GOAL selected the 50 best footballing talents from around the world born on or after January 1, 2002 – but are they living up to their potential?
Since NXGN's launch in 2016, GOAL has profiled the 50 best footballing wonderkids on the planet on an annual basis. Some of those recognised for their talent as teenagers are now household names, but others have not yet realised their potential.
So, after the NXGN 2025 list was revealed, check out where the stars of 2021 are now:
Every NXGN list
Dembele, Tielemans & 2016's best wonderkids
Mbappe, Donnarumma & 2017's best wonderkids
De Ligt, Kluivert & 2018's best wonderkids
Haaland, Sancho & 2019's best wonderkids
Saka, Rodrygo & 2020's best wonderkids
James, Oberdorf & 2020's best women's wonderkids
Le Tissier, Bennison & 2021's best women's wonderkids
Bellingham, Musiala & 2022's best wonderkids
Dumornay, Fowler & 2022's best women's wonderkids
Gavi, Garnacho & 2023's best wonderkids
Shaw, Thompson & 2023's best women's wonderkids
Yamal, Mainoo & 2024's best wonderkids
Caicedo, Moultrie & 2024's best women's wonderkids
Getty Images50Ilaix Moriba (Barcelona)
2021: Having been likened to Paul Pogba at La Masia, Moriba had broken into the Barcelona first team at the start of 2021 and was impressing under Ronald Koeman.
2022: A contract dispute in the summer of 2021 led to Moriba joining RB Leipzig for €16m, though game time was hard to come by in Germany, and he was loaned to Valencia in January in a bid to earn more minutes.
2023: Moriba did enough for Valencia to extend his loan for another season, though he started just 10 league matches over the course of the campaign.
2024: The midfielder did not make an appearance for Leipzig during the first half of the 2023-24 season, and was loaned to Getafe in January, where he was a rotational figure.
2025: Moriba is again back in Spain after joining Celta Vigo on loan for the current campaign, where he has mostly been a starter.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport49Takuhiro Nakai (Real Madrid)
2021: The Japanese starlet had already been called-up to train with the Real Madrid first team on more than one occasion having caught Zinedine Zidane's eye.
2022: Nakai continued to develop with Madrid's Under-19s side, with hopes still high that he will make the grade at Santiago Bernabeu.
2023: The midfielder made his debut for Real Madrid Castilla in October 2022, but that was one of only two appearances at that level in 2022-23.
2024: Nakai was loaned to third-division side Rayo Majadahonda for the following campaign, but was largely a substitute.
2025: More lower-league loans have followed over the past 12 months, with Nakai taking in spells at Amorebieta and Rayo Cantabria.
48Maarten Vandevoordt (Genk)
2021: The youngest goalkeeper in Champions League history, Vandevoordt was establishing himself as the undisputed No.1 at Genk, following in the footsteps of his hero, Thibaut Courtois.
2022: Vandevoordt remained one of the most highly-rated shot-stoppers in world football, and RB Leipzig decided to jump to the front of the queue to sign him by agreeing a deal of around €10m to bring him to Germany in 2024.
2023: Vandevoordt continued to impress for Genk, as he conceded just 37 goals in 34 league matches.
2024: As he entered the final months of his time in Belgium, Vandevoordt remained a top performer for Genk, and finished the season with 13 clean sheets in the Jupiler League.
2025: Vandevoordt is the No.2 'keeper at Leipzig, and has had had limited opportunities during his first season in Germany.
47Jayden Braaf (Manchester City)
2021: Previously likened to Jadon Sancho, Braaf had joined Udinese on loan in January 2021 as he looked to kickstart his career after suffering from injuries and a dip in form.
2022: The ex-Ajax youngster's time in Italy was cut short after he suffered a serious knee injury, and he did not make an appearance for City in 2021-22 before he was released and picked up on a free by Borussia Dortmund.
2023: Braaf did not feature for Dortmund's first team before joining Hellas Verona on loan in January 2023, where he made just two Serie A starts. However, that didn't put the Italian side off from making his move permanent at the end of the campaign.
2024: The winger didn't make an appearance for Verona in the first half of the season, and was loaned to Eredivisie side Fortuna Sittard in January, but was only on the pitch for 43 minutes during his spell back in the Netherlands.
2025: Braaf was sent out on loan again to Serie B side Salernitana, but he has fallen down the pecking order over the course of the campaign.
