- Yamal named top teenager globally
- Chelsea’s wonderkids Estevao, Hato & Quenda shine
- Lewis-Skelly the only English star in the top 10
Yamal’s remarkable campaign included pivotal contributions to Barcelona‘s La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. While the Spanish prodigy took the crown, Chelsea’s young talents Estevao Willian, Jorrel Hato, and next summer’s signing Geovany Quenda have all impressed observers, securing spots in the top 10 alongside some of the world’s most promising teenagers, as assessed by CIES Football Observatory.
Estevao ranked fourth with an impressive score of 86.7, after showcasing his incredible potential at Palmeiras before sealing a move to Chelsea. Hato, who has been a revelation at Ajax, sat in sixth place with a score of 84.0. Quenda, who will be joining Chelsea next season from Sporting, ranked ninth with a solid score of 83.8, further bolstering Chelsea’s exciting crop of future stars.
1. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain) – 97.7
2. Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona and Spain) – 93.4
3. Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG and France) – 87.8
4. Estevao Willian (Chelsea) – 86.7
5. Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid) – 85.4
6. Jorrel Hato (Chelsea and Netherlands) – 84.0
=7. Roger Fernandes (Braga) – 83.9
=7. Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal and England)- 83.9
9. Geovany Quenda (Sporting, joining Chelsea in the summer of 2026) – 83.8
10. Elias Montiel (Pachuca) – 83.2
11. Givairo Read (Feyenoord) – 83.1
12. Jesus Rodriguez (Como) – 82.2
13. Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg) – 82.1
14. Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) – 82.0
15. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) – 81.9
16. Andrija Maksimovic (RB Leipzig and Serbia) – 80.8
=17. Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham and Sweden) – 80.7
=17. Rayan Vitor (Vasco de Gama) – 80.7
=17. Rodrigo Mora (Porto)- 80.7
20. Pedro Henrique (Zenit Saint Petersburg) – 80.2
In second place is Pau Cubarsi, the Barcelona defender, who has risen through the ranks to establish himself as a key figure in Hansi Flick’s plans, earning an impressive 93.4 rating. In third place, Warren Zaire-Emery of Paris Saint-Germain and France is another standout, with a score of 87.8 after a truly extraordinary year. The 19-year-old’s 2025 included PSG’s victory in the Champions League, where he was pivotal in their 5-0 triumph over Inter Milan, adding to his already impressive trophy cabinet.
While the list is dominated by international names, England’s up-and-coming stars are making their mark as well. Myles Lewis-Skelly, the rising talent from Arsenal, is one of the top 10, ranking in seventh place with a score of 83.9. His breakthrough season at Arsenal also saw him become the youngest ever England player to score on his debut, a record previously held by Marcus Rashford. In addition to Lewis-Skelly, Jobe Bellingham (14th) and Ethan Nwaneri (15th) also feature in the top 20.
