The Ballon d’Or is undoubtedly one of the most precious individual trophies a footballer can ever dream of. Potential Future Ballon D’or Winners or candidates should have massive pressure around them, as they will have to fill the boots of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and be consistent as ever.
We all know, winning the Ballon d’Or in Messi’s and Ronaldo’s era was almost impossible; however, few players including Benzema, Modric, and Kaka managed to achieve them.
Unfortunately, Messi and Ronaldo’s footballing careers are coming to an end as they have already headed to Major League Soccer(MLS) and Saudi Pro League respectively. So, there could be a higher number of Future Ballon D’or Winners in the coming years, unlike the GOAT era.
So, we should look forward to top youngsters in Europe’s top 5 leagues who can win the pinnacle of their careers. Haaland and Mbappe are two obvious candidates who can win the Future Ballon D’or and fill the legacy of Messi and Ronaldo. Nonetheless, here are some of the other U-21 talents who could be crowned Future Ballon d’Or Winners,
Bukayo Saka
The Arsenal ‘Starboy’ is probably the best RW in the premier league alongside Mo Salah and one of the best Arsenal players for almost three years scoring 31 goals and appearing over 135 times.
Saka is one of the best players of his generation and can be a Future Ballon D’or. The England International is also a regular starter for the national team and has 11 goals in just 31 caps.
Bukayo Saka was a crucial part of Mikel Arteta’s team which just fell short of title winners Man City in the premier league last season. Nevertheless, we can expect something exceptional from the young winger in the coming years.
Jude Bellingham
The young England international has established himself as one of the best players in his No. 8 position. Bellingham already has 133 senior appearances for Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund and already earned 21 England caps. Due to his presence in club and country football, the English midfielder is definitely a Future Ballon D’or candidate.
At just 19 years of age, he has secured a transfer to Real Madrid for an initial amount of £88.5 million after having two impressive seasons with Dortmund. After switching to Real Madrid, Bellingham definitely will have an upper hand when it comes to winning trophies and should have the Ballon d’Or in his sights.
Jamal Musiala
Bayern Munich’s midfielder has already impressed most fans with his trickery and skills in the world cup. The German international has also been a vital part of Tuchel’s Bundesliga-winning team, who helped to snatch the title away from rivals Dortmund on the final day.
The youngster already has hands-on major trophies in the world including the UEFA champions league and 4 Bundesliga titles, making him one of the decorated players on this list and adding an extra layer of experience if it comes to winning the Ballon d’Or in the coming years.
Pedri
Pedro Gonzalez aka Pedi has been the heart of Barcelona’s Midfield for the past couple of years. The Spaniard’s ability to read games and control the tempo of the game makes him heir to Andreas Iniesta. His technicality and consistency make him a contender for the Future Ballon d’Or winner.
At just 20 years of age, Pedi has 146 senior appearances in club football and has earned 21 international caps for Spain. Pedri is one of the best young midfielders alongside Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala. His technicality and consistency make him
Gavi
Another Barcelona youngster on this list is Gavi. The Spain international came into the limelight when he first debuted at 17 years old for the current La Liga champions. Gavi then has been a regular starter alongside his colleague Pedri for both Barcelona and Spain national teams.
The dynamic duo is definitely one to watch for when it comes to Future Ballon d’Or due to their technical ability. Gavi has a total of 91 appearances and 7 goals for both club and county.
Eduardo Camavinga
The French youngster was regarded as a prospect at just 17 years of age when he played for Rennes in France. He attracted interest from one of the best teams in the world including Real Madrid and later joined them. His versatile ability makes him one of the best talents in world football.
He can play both CDM and LB roles with ease and has great composure with the ball. The French international has already won five trophies with Real Madrid and should possibly win one of the great individual honours i.e. Ballon D’or if he continues performing in the highest levels in upcoming seasons.
Florian Wirtz
Wirtz is definitely one of the emerging talents in Europe’s top 5 leagues. The Bayer Leverkusen star has been on the radar of Europe’s top teams due to his incredible play-making ability. The Young midfielder can possibly be a candidate for Ballon d’Or in the coming future.
At just 20 years, the attacking midfielder already has 77 appearances for the German club scoring 14 goals in total. The German youngster will be counted on as a Ballon d’Or candidate if he maintains his consistency in the coming year and helps his club win some silverware.
Alejandro Garnacho
The Argentine wunderkind had a breakthrough season for Manchester United in 2022/23, helping the team to win the Carabao Cup and secure a Champions League spot. Even Though he has had few appearances for the club and country, the winger has immense pace and ball-carrying ability even when playing on the highest levels.
He has been regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Europe’s top 5 leagues and may be part of the Future Ballon D’or.
Rasmus Hojlund
The Danish star is known for his goal-scoring ability and contributed a total of 13 goals last season in Serie A and scored 6 goals for Denmark. The Atalanta striker is linked with a couple of European clubs including Manchester United, thanks to his physicality, and extreme pace.
Hojlund is up there with the likes of Haaland in terms of potential and style of play. But, he has a lot to prove in upcoming seasons to prove his worth if he is to win the Ballon d’Or.
Youssoufa Moukoko
The young striker is regarded as the next big thing for German football, thanks to his insane goal-scoring ability. Moukoko first came into recognition when he was tearing up the youth leagues at just 12 years of age. Then at just 16, he became Bundesliga’s youngest-ever debutant to play for Bundesliga.
He already has 12 goals and 56 appearances for the club and already made his international debut aged 17. The German wonder kid has good goal-scoring numbers and immense potential to be counted on for the Future Ballon d’Or Winner but time will tell if the youngster will live up to the expectations.
