Soccer Prospects Thread VII

Evilo

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Lamine Camara is a nice youngster indeed, but this Diouf guy is simply unreal. Total phenom.
 

KlausJopling

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Seems silly to discuss a 14 year old, but he has been the most hyped US youth player in years. Was the US best player at the U15 CONCACAF tournament as a 13 year old. I believe he can join their academy next year when he turns 16. Edit: turns out he cant join Man City until he is 18 because he doesnt have a british passport, he has a German passport so rumors are he will join one of the City Group teams, Lommel when he is 16 which is fall of 2025. Worry amongst some MLS fans is he will somehow end up at NYFC. But i dont think he and his family are interested in that, if they were they would just sign with the Union, his home club which his brother already starts for and a team that has shown it knows how to integrate academy graduates into the first team.
 
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Eye of Ra

Grandmaster General of the International boards
Nov 15, 2008
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France U21 €422.90m
England U21 €360.00m
Italy U21 €195.95m
Spain U21 €169.40m
Germany U21 €124.10m
Netherlands U21 €115.15m
Portugal U21 €94.95m
Belgium U21 €88.00m
Denmark U21 €64.00m
Sweden U21 €54.55m
Poland U21 €54.20m
Norway U21 €47.45m
Türkiye U21 €38.58m
Serbia U21 €35.70m
Croatia U21 €34.35m
Switzerland U21 €30.25m
Ukraine U21 €25.25m
Scotland U21 €21.63m
Austria U21 €20.13m

Dovin
Mendes
Eile
Tolinsson
Bångsbo
Bergvall
Gigovic
Ayari
Swedberg
Bardghji
Nanasi
Vilhelmsson
Sonko
Ondrejka
Erabi
Kusare
Daniel Svensson
Lahdo
Noah Persson
Rouhi
Perez Vinlöf
Hugo Larsson
etc

Not in any order. Sweden is loaded with good prospects
 

cgf

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Speaking of the U21s; Urbig is expected to start over Atubolu for ours against Kosovo.

Will be interesting to see if Tohumcu gets onto the pitch. Martel is most likely going to start next to Reitz or Röhl, but the young hoffenheimer might be the most skilled of that trio. And who rounds out the attack around Mouki & Gruda.
 

cgf

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The cup winners from last year have gotten started with the U18s. Ballitsch is more attacking with this group, playing Darvich & Dardai together in front of a 6 + back 4.


 

cgf

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Watching the first half and I just can't gush about Odogu's growth enough. After having been a clear second choice to Dal next to Jeltsch at the euros, the Wolfsburg prospect was much better at the World Cup, and this might be the best I've seen him for a German youth NT.

Good size & mobility; he's reading plays very well to snuff out counters; almost created a goal when he stepped up to join the press; and even just delivered a perfectly weighted ball over the top into the box. Kid just keeps looking more impressive for our youth NTs.


Kabar & Moreira continue to look super interesting. Both have excellent size & athleticism, with the technical skills to play in the attack, but the defensive tools to grow into legit FBs...and at least at these levels, their defensive growth has been very solid so far.


I like Alfa-Ruprecht a lot more than I liked Hermann. He might not be as explosive, but he makes much better decisions while being plenty dynamic & skilled in his own right. He's had a few very bright scenes.

Darvich & Brunner continue to be in a class of their own.

While Moerstedt & Dardai are both excellent talents...though Bence will eventually join his brothers at the senior level in playing for Hungary and I dunno how Moerstedt's game will translate against men.
 
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cgf

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Mouki was unlucky not to snag a Goal + assist, Gruda was a delight (as usual), Reitz & Martel showed strong chemistry, Netz did his thing, Urbig had a strong debut, and Siebert stepped in very well when Kleine-Beckel got hurt, but I wanted to give Thielmann some love for deputizing at RB for the U21s.

We ended up dropping points...Knauff was meh & Röhl wasn't very effective...as the absences (Adeyemi, Beier, Weiper) showed, but Thielmann looked the best I've seen him.I've generally been very disappointed any time I've watched him and never understood the hype he had, but as a wingback his game made a lot more sense.


Also wanna give some love to the kosovar keeper, Abdullahu; who was very good. Got luck once or twice, but generally was in great position and made some big time saves (robbing Martel late) to steal his team a point.
 

luiginb

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Mouki was unlucky not to snag a Goal + assist, Gruda was a delight (as usual), Reitz & Martel showed strong chemistry, Netz did his thing, Urbig had a strong debut, and Siebert stepped in very well when Kleine-Beckel got hurt, but I wanted to give Thielmann some love for deputizing at RB for the U21s.

We ended up dropping points...Knauff was meh & Röhl wasn't very effective...as the absences (Adeyemi, Beier, Weiper) showed, but Thielmann looked the best I've seen him.I've generally been very disappointed any time I've watched him and never understood the hype he had, but as a wingback his game made a lot more sense.


Also wanna give some love to the kosovar keeper, Abdullahu; who was very good. Got luck once or twice, but generally was in great position and made some big time saves (robbing Martel late) to steal his team a point.
My hometown kid Mazilu (Brighton owned) scored a great goal to win it against your U19 in the 93re minute.

 
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cgf

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My hometown kid Mazilu (Brighton owned) scored a great goal to win it against your U19 in the 93re minute.


I didn't watch that one because the group we have at the U19s right now isn't as exciting as the Darvich + Brunner age group right behind them, or the Moukoko + Gruda and Musiala + Wirtz age groups right ahead of them...since a lot of the top 2005ers have already been promoted (Wanner, Weiper) and the defense is thin...but saw that disappointing result. Kudos to y'all though.

It's a shame your youth system is so janky, because I feel like there's at least a player or two I'm intrigued by whenever I catch one of your youth teams, but it's been so long since one of them actually developed well past the academy level...I still remember how hyped I was for Razvan Marin when he first moved to Belgium :laugh:
 
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luiginb

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I still remember how hyped I was for Razvan Marin when he first moved to Belgium :laugh:
Two problems with Marin, he's not as good as initially hyped and because of his deep playmaking skills everyone plays him as a 6 when he's much better as a 10. No wonder his best season came as a 10 for Standard.

Also I don't ever see Mazilu suit up for Brighton because as good as that play was it's his only weapon, and when opponents catch up to it he stops being useful. He only shines against teams not familiar with his game.
 
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cgf

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Two problems with Marin, he's not as good as initially hyped and because of his deep playmaking skills everyone plays him as a 6 when he's much better as a 10. No wonder his best season came as a 10 for Standard.

Also I don't ever see Mazilu suit up for Brighton because as good as that play was it's his only weapon, and when opponents catch up to it he stops being useful. He only shines against teams not familiar with his game.

That's so weird to me because I thought he was your version of Gundogan or Xavi when he first crossed my radar. A skilled 8 who could help a team flow forward with his passing and skill on the ball, with the combativeness not to get over-run by average midfielders.

At that age, having just one move isn't the end of the world. Remember how long it took Robben to learn a second move? And I'm not sure Lahm ever did learn a second move from the left...
 
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Savant

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While Moerstedt & Dardai are both excellent talents...though Bence will eventually join his brothers at the senior level in playing for Hungary and I dunno how Moerstedt's game will translate against men.
Supposedly LFC have their eyes on Bence Dardai, but as they’ve only had a front office in place for less than a month, I don’t put a ton of stock in any of the rumors come out right now. Just recognized the name and remembered you were a fan
 

cgf

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Supposedly LFC have their eyes on Bence Dardai, but as they’ve only had a front office in place for less than a month, I don’t put a ton of stock in any of the rumors come out right now. Just recognized the name and remembered you were a fan

He's interesting, great size, and he's the most skilled of the Dardai brothers...which isn't nothing as Marton is has an excellent left foot. Feels like Bence will probably move deeper at the senior level like Samardzic has.
 
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robertmac43

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One of Forge's best talents, Kevaughn Tavernier is apparently on trial with Monaco.

Reports are he has played two matches alongside the reserve team although it's hard to find confirmation.

Regardless he is a great up and coming Canadian talent.
 

cgf

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After coming off the bench in the last two, Ouedraogo got his first start since his injury and netted his 2nd goal. Too late to save Schalke from another season off 2nd league football, especially since he'll probably get poached this summer, but I'm glad he's back on the pitch. He was a really dominant figure at the U17 euros and is right there with Brunner & Darvich at the top of that stacked age group.

EDIT:
And since we mentioned him up thread, Bence Dardai has opted for FC VW...which is disappointing. Feels like the kids who have opted for VW early recently have been the ones more focused on cashing out ASAP rather than maximizing their talent/career-earnings....Draxler, Baku, and a ton of hyped academy prospects who stagnated once FC VW gave them enough money to retire comfortably.

I had already written him off as a future Hungarian NTer anyway, but that's still disappointing from a really talented kid who could be the new Szobo.
 
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luiginb

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@Evilo I noticed Nantes (!?) are in the Youth League semifinal, and they play Olympiacos so they might get through. I'll probably watch Friday's game, anyone I should keep an eye on?
 

Evilo

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@Evilo I noticed Nantes (!?) are in the Youth League semifinal, and they play Olympiacos so they might get through. I'll probably watch Friday's game, anyone I should keep an eye on?
Frankly they don't have a lot of hype. Their coach is using 8 starters born in the Nantes area, it's crazy. They play well together and had luck along the way.
But I haven't heard one name to particularly keep an eye on.
 

Savant

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Frankly they don't have a lot of hype. Their coach is using 8 starters born in the Nantes area, it's crazy. They play well together and had luck along the way.
But I haven't heard one name to particularly keep an eye on.
I think they have two really interesting centerbacks at the L1 level that are both quite young. And both left footed!
 

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