The 7 Best Under-18 Footballers In The World

TL;DR

Seven elite teenage footballers ranked by current ability, led by 16-year-old Arsenal's Max Nketiah-Daman, the youngest Premier League era goalscorer.

Key Points

• 1.Max Dalmau (Arsenal, 16) ranks first. Already the youngest Champions League appearance maker, youngest Premier League era goalscorer, and youngest Arsenal starter — he is chaperoned at training and banned from the senior dressing room.
• 2.Dastan Sapav (Kazakhstan/Chelsea, 17) ranks second. Signed by Chelsea for €4M pre-contract before his Kazakh league debut; has scored 48 goals and 17 assists in 78 games for Karat, averaging a goal contribution every 79 minutes.
• 3.Rio Angamaua (Liverpool, 17) ranks third. Poached from Chelsea for just £2.8M tribunal fee, he has 20 appearances for Liverpool including the Champions League and FA Cup, scoring the winner at Newcastle in injury time aged 16.
• 4.Saba Carabashvili (Dinamo Tbilisi/Georgia, 17) ranks fourth. Already 67 senior appearances, youngest player ever in a UEFA senior competition, and Georgia's youngest international — nicknamed 'Roberto Carlos' for his left-back play.
• 5.Hilberto Mora (Club Tijuana/Mexico, 17) ranks fifth. Mexico's youngest ever international, with 46 Liga MX appearances and 7 goals at 17 — linked to Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Man City; likely the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup.
• 6.Kennet Iorn (Hertha Berlin, 16) ranks sixth. Youngest-ever second Bundesliga player (debut at 16 years and 14 days) and broke Jude Bellingham's record as youngest DFB-Pokal scorer; already attracting interest from Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
• 7.Prache (Flamengo/Borussia Dortmund, 17) ranks seventh. A 6-foot defensive-minded left back with 24 appearances for Flamengo including 9 in Brazil's top flight; signed a pre-contract with Borussia Dortmund worth up to €12M, completing in August.