Barcelona versus Real Madrid doesn’t just showcase global superstars, it also boasts and provides a platform for some of the best up and coming talents in world football.
Who could forget 19-year-old Lionel Messi’s hat-trick in 2007 or Vinicius Jr breaking Messi’s record for the youngest ElClasico goal scorer earlier this year.
With both sides featuring a plethora of upcoming stars no older than 21, the future of ElClasico is secure – and already on show!
Barcelona’s brightest young star is Ansu Fati (17), the club’s youngest-ever LaLiga goal scorer and all-time youngest Champions League goal scorer. He is already a full international with the Spanish national team – and La Roja’s all-time youngest goalscorer, having scored on his first international start. Despite his age, Fati has already established himself as a first-team regular under new coach Ronald Koeman and looks set to become a future world-class attacking force in LaLiga.
19-year-old right-back Sergiño Dest joined from Ajax this summer in a deal worth up to €26 million, quickly becoming the first USA international to ever play for the club in LaLiga.
Two other young stars, Trincao and Pedri, also arrived at Barça this summer, from Braga and Las Palmas respectively. The former is already a full Portuguese international at the age of just 20 and commanded a €31 million fee in the summer, while Pedri is still just 17 but tipped for a huge future: “Pedri is a blessing for Spanish football,” said former Betis and current Las Palmas coach Pepe Mel this summer.
Real Madrid’s squad also boasts lots of highly exciting young stars. Martin Odegaard is the club’s great creative hope for the future. The 21-year-old Norwegian looks to have begun fulfilling his incredible potential (which prompted Real Madrid to sign him as a 16-year-old in 2015), and has figured early on for Zinedine Zidane this season. With former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric now 35, the club may look to Odegaard to provide the creative spark in
the Real Madrid midfield for years to come.
20-year-old Vinicius Jr and 19-year-old Rodrygo Goes are both already full Brazil internationals have made marks in LaLiga over the past two seasons that belie their still tender age. Vinicius, in particular, knows all about making a splash In ElClasico, having scored the all-important
deadlock-breaking strike in February’s meeting between these two sides.
