JUST HOW GOOD IS THE NEXT GENERATION

Football has been the heartbeat of many countries around the world for what seems like millennia. The barefooted skinny boy playing the concrete with his friends and summersaulting after he scores a goal that becomes the winner only because their mothers chase them of the street. The defender scoring a header from a corner and running into the corner flag screaming as the final whistle declares it the winner. Football has a natural progression, almost like a fabled passing of the baton from generation to generation. Pele to Ronaldinho to Neymar. Platini to Zidane to Mbappe. Bobby Charlton to Lineker to Kane.

But in our search for context, we dub players too often, the next *insert name here*. Not many players live up to those lofty standards and that breaks the progression sometimes. There’s always room for development in footballers especially at a younger age and so many factors, both inside and outside football affect that development. Looking at how good these players can become and singing their praises is a sign of the high hopes we have for them. But maybe by acknowledging just how good these players are in the present we can get appreciate how far they have come on their short journeys.

To do this we would take a look at an XI of possibly the best players under the age of 23 in world football at this moment. This team includes

Goalkeeper: Unai Simon

Fullbacks: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ben Chillwell 

Centre backs: Matthijs De Ligt, Dayot Upamencano

Centre Midfielders: Sandro Tonali, Frenkie De Jong, Kai Havertz

Wide Midfielder/Wingers: Jadon Sancho, Vinicius Junior

Striker: Mbappe 

The first question to answer is WHY? Why these players? These players have been chosen not on the back of their last season’s performances. Instead they have been chosen on the back of their total career. For that reason breakout stars like Camavinga, Saka, Martinelli and Greenwood were overlooked. 

The next question is HOW? How do we compare the current ability of these player, in the context of some of the ‘legends’ of the game. Disclaimer! These ‘legends’ are simply retired professionals. To do that we would look at something called their IMPACT SCORE (IS). Impact score is a metric created by our good friends at the Looks Good On Paper Podcast ( Check out Looks Good On Paper (@lgoppodcast https://twitter.com/lgoppodcast?s=09 ) which can be used to judge a player’s contribution to his team. Note that 100 is the average for Impact Scores. In this case their Impact Scores are relative to all the players that are covered in the extensive database.  

So lets take a look at these players and the retired pros who share similar IS profiles with them.

Unai Simon is another great goalkeeper from the Athletic Club production line. He only got his chance when Kepa Arrizabalaga completed his £70 million world record move to Chelsea. Yet Athletic somehow look to have replaced Kepa with a better goalkeeper. This season he conceded 29 goals in 34 appearances keeping 13 clean sheets. A good shotstopper, who is improving his distribution. With Kepa and De Gea faltering, Simon will hope to usurp Spain's No. 1 jersey sooner rather than later.

 IS: 111.66

 Vincent Enyeama is a name that resonates around Nigeria. He starred for Lille in France for 4 years at the peak of his powers, representing them in the Champions League as well as UEFA cup. However, it is back home in Nigeria where he was between the sticks for what seemed like forever that he is remembered more fondly. One African Cup of Nation's medal in 2013 as well as representing the country in successive World Cups. Considering Nigeria has given 4 different goalkeepers their international debuts, his quality is clear to see. 

IS: 113.1 

With a differential of just 2.04 in Enyeama's favour you can understand the excitement around Simon. At just 23 is almost as good as one of the best goalkeepers to come from the African continent.    

Trent Alexander-Arnold is a phenome. He is almost single-handedly redefining the fullback role with his cross field passes and deep crosses. At 21 he is already a champion of England, Europe and the world at club level while also being crucial to each trophy. Liverpool have a gem on their hands and he didn't cost them a penny in transfer fees. You can expect his IS to explode in time. 

IS: 149.205 

Darijo Srna is a household name at Ukrainian powerhouses, Shakhtar Donetsk. He played there for 15 years and is currently their assistant manager. Srna retired with 29 trophies to him name including the UEFA cup in 2009. He's Croatia's record appearance holder with 134 caps. And while he may never have completed in Europe's top 5 leagues his achievements cannot be neglected. 

IS: 142.22 

A differential of 6.985 in the favour of Trent shows just how much Trent has achieve so far. He still has room for improvement especially defensively but at 21 there is no way but up for him  

Mattijis De Ligt is considered as the future of defending in football. There's hope that we speak of him in the same breath as Maldini, Baresi and the rest of the prime centre backs. It's easy to forget that just last year he captained Ajax to the league and cup double and a Champions League semi-final run which included knocking out Real Madrid and Juventus, at just 19. In Turin, he's had up and downs but his potential is just as clear as his current ability. 

IS: 139.748 

Nemanja Vidic is widely considered one of the best defenders the Premier League ever saw. His partnership with Rio Ferdinand led United to trophy after trophy. He won 5 PL titles alone which is just a fraction of the 18 titles he won in general. The tough tackling, hard to beat defender enjoyed a very fruitful career before retirement. On the international scene he was a consistent part of the Serbian backline.

 IS: 137.805  

A differential of 1.943 in De Ligt's favour might come as a shock to people but it's really testament to his ability right now. For Netherlands he gets picked ahead of Nathan Ake, Stefan De Vrij and other senior compatriots for a reason.  

Dayot Upamencano has been linked with a €60 million deal away from Leipzig every transfer window for the past 2 years. He's a solid defender with the pace and ball carrying ability that defenders years older lack. With all his natural talent it's easy to see why clubs think he would be the solution to their centre back woes. He's ready to improve most teams immediately but also develop and hold down the position for an entire decade. 

IS: 107.878 

Phillipe Senderos was a more than serviceable defender in him time. With 57 caps for the Swiss national team, traveling for 3 World Cups during that time, he was clearly a good centre back. Senderos moved to Arsenal as a teenager and made 116 appearances for the Gunners. He was injured for the invincible season but played in the FA Cup final and won it. Senderos had spells with Milan, Everton, Fulham, Aston Villa and others on his CV. 

IS: 107.866 

0.012 is the difference in the IS in the favour of Upamencano and that is testament to his achievements so far in his career. Senderos might not be a household name but he was a quality player.  

Ben Chillwell is being touted as the future of England's left back position as well as the target for a big money move to Chelsea or Man City. He's already an international and was a part of this season's captivating Leicester team and it's no surprise the team crumbled in the absence of their key players, including him. Left backs are hard to come by in world football making good young ones premium in the transfer market. Chillwell still has lot of room for development but to be starting for a team of Leicester’s quality in the Premiere League shows his current ability.

IS: 93.058

Warren Barton was a left back in the earlier years of Premier League football. His most prominent spell came between 1995 and 2002 when he was with Newcastle United. He made over 160 appearances for the Tyneside. He may not be a household name among left backs but he more than serviceable at top tier football for an extended period of his career.

IS: 93.021

The low IS here shows just how much room there is for Chillwell to improve to improve. While the signs are encouraging and his breakout as fairly recent, he is far from the finished product and his next step is to push to his next level.

Sandro Tonali is wide regarded as Pirlo’s doppelganger. A breakout Brescia starlet with his hair flowing but the comparisons are surface level at best. In his first year in Serie A Tonali has shown that he can perform at that level despite the poorer quality of his teammates. While he has not had an extensive pro career, this season showed a glimpse of all he can do at senior level and he will not be staying with Brescia when they go back down to Serie B for the 2020/21 season.

IS: 80.155 

Paul Stewart is another one that would not ring bells in the heads of many. He’s a full England international that represented Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City in his playing days. He spent most of his career in the top flight and even won an FA Cup with Tottenham that is of course proof of how long ago he played as he retired in 2000. 

IS: 74.579 

Tonali has a considerable advantage over Stewart but that is mostly because his lower IS means he can’t be compared to better player. Tonali is ready to step into a better team but there are still parts of his game that can be developed.

Frankie De Jong was one of the key cogs in Ajax Champion’s League run last season, pulling the strings in the middle of the pitch. This season he hasn’t looked out of place in Barcelona even looking like the brightest spot sometimes. De Jong is already a key part of Ronald Koeman’s Netherland side at just 23. His stats are incredible for his age and his ceiling looks like it is possibly higher than most. 

IS: 125.599

John Heitinga is a famous name to the Ajax faithful. A centre-back who could step into midfield and perform, the IS proximity between De Jong and Heitinga goes beyond and into the more romantic scenario of two Ajax graduates years apart that just seemed to possess identical skillsets. He was a big part of the Ajax team in the early 2000s before moving on to play for the likes of Atletico Madrid, Everton and Fulham. He was also part of Dutch team that lost to Spain in the 2010 world cup final. 

IS: 124.949

De Jong betters Heitinga by just 0.65 and that is testament to his current ability given the success Heitinga enjoyed especially in Netherland. It is easy to see why there was a tug between Man City, Barcelona and other top teams before Barca forked out €75 million.

Jadon Sancho is the news if the summer. His potential move to Manchester United has dominated headlines all over the world. It's easy to see why Dortmund are demanding €120 million for 64 (30G and 34A) goal contributions domestically in the past 3 seasons. His numbers are phenomenal and any club that signs him will get a mercurial talent. He's already a regular for England at just 20.

IS: 123.134

In the list of prestigious Man United number 7s, there is one that everyone swears was a world beater. George Best was the King of Manchester. He was skilful and just enjoyed himself on the pitch. The type of player that people paid to watch. He was a Ballon D'or winner and his 5 winner’s medals don't tell half the story of the player he was.

IS: 113.177

It's a cruel coincidence that the closest to the one Man United want to revitalize their no. 7 jersey is one of the best players to have worn that same jersey. Sancho has a considerable advantage over Best, a Ballon D'or winner, and that is evidence of how far he has come since he left Man City for Dortmund.

Kai Havertz is the crown jewel of Leverkusen. You don't get a potential €80 move to Chelsea unless you're good at football. Havertz is very good at football. He's a jack of all trades, master of all with the way he can fit in a team as a striker, midfielder or wide player. At 17 he already had 24 Bundesliga appearances. Since then he has scored 36 goals and has 21 assists while playing mostly in midfield. He looks like the future of the German national team and is already an international at 20.

IS: 121.785

Gianfranco Zola is the little magician that set Chelsea on fire. If you never got to watch him and experience the joy he brought to fans in the stands, all you need to see is the video of a dizzy Jamie Carragher being repeatedly embarrassed by the magic in Zola's boots. Alongside Maradona he drove Napoli to their Serie A title and has 9 other winners’ medals to show for all the fun he had on the pitch.

IS: 117.633

Havertz has 4.152 IS differential in his favour. In the 4 years since his senior team debut he has really developed into a superstar and the IS recognizes that.

Vinicius Jr. had probably the most difficult task a teenager moving to a different continent with a €45 million price on his head, the unofficial heir to Ronaldo's legacy. His finishing has dispelled any suggestions that is the case. But Vinicius possess talent very few people his age can match. His dribbling ability and pace make him a threat with his direct style. Yes he still has a lot of development in terms of his final ball and end product but he is already a fine footballer.

IS: 112.276

Ludovic Guilly played for some of the most prestigious clubs of his time when he was active. He played for the likes of Monaco, PSG, Lyon and Barcelona in a career spanning 22 years. He was not the most prolific of goalscorers but he was a good was tricky. His trophy cabinet includes a Champions League medal with Barca and a runner up medal with Monaco to go with 9 others. He also won the 2003 FIFA Confederation Cup with France. 

IS: 117.164

Guilly has the better IS even though just like Vinicius he was not a volume scorer. Vinicius has come leaps and bounds in his 2 years in Madrid. The fact that he is almost level with Guilly at his level is mind-blowing.

Kylian Mbappe. Not many words are needed to describe the 21 year old that looks set to smash a lot of records in the game if he continues on this trajectory. Already a world cup winner as a teenager as well as multiple domestic trophies, Mbappe looks like he is the heir to the throne of football. Mbappe already has 115 goals to his name to go with his 54 assists. His pace and finishing ability are his biggest strengths and he has pushed himself to newer heights every season since he burst onto the scene at Monaco.  

But across eras there has and will always be a hesitation to place the legends of years gone by side by side with those who grace the pitches today. It’s a tricky ask. Just as the years have flown by the game has changed so much. Rules, pitches, healthcare, training, communication and even down to the apparel have seen vast advancement over time. But football remains a simple game with only one aim. To score. You don’t win unless you score. And so every tactic or system is there simply to maximise your potential to score or minimise your potential to concede. 

IS: 146.332

Puskas is a name most associated with the award for the most aesthetically pleasing goals which is fitting considering the man scored many of such. Ferenc Puskas was a pure goalscorer. 514 goals from 530 appearances is already impressive at first sight but the technique with which he scored was superior to most. He was truly a global face of football in the 40s through to the 60s.

IS: 145.34

Mbappe edges it and that is almost certainly all that needs to be said about how good he is currently. He has morphed from the biggest talent in the world into comfortably one of the best footballers on the planet right now and possibly of all time.

There has and will always be a hesitation to place the legends of years gone by side by side with those who grace the pitches today. It’s a tricky ask. Just as the years have flown by the game has changed so much. Rules, pitches, healthcare, training, communication and even down to the apparel have seen vast advancement over time. But football remains a simple game with only one aim. To score. You don’t win unless you score. You don’t lose if you don’t concede either. And so every tactic, set-up or system is there simply to maximise your potential to score or minimise your potential to concede. So this is not to say these players by any means played on a level field but their output in terms of their attacking and defensive contributions during their era they have similar profiles.