Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi among Bild’s 21 football prospects shaping the future

German newspaper Bild has named 21 players under the age of 21 it considers the future of football, with Barcelona pair Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi placed ahead of Real Madrid’s £140m signing Yann Diomande.

The list was published on Wednesday to mark World Youth Day, with Bild describing its selections as the next generation of football’s leading players.

Yamal was ranked first and Cubarsi second, immediately ahead of Diomande. Bild said Yamal was “not only the best player under 21 in the world, but he is one of the best players overall”, while describing Cubarsi as “the best young player at the World Cup”.

The ranking also highlighted the absence of major investment by Real Madrid in their youth system in recent years, despite the emergence of Brazilian striker Endrick, who is 20.

Several other players from the Bundesliga and Germany’s football system featured, although Bild said they were following in the footsteps of Spain’s World Cup winners Yamal and Cubarsi.

France international Warren Zaire-Emery was fourth. The 20-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder was described as “the only two-time Champions League winner on this list, and he achieved that with his boyhood club”.

Chelsea winger Estevao, 19, occupied fifth place. Bild called him “Brazil’s great hope for a touch of footballing art” and said he would soon become an attacking star under manager Xabi Alonso.

Morocco international midfielder Ayoub Bouaddi, 18, was sixth after “standing out at the last World Cup” while playing for Lille.

Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi, 20, was seventh. The French forward had been linked with Barcelona. Johan Manzambi, a 20-year-old midfielder who moved to Aston Villa from Freiburg for 60m euros, was ranked eighth.

Brighton defender Luka Vuskovic was ninth after impressing during his loan spell at Hamburger SV. The 19-year-old Croatia international was followed in 10th place by Bournemouth’s 20-year-old Brazilian striker Rayan.

The players outside the top 10

Bayern Munich midfielder Lennart Karl, 18, was named outside the top 10 and described as “one of only two Germans on the list”.

France defender Leny Yoro was 12th. The 20-year-old chose Manchester United over Real Madrid in 2024.

Victor Froholdt, a 20-year-old Denmark midfielder who has played for Porto since the Portuguese club paid 20m euros for him in 2025, was ranked 13th.

Newcastle’s 20-year-old Ivorian left-winger Bazoumana Toure was 14th, while Turkey international Can Uzun took 15th place after impressing for Eintracht Frankfurt.

Arsenal defender Myles Lewis-Skelly was 16th. The 19-year-old England international was described as “the only full-back on the list”.

Algeria midfielder Ibrahim Maza was placed 17th after his second Bundesliga season since making his debut for Hertha Berlin. The 20-year-old has established himself at Bayer Leverkusen.

Argentina international attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, 18, was 18th, followed by Cologne’s “dynamic” German winger Said El Mala, who is 19.

Portuguese right-winger Geovany Quenda completed the top 20. The 19-year-old is set to play for Chelsea.

The final place went to Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham, the 20-year-old England international who was ranked 21st.

The selection also featured two players of Arab heritage in Bouaddi and Maza, reflecting the growing presence of young North African talent among Europe’s most highly regarded prospects.