5 best young players according to the Ballon d'Or rankings
Cristiano Ronaldo once again claimed the Ballon d’Or last week, yet there is increasingly a sense that the period of dominance that he and Lionel Messi have enjoyed over the course of the last decade must soon end.
Both players are on the wrong side of 30, and while they maintain an impeccable standard of football, they cannot possibly keep defying logic by continuing at this standard for an indefinite period of time.
Naturally, football supporters the world over are looking to those who may step into their shoes and become the superstars of tomorrow.
Several have already made inroads into the footballing world, earning the recognition of being highly placed in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Here are the best players aged 25 or under, who should be seen as some of the leading lights to take over the mantle from the all-time great duo when they eventually choose to hang up their boots.
#5 Paulo Dybala
Age: 24
Rank: 15th
It is fitting that a player tipped to be ‘the next Messi’ should make the cut for this list. Paulo Dybala offers many of the same attributes as the Barcelona star, including a formidable strike rate at club level since moving to Serie A from Instituto in 2012.
Palermo were the side to bring the diminutive attacker to Europe that summer, and since then he has enjoyed incredible success. After two seasons maturing in Sicily, he broke out as a 19-year-old when he scored 13 times in 34 league outings, attracting the interest of Juventus.
In Turin, he has continued to grow as a player, netting 42 times in the league, including 11 already this season – putting him well on course to beat his personal best of 19.
It is not just his goalscoring contribution that should be lauded, though. He is a player who is a joy to watch thanks to his technical and dribbling skills, not to mention the creativity that he displays on the ball. He is an elusive runner and someone the fans love to see play.
Curiously, like Messi, he has failed to find his best form with Argentina and has yet to score a goal for the national team in 12 appearances – something that must surely change in the coming months.