Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has revealed the ten young stars he believes will define the future of the game.
The Argentina and Barcelona great made his selection as part of Adidas Football’s Messi+10: Season 2 campaign, which celebrates emerging football talents across the globe.
Among those chosen are Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha and Chelsea’s promising pair, Andrey Santos and Kendry Paez. Brighton & Hove Albion’s creative midfielder Brajan Gruda also made the cut after catching attention with his confident displays in the Premier League.
Messi’s list features more rising names from Europe, including Nico Paz of Como, Porto’s Rodrigo Mora, Ajax Amsterdam’s Mika Godts, and Stade Rennes forward Kader Meite.
The Inter Miami captain didn’t limit his picks to men’s football alone. He also named two female stars: Barcelona’s Clara Serrajordi and Olympique Lyon’s Lily Yohannes, describing them as players with the potential to dominate the women’s game in the coming years.
This is not the first time the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has tipped youngsters for greatness. In 2024, the former Paris Saint-Germain star highlighted talents like Lamine Yamal, Antonio Nusa, and Kenan Yildiz, all of whom have since established themselves as exciting prospects in top European clubs.
Yamal who is currently wearing the shirt number ten at FC Barcelona, the same number Messi wore during his time at the Spanish giants, finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or ranking.
