unlike his sibling, Johannes – nicknamed ‘Jojo’ – is a striker. Blessed with good ball control and decent positional sense, he is expected to enjoy a breakthrough season in 2017/18.
Highlight so far: Eggestein scored 34 goals in just 28 matches for Bremen’s U19 team in 2015/16, including three hat-tricks. MY
76. Reece Oxford (Borussia Monchengladbach, on loan from West Ham)
Need to know: Everyone was stunned when Slaven Bilic gave a 16-year-old Oxford his Premier League debut for West Ham on the opening weekend of 2015/16. But his impact was sensational – the youngster bossed the midfield at the Emirates against Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey as the Hammers beat Arsenal 2-0.
The future looked extremely bright, but the hype proved to be short-lived: for some reason, the teen wasn't handed more decent opportunities and eventually returned to the under-23 team.
A short loan spell with Reading at the beginning of 2017 proved to be unsuccessful, and now Oxford – a ball-playing central defender by trade – is warming the bench at Borussia Monchengladbach. His time will surely come somewhere.
Highlight so far: The extraordinary performance against Arsenal two years ago remains his pinnacle – which currently stands as the sixth-youngest Premier League debut. MY
75. Moise Kean (Hellas Verona, on loan from Juventus)
Need to know: Kean is the first noughties-born player to appear in the Champions League, and also to play – then score – in one of Europe’s big four leagues. And he did it at Juventus.
Now 17 and on loan at Verona for 2017/18, Kean boasts blistering speed, flashy skills, and has hit eight goals in 17 appearances for Italy's U17s.
With a funky hairstyle, enrapturing goal celebrations and hype CEO Mino Raiola for an agent, the striker – like Mario Balotelli – is unlikely to be far from the headlines. So far, for all the right reasons.
Highlight so far: Less than two weeks after being challenged to score more headers, he nodded home a last-gasp winner at Bologna on the final day of 2016/17 – his first Juventus goal. MW
74. Fikayo Tomori (Hull, on loan from Chelsea)
Need to know: Arsenal and Manchester United hopelessly failed to tame Marcus Rashford in March 2016 – but a Canada U20 defender showed them how it was done that month in a shock victory away to the Young Lions.
Tomori, born in Calgary but brought up in Kent, was eventually wooed by England and before long had helped them win the U20 World Cup.
The defender thrived as Chelsea conquered the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League, and is now on loan at Hull after a spell in Brighton last season.
Highlight so far: Athletic and excellent in one-on-one situations with strikers, Tomori was a paramount performer as England kept four clean sheets en route to U20 glory in Suwon. MW
73. Dzenis Burnic (Stuttgart, on loan from Borussia Dortmund)
Need to know: Jurgen Klopp, needing to make up numbers due to several of his players being on international duty, invited a few youth-teamers to La Manga, Spain for a training camp. After only one practice session he told his Borussia Dortmund superiors to tie Burnic down for the long-term.
The Germany U19 international, who debuted for BVB at centre-back but prefers to operate as a playmaker, will spend 2017/18 on loan at Stuttgart under his former coach Hannes Wolf.
Highlight so far: Burnic, whose forte is his passing, captained Dortmund to the Bundesliga U19 crown in 2017 – his fourth straight title-winning season in the youth ranks. MW
72. Nonoca (Cruzeiro)
Need to know: “My dad was nicknamed Nonoca. When you’re from a small city like mine, they call you by the same nickname as your father. At first I wasn’t too keen, but now I like it because it honours my dad,” said the Cruzeiro defensive midfielder, whose father passed away when he was young.
Former Brazil manager Mano Menezes promoted the powerful enforcer into his first team at the start of the year, and the shy teenager responded with some bold performances.
Highlight so far: Nonoca was at his bullying best on his professional debut against Democrata in April. MW
71. Marcelo Saracchi (River Plate)
Need to know: A tough-tackling, adventurous left-back with experience way beyond his 19 years, Saracchi was nabbed by River Plate in August – reportedly under the noses of Inter Milan – on the recommendation of their Uruguayan demigod Enzo Francescoli.
They got a player who has already appeared in two U20 World Cups, played over 60 games for Uruguay at youth level, and been a regular for Danubio in the Uruguayan top tier since 2015.
“He’s very hard to get past,” said PSV trickster Gaston Pereiro.
Highlight so far: In October, Saracchi burst onto an Ignacio Scocco pass and drove the ball into a seemingly non-existent gap between post and goalkeeper to send River on their way to a 4-1 win over Atlanta in the Copa Argentina. MW
Get the list:
FourFourTwo’s 100 Best Teenagers in the World 2017
