If you’re good enough, you’re old enough, so they say.
Lamine Yamal was certainly both as he was named the Young Player of the Tournament as he helped Spain win the European Championship in Germany last Sunday, becoming both the youngest player, and the youngest goalscorer in the competition’s history.
The Barcelona prodigy also scored the Goal of the Tournament as Spain beat France in the semi-final and was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament too after laying on a tournament high four assists, including the opening goal in the final against England.
Not bad for a lad who only turned 17 on Saturday, but we’ve moved on, he’s already established as a global icon now. Where are the next generation of 14, 15 and 16-year-olds, I hear you cry.
Read on to find out who has chosen to turn their back on long nights of drinking cider on park benches in favour of building the foundations for a career at the very top of world football, and, of course… remember the name!
📰 Table Of Contents
Cavan Sullivan – Philadelphia Union
On Wednesday night a local boy came off the bench after 85 minutes of Union’s 5-1 home win over New England Revolution at Subaru Park.
But that’s not the story. At the age of 14 years and 293 days, Sullivan beat the record for the youngest MLS player set by Freddy Adu when he played for DC United in 2004 by 13 days.
The midfielder also became the youngest North American player in the top flight of any team sport.
He’s contracted to join Man City when he turns 18, though might end up at a City Group club on the continent – Girona, perhaps? – when he turns 16. Whether Pep Guardiola is still there to oversee his development, who knows, but he should be quite some player even before he arrives in Manchester.
Though he is eligible to represent Germany through his mother, with the World Cup in the US in 2026, don’t be surprised to see the hype reach fever pitch in two years time if Sullivan continues to blossom.
Welcome to the show, Cavan Sullivan. ✨
The 14-year-old becomes the youngest player to debut in MLS history. pic.twitter.com/qbgjh4QRns
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 18, 2024
Francesco Camarda – AC Milan
Taking any kind of record off Paolo Maldini at AC Milan is worthy of attention, and there is plenty of that on this young striker already.
Camarda became Milan’s youngest ever player, and the youngest to play in Serie A, when he came off the bench against Fiorentina in November, aged 15 years and 260 days old.
The six-footer began life in the Milan academy as a defender but after repeatedly dribbling round everyone and scoring, he was moved up front, scoring an astonishing 485 goals in just 89 matches for the youth sides and scoring twice on his under-19s debut in a friendly, aged just 14.
He was Player of the Tournament and scored four goals as Italy won the European under-17 Championship this summer and is the only 2008-born player in the under-19 Championship, where Italy face hosts Northern Ireland on Thursday night.
🚨🔴⚫️ Italian talent Francesco Camarda signs new deal at AC Milan today, done and sealed.
2008 born striker received several proposals from abroad but decision has always been clear: stay at AC Milan.
🇮🇹 New contract will be valid until June 2027. pic.twitter.com/gBGa0EBY4I
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 7, 2024
Mikey Moore – Tottenham
The tricky wide-man has been playing for Spurs under-21s since the age of 15 and helped the under-17s and under-18s win Premier League cups.
Moore signed schoolboy terms last summer which will see his contract become a pro deal when he turns 17 in August and came off the bench against Man City in May to become Tottenham’s youngest ever Premier League player aged 16 years and 277 days.
Moore scored four goals in three games against France, Portugal and Spain at this summer’s under-17 European Championship and netted his maiden first-team goal on Wednesday night as Spurs won their opening pre-season game at Hearts.
Ange Postecoglou clearly rates the youngster so it may be he is kept around to develop rather than being sent on loan.
16 year-old Mikey Moore bagged his first goal for Tottenham’s senior team today in a pre-season friendly vs Hearts… Lucas Bergvall provided the assist for it too 😍🤝🏽
I can’t lie… Tottenham’s future is looking very bright. You love to see it. 😮💨
— Rising Ballers (@RisingBallers_) July 17, 2024
Franco Mastantuono – River Plate
The childhood tennis prodigy took a while to warm to football but the Argentinian dribbling wizard has already made his mark.
The attacking midfielder – who doesn’t turn 17 until August – became the youngest goalscorer in the history of River when he netted in the Argentinian Cup win over Excursionistas on February 8 and also netted in the Copa Libertadores win over Libertad in April.
Real Madrid, Barcelona and Man United are said to be keen to whisk him off the production line, which has developed the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez in recent years.
Franco Mastantuono vs Barracas Central (Real Madrid Target)
(RW/AM) – 16 years old pic.twitter.com/maFBIlCRRo
— 🌘 (@_99archive) June 28, 2024
Amara Diouf – Generation Foot (Metz from 2026)
The left-sided forward broke Victor Osimhen’s record for the most goals at an under-17 AFCON in 2023 and immediately was handed an international debut in August 2023, at the age of 15 years and 94 days.
Diouf only turned 16 in June and is at the same Generation Foot academy in Dakar which produced Sadio Mane, and just like the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich man, he will join Metz in France when he comes of age in 2026, the Ligue 1 side beating off competition from all the continent’s top sides to seal the deal.
Amara Diouf became the youngest ever to play for Senegal — born in 2008, 15 years and 94 days. ✨🇸🇳
A LW from Generation Foot academy that produced Sadio Mané.
He’s joining Metz, deal already agreed for the future. 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/HuFu4x3CSA
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 10, 2023
