The Guardian’s list of 50 young players dubbed the ‘next generation of football’ in 2015 makes for fascinating reading (an)

The Guardian's list of 50 young players dubbed the 'next generation of football' in 2015 makes for fascinating reading

Manuel Locatelli, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Martin Odegaard are featured in the list.

A list that identified some of the best talent born in 1998 has re-emerged – and a number of high-profile players feature, including Martin Odegaard and Federico Valverde.

Back in October 2015, The Guardian claimed to have “scoured the world” in a bid to find some of the best players born in ’98.

Three goalkeepers, seven defenders, 20 midfielders and 19 forwards are included in the list but only a handful went on to establish themselves on the international stage.

Luca Fernandez, the second-eldest son of Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane, was the first goalkeeper to feature. At the time, he had just won the European Championship title with France Under-17s.

He was also playing for Real Madrid B but four years after the list was published, Luca left Los Blancos to join Rayo Vallecano. The 26-year-old recently signed for second division side Granada.

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Three others French players are also named alongside Fernandez, including Bilal Boutobba, Dayot Upamecano and former Arsenal man Jeff Reine-Adelaide, who now plays for Serie B side Salernitana.

Here is the full list of players and where they are now:

Franco Lopez – currently a free agent, last played for Argentine side Canuelas in 2022.

Tomás Conechny – now at La Liga club Deportivo Alavés.

Panos Armenakas – now at USL Championship side Memphis 901 FC.

Sandi Lovric – now at Serie A outfit Udinese.

Ismail Azzaoui – now plays for Araz-Naxçıvan in the Azerbaijan Premier League.

Evander Ferreira – now plays for Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers.

Lincoln – now at Turkish side Fenerbahce.

Matheus Pereira – now plays for Spanish club Eibar.

Jesús Marimón – now at Colombian side Deportes Quindío.

Davor Lovren – currently a free agent, last played for Croatian side Kustošija.

Dominik Smekal – now plays for Czech third division club Hlučín.

Jacob Bruun Larsen – now plays at Bundesliga club Hoffenheim.

Kaan Kairinen – now plays for Czech First League side Sparta Prague.

Bilal Boutobba – now plays at Ligue 2 club Clermont.

Dayot Upamecano – now plays for Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich.

Image credit: Getty
Image credit: Getty

Jeff Reine-Adelaide – now plays at Serie B club Salernitana.

Luca Fernández – now plays for Spanish side Granada CF.

Fabian Benko – now plays for Bayernliga Süd club FC Pipinsried.

Felix Passlack – now plays at Bundesliga club VfL Bochum.

Dimitris Limnios – now plays at Super League side Panathinaikos.

Reza Shekari – now plays for Iranian club Sepahan.

Haviv Ohayon – now plays at Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Hadera on loan from Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Manuel Locatelli – now plays for Serie A giants Juventus.

Manuel Nicoletti – now at Serie C Group C club Picerno.

Ritsu Doan – now plays for Bundesliga club SC Freiburg.

Sidiki Maiga – now at Spanish side Azuqueca.

Pablo López – now plays at Mexican outfit Jaguares.

Ulises Torres – now plays for Mexican club Leones Negros UdeG.

Hachim Mastour – now at Malaysia Super League outfit Selangor FC.

Javairô Dilrosun – now plays for Liga MX club América.

Justin Bijlow – now at Eredivisie club Feyenoord.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah – currently a free agent, last played for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

Han Kwang-song – now at DPRK Premier League club April 25 Sports Club.

Martin Odegaard – now at Premier League side Arsenal.

Image credit: Getty
Image credit: Getty

Rafik Zekhnini – now at Eliteserien club Sarpsborg 08.

Krystian Bielik – now at League One club Birmingham City.

Pedro Pereira – now at Serie A side Monza.

Ianis Hagi – now plays for Scottish Premiership club Rangers.

Artem Galadzhan – now plays for Russian third tier side Irtysh Omsk.

Zehrudin Mehmedovic – now at Serbian League West outfit FK FAP on loan from FK Sloboda Užice.

Jan Mlakar – now plays for Serie B side Pisa.

Liam Jordan – now at Swedish Allsvenskan side IF Brommapojkarna.

Lee Seung-woo – now at South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

José Luis ‘Kuki’ Salazar – now plays for Spanish side Córdoba CF.

José María Amo – now at Spanish club CD Tenerife.

Dani Olmo – now plays for La Liga side Barcelona.

Zackarias Faour – now at Swedish club Torns IF.

İbrahim Demirbağ – currently a free agent, last played for Turkish side Arnavutköy Belediyesi FSK.

Christian Pulisic – now plays for Serie A club AC Milan.

Federico Valverde – now at La Liga side Real Madrid.

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