The last few years have been dominated by the golden boys of football: Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland. Both the media and soccer fans covered these two generational talents on a grand scale. The best place for comparison between the two is the biggest stage in club football, the UEFA Champions League.
At the same time, two other superstars show their worth and deserve to be at the same table with the best young talents in Europe, Vinícius Junior and Phil Foden.
Perhaps Haaland and Mbappe will get more coverage as a result of their early prominence during their teenage years. These two put on prolific performances for their respective teams in both domestic and European competitions since their teens. Consequently, they built on that success in more recent campaigns. Neither slowed down, while their best years are yet to come. A terrifying prospect for other clubs across Europe.
However, these two went about their business in silence. Even then, Foden and Vinícius emerged as some of the best young talent in Europe. Indeed, Haaland’s Manchester City team-mate Foden takes second place in the headlines to his Norwegian counterpart. At the same time, Vinícius exercises his trade with the always loaded Real Madrid. Both clubs can be considered European giants in the current context with brilliant pools of talent and enormous financial prowess.
Foden and Vinícius are among the best players in their respective positions. This is remarkable given the fact that they are both only 22 years old. In addition, they play for two of the biggest clubs in the world. They’re only going to get better, with trophies following in their wake.
It could be argued that their contributions to their respective clubs are as good as Haaland’s and Mbappe’s, if not better.
Let’s look at each of them individually.
Vinicius jr.
Having joined Real Madrid in 2018 from Flamengo, the Brazilian wunderkind got off to a slow start to life in Spain. Following poor performances in the Champions League, there were reports of tension between him and experienced Los Blancos striker Karim Benzema.
However, all that changed after two years when Carlo Ancelotti took charge of Madrid. Under the Italian’s tutelage, Vinícius found his place at the club and hasn’t looked back since.
In 2020/21, Vinícius proved to be an outstanding player. La Real finished second in the league and fell to Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The Brazilian was a ray of light in a disappointing season at the Santiago Bernabéu.
breakout campaign
However, in the following season, buoyed by a resurgent Benzema, Luka Modric and Thibaut Courtois, the Spanish capital club came out of lockdown quicker. This helped Vinícius improve his game even more. The Brazilian international proved essential with several key performances in the Champions League triumph. A series of knockout rounds included PSG, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool. Vinícius scored in the first leg against Manchester City in the semifinals. Then, in the final, he scored the only goal as Real Madrid won their 14th Champions League title.
Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr is the third most valuable player in the world ????
Let’s take a look at how the young man from Sao Goncalo managed it ???? pic.twitter.com/oFJqEltiBW
— Transfermarkt.co.uk (@TMuk_news) October 3, 2022
Vinícius produced performances during the campaign that dictated the match. The 2021-2022 season cemented a place for Vinícius as one of the best young talents in the game. The European triumph added another seal of approval.
In terms of technical ability, Vinícius brings tricks and rhythm to the Madrid team as well as being decisive. In recent years, the winger has grown in stature and maturity. He already looks like a player in his prime. At just 22 years old, the former Flamengo player is only going to get better.
Phil Foden
Possibly one of the most talented English players in recent memory, Phil Foden brings something new to the Premier League. His creativity and style are reminiscent of his coach’s time with Barcelona a decade earlier. Foden possesses incredible ball control and decision making. That sets him apart from the rest of his generation.
It seems that the England star has been playing for Man City for a long time. Again, he is only 22 years old, the same as Vinícius. The English already demonstrated the worth of him as much in the Champions League as in the Premier League. The Stockport player brings immense maturity and experience similar to that of players in their 20s and 30s.
Foden seized the opportunities that came his way. Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané left for new clubs. Bernardo Silva is a name that is rumored for signings in the next few windows. Jack Grealish continues to adapt to Pep Guardiola’s style. Phil Foden forced his way into Manchester City’s first team, and only further refined his skills.
When it comes to performances, Foden has racked up 26 and 25 G/As over the past two seasons while he has 8 G/As this season. Based on the number of appearances the England international has already made this time around, he is projected to reach close to 30 G/A by the end of the season, barring injuries or surprise exits in knockout competitions.
A first hat-trick for @PhilFoden ????????#ManCity pic.twitter.com/bqFtUKGTU1
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 2, 2022
Yes, this pales in comparison to the numbers Haaland and Mbappe are likely to put up. However, one must realize that Foden is more of a winger/midfielder, whereas the first two are strikers in the purest sense and are often the focal points of their respective teams.
A place in the England squad
However, if you look at the full game and key contributions, Foden is right up there with these two. In fact, the attacker recently pulled off a sensational hat-trick against Manchester United during a comprehensive 6-3 win for City at the Etihad. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, Haaland also got one.
Foden should be one of the first names on the England team sheet during the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Apart from Harry Kane, the young Mancunian is the one who most claims a place in the attack of the Three Lions.
In fact, his best position would be a free role on both flanks and the number 10 spot, something like what Eden Hazard enjoyed at Chelsea. He is one of the few players on the team, and in Europe, who has the ability to dictate the game from those positions. Also, like a number of players at City, Foden is a well-rounded player who can potentially play comfortably in many different roles.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Sportimage
Foden and Vinícius in the talks for best young talent
Looking at the overall contributions of their respective teams, it could be argued that both Vinícius and Foden are more valuable to their teams than Haaland and Mbappé. While their natural position is on the wings, both Vinícius and Foden have been known to move more into midfield positions to create and provide defensive cover. They are also two of the hardest working players on their teams.
Haaland and Mbappé, on the other hand, mostly operate in advanced positions and are the focal points of their teams’ attacks. They are not required to drop back while defending or collecting the ball in deeper positions. Therefore, they are naturally bound to score more goals.
Based on all these points, Foden and Vinícius are often overlooked in the larger context, but they should be considered not only as two of the best young footballers, but as two of the best footballers out there.
Anyone can guess which of these four young talents will be the first to win the Ballon d’Or. However, these players seem more likely to dominate the best player award in the next five to ten years.
