The teenage sensations hurtling along the fast track
BraCe yourselves for the week of the wonder kids in international football. endrick, who will join real Madrid from Palmeiras next year, is the youngest player called into Brazil’s senior squad since ronaldo in 1993.
Closer to home, Warren Zaireemery of Paris saint- Germain will take eduardo Camavinga’s record as France’s youngest post- war international if he makes his debut this week against Gibraltar or Greece.
Both are 17, born in 2006 and hurtling along the fastest of fast tracks.
They would qualify for the U17 World Cup, now under way in Indonesia, but they are long since beyond that level.
endrick broke into the Palmeiras first team last year and his performances have matured under boss abel Ferreira to the point where he is spearheading their latest title challenge, and excelling against the best teams in Brazil.
The young centre forward inspired a spectacular fightback earlier this month with two goals and an assist as they came from three down against title rivals Botafogo to win 4-3 in the 99th minute.
he scored the only goal against athletico Paranaense three days later and scored another in yesterday’s 3-0 win against Internacional.
real Madrid agreed a deal worth up to £52.5million last year for endrick to join them when he is 18, in July, although there could be a delay if he secures a place in the Brazil squad for the Copa america tournament in the United states.
‘a player who has the potential to be one of the great talents,’ said Brazil boss Fernando diniz as he called him up for World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and argentina. ‘It’s not pressure, it’s a reward and a future vision of what this kid can be.’
his debut is thought to be more likely against Colombia, although there will be symbolism if he makes his debut against argentina, like Pele and ronaldo.
Zaire-emery, a central midfielder, has also burst into his club side and proved impossible to leave out.
Further evidence, if required, that teenagers will have developmental surges and, if the road is clear, they can make spectacular progress in no time at all, rising to every new challenge and improving with better players around them.
PsG sold a 30-year-old Marco Verratti to al arabi in saudi arabia, enabling Luis enrique to let the teenager he calls his ‘diamond’ sparkle.
he is an exceptional prospect, even in a nation like France with its prolific talent factories.
France boss didier deschamps claims Zaire-emery’s promotion from the Under 21s is not a direct result of an injury to aurelien Tchouameni. ‘ everything is moving very fast for him but he has the ability to take on these responsibilities,’ said deschamps, who won 103 caps, most of them in a midfield with Zinedine Zidane, and ought to be a good judge.
‘There are players who can be mature at 30 and others who get there younger. he is a complete midfielder at his age. he should be able to express that with the France senior team.’
There have always been teenage sensations, from duncan edwards and Pele to Wayne rooney and diego Maradona.
sometimes, however, football in 2023 does feel more than ever like a young man’s sport. Lamine Yamal is in the spain squad having scored on his international debut in september aged 16 years and 57 days, breaking a record set by Gavi only two years earlier. at 19, Gavi has 25 caps.
sixteen-year-old Kendry Paez is another who could be at the U17 World Cup but is already part of ecuador’s senior squad. There are more.
Look at Chelsea to see how the value of potential drives the Premier League transfer market while established stars in their 30s turn to saudi arabia and the Us to preserve their earning power.
Market forces meet sophisticated talent- identification software, advanced training and medical facilities and modern elite coaching.
albeit still with random chance in play because players will always need the opportunity and the threat of injury lurks.
at Tottenham, there is great excitement about the progress of Mikey Moore, who turned 16 in august and has produced some outstanding performances since resisting attempts to lure him away from the club in the summer.
he scored three for england U17s in a 5-1 win against Croatia on Thursday, and it will be interesting to see if injuries at spurs will accelerate the development curves of him and others.