PSG U17 team has just won the Al-Kass International Cup, beating the Juventus in final. However reduced by 9 vs 11 and led in the shoot outs by 2-0, Paris youngsters managed to win against an Italian team no less Reknown for decades for its poor youth detection (apart of Anelka), PSG has now probably the best young teams in France. 50% of French prospects come from the region of Paris and the club recruits lots of them for a few years now. A policy impulsed by Colony... The most promising of those on-coming stars is Hervin Ongenda, known as "the new George Weah". He's famous since he scored a hat-trick against Inter Milan U15 in a tournament final. He often plays with the U19 team. He's 16. There are Dembele, Rabiot and Kingsley Coman. And lots of other players completely ahead of their league.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr6o_PXVlkc"][HQ] PSG vs Juventus 0-0 (5-4) Full Penalty Shootout / 2012-01-17/18 - YouTube[/ame]
The list is garbage if Praet is number 4. No offense to him but I think Belgium has greater talents already.
I just looked and cut off was 1994 and younger. That being said, Praet I think should be behind Januzaj and Bakkali
Verratti, 92, the best. He and Insigne Edit : Perhaps, the limit was 93...It's hard to tell what are the criteras, the site is kind of messy.
Yeah I took a look at the list more, I mean, it's nice they know 100 players who are young but their order sucks. Balanta, Kovacic and Kondogbia are all behind Ross Barkley, Ross Barkley? What are they smoking
Ross Barkley is bad??? He's done a real good job this season so far for Everton. Much more impressive than Balanta of RiBer, and Kondogbia in the mid.
I have great respect for your view so I won't argue the point further. I'm not saying that Barkley at all is a bad player, but really have you seen Balanta? Maybe we can make a friendly gentleman's wager but I'll say Balanta will be among the world's best defenders in the next 5 years, whereas Barkley will start somewhere in EPL though not be anywhere close to a starter on a CL team. Winner would be the one who would be less distant from their prediction.
Tbh I don't have anything against Barkley but I get the feeling in a way he'll eventually be a victim of the British/Sky Sports over-hype machine.I haven't watched anymore than a few highlights of him this season but maybe based on match reports and your view I will try seeing more. But Balanta does impress me. A lot.
Case in point being how already they're comparing him to Gascoigne, quickly forgetting Gazza, who was before my time although I have seen bunch of clips, is considered maybe most talented of his generation. Can Barkley truly be that when imo he would struggle to get into a "1993-born World XI" right now? Guess we'll know the answer in the years ahead.
1993-born World XI imo: Lukaku Draxler Quintero Kondogbia Pogba (LB - I feel I'd be biased if I said Digne) Balanta/Nastasic Varane (RB - No idea) (GK -No idea) To be honest he could probably get in now because I've only fielded about 7/11.
Tom, If I may, I apologize if the comments I made above come off slightly méchant or castigating. I have great respect for anyone who tries to come up with a list that is 100 strong, really it is quite an endeavor as I consider myself quite knowledgeable, humbly, about youth tournaments and such yet I was only able above to arrive at 7 out of a starting 11 of up and coming startets born in 1993... well to be fair I could have included some who I saw during the U-2o World Cup who are likely not "star" quality, though the point is it's no easy task. That being said, I strongly would suggest that you likely should make a cutoff or some kind of somewhat strict guideline as to who gets in and who doesn't (maybe those who have 0 caps internationally or those who are not starters yet at a large European club?) or else there will be quite a lot of loud idiots like myself who think we know more than we might actually. The other suggestion is to get rid just of the order and make it a list without numbers. In any case, I appreciate your work and hey, in the event you're looking for input or have a need for a columnist or researcher, PM me since I could have some interest. Still wondering why Praet's so high though. I have no issue though with Matsour #1, speculative maybe although odds are you have a greater chance going with "high ceiling" prospects who are still very young as opposed to limited ones who are currently better now but won't improve considerably as much.