Who are the 39 best male players age 21 or under?

The world’s best male players are getting younger, but is it finally time to crown successors to the legendary Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo?

For the fifth straight year (read 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 here), ESPN brings you our list of the game’s next top young stars aged 21 or under. Now 22, last year’s No. 1 Erling Haaland is too old to be included, while some others from 2022’s top 10 — Phil Foden, Vinicius Junior and Alphonso Davies — are also over the age requirement, too.

Many of this year’s crop have made their mark on the big stage already, but who has done enough to land a place on ESPN’s list, what are their particular qualities and how can they get even better? Collating the list for the fourth year running is Tor-Kristian Karlsen, who has worked as a scout and executive for clubs across Europe, including Monaco, Zenit and Watford. He explains his methodology before revealing his picks.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Why 39?

For the past two years, 39 has worked well, and from an initial long list of 100 players, those remaining are the ones who best satisfied my main criteria: appearances at the highest level, consistent performance over a sustained period and the potential to develop into a future top-level footballer.

What types of research were undertaken?

I used a sounding board consisting of professional scouts and sporting directors from several top European clubs before deciding on the final ranking, as well as some online scouting platforms. Personal preference also played a role.

Is there a reason that attacking players dominate the list?

In general, forwards get more playing time at a younger age than, say, central defenders, who tend to need more time to develop tactical awareness, positioning and understanding of the game. Beyond those who did make it, other defenders considered included Benfica‘s Antonio Silva, Atalanta‘s Giorgio Scalvini and soon-to-be Tottenham full-back Destiny Udogie.

It speaks volumes about the array of attacking talent that players such as RB Leipzig‘s Benjamin Sesko, Arsenal‘s Folarin Balogun, Leeds United‘s Wilfried Gnonto, Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, and 16-year-old Palmeiras prodigy Endrick (who is to join Real Madrid in 2024 for €72 million) didn’t make the final cut.

Notes:
– Players included must be age 21 or under on April 1.
– Transfer values are taken from Transfermarkt.
– Positions are: GK (goalkeeper), LB (left-back), RB (right-back), CB (centre-back), DM (defensive midfield), CM (central midfield), AM (attacking midfield), FW (forward), ST (striker.)