Lionel Messi Chooses 10 of World’s Best Young Footballers to Wear New Adidas Boots

Lionel Messi has set himself a task of spotting football’s young, up-and-coming talents. That was once the Argentine, during his teenage years, as he shook off the nerves to replace Deco for Barcelona in October 2004. The career he has since carved out is one that will hang in football mythology forever; but who does he believe could be next in line?

His ten-player prediction coincides with the release of his all-new boots – the F50 ‘Vis10n’ – and the new wave of generational players that will be lucky enough to wear the footwear.

Alongside one of the greatest players of all time, they will also be front and centre of upcoming F50 Messi drops across the current campaign, but who are the ten players that have been handpicked by the 2022 World Cup winner? In 2024, names such as Lamine Yamal and Kenan Yildiz crept up – but the focus is on the here and now. Let’s take a closer look at the new names.

Clara Serrajordi, Barcelona Women

Barcelona Women have re-focused their club model by placing more trust and importance in the youth, and that’s where Clara Serrajordi comes into the conversation. A teenage sensation in the eyes of many, the Llinars del Valles native has enjoyed a dreamy start to life alongside some of her childhood inspirations – and she is only expected to get better and better.

“It seems like she’s been playing at the top level her whole life, with the way she understands timing, space, and the game,” said the experienced Alexia Putellas when asked about how Serrajordi has taken to senior life in Catalonia. The engine room patroller will be looking to replace her compatriot as the beating heart of Pere Romeu’s side in years to come; and she already has her Putellas’ seal of approval, it seems, despite being in the infancy of her career.

Mika Godts, Ajax

Partial to a relentless drive into the opposition box with ease, Mika Godts is flying the Ajax flag high with his performances of late. Chiefly operating on the left-hand side of a front free in the Netherlands, the 20-year-old Belgian’s right-footedness allows him to cut inside and devastate, which is something that Messi has become accustomed to doing, albeit on the opposite flank.

Godts’ combination of technical excellence and ability to work in tight spaces has seen him likened to compatriot Eden Hazard; he possesses an array of solutions in one-on-one situations and that outweighs his relative lack of goal involvements. An elite ball carrier thanks to his high level of athleticism, there are few defenders in the Eredivisie that relish the competition when he has the ball at his feet – and one watch of his highlights showcases why.

Nico Paz, Como 1907

An attacking midfielder that fits into the modern-day model of football like a glove, Nico Paz is a vital cog in Cesc Fabregas’ Como 1907 side. A great promise of Argentina football, the five-cap international joined from Real Madrid Castilla in the summer of 2024 in search of additional game time. And it’ll certainly be a decision that Los Blancos chiefs will rue, as Como’s wonderkid makes drifting between the lines and picking out passes look like second nature.

Messi, to name just one, possesses the rare ability to make football look effortless. Is it too early to make the same remark regarding Paz? The comparisons are inevitable: both are Argentine and nimble while often requiring more than one opponent to prevent them from producing utter magic. Paz’s career may have just begun, but the future is looking ever so vivid.

Brajan Gruda, Brighton & Hove Albion

Over the years, Brighton & Hove Albion have built a recruitment team that boasts an eye for talented youngsters who are just whiskers away from exploding and, in 2024, the side from the south coast invested a hefty chunk of money in bolstering their ranks. Brajan Gruda of Mainz 05 arrived through the doors after a breakthrough campaign in Germany’s top flight.

Not afraid to make a mistake by pushing and prodding in the final third, Gruda is a well-oiled dribbler with the ball at his feet. Not only does he like to stretch opposition defences by making full use of a pitch’s width, but his penetrative passes have also proved useful for Brighton; at the time of writing, he has seven assists in 33 matches, but that figure would rise exponentially if he had a reliable source of goals operating ahead of him.

Andrey Santos, Chelsea

Andrey Santos of Chelsea is also among those highlighted by Messi. The Brazilian’s defensive reliability, irrespective of his slight frame, makes him an absolute nuisance to play against – and his tackling numbers during his one-season loan spell at Strasbourg proved just why the Blues were keen to secure the 2004-born star’s services two years ago.

Emerging as one of the most promising engine room prospects in Europe after making the Vasco de Gama to Chelsea switch in January 2023, Santos may fall victim to his employers’ pile up of midfielders over the years. Should he be sold, any would-be buyer would be picking up an all-action youngster who is just waiting to explode. He could certainly be one to watch for future years: don’t just take our word for it, Messi’s admission is enough in itself.

Lily Yohannes, OL Lyonnes

Lily Yohannes rise to the top isn’t a flash in the pan; the 18-year-old was just 10 when she moved from Springfield, Virginia, to Europe after her father accepted a job in Amsterdam. It didn’t take long for the schemer to capture the attention of Ajax – and her brilliance in the Netherlands saw her secure a move to European powerhouse OL Lyonnes in the summer of 2025.

She describes herself as a “composed, creative midfielder” – but she is much more than that. Marking her international debut with a goal was somewhat expected by virtue of how much raw talent she possesses; but being able to pick out inch-perfect passes to teammates with relative ease really is indicative of how powerful she can become at one of the best teams on the planet.

Rodrigo Mora, FC Porto

FC Porto have been no stranger to spewing out talented teenagers in the past and Rodrigo Mora is the latest product. Appearance wise, it looks as if the Portugal U21 international should be strutting his stuff for AC Milan at their peak but, instead, he is spearheading the Portuguese giants as an elegant attacking midfielder with the capability of leaving defenders in the dust.

But don’t let his stature – which sees him stand at 1.68m; 5ft 5in – deceive you. A closer look at the all-damage virtuoso proves that he is a formidable winger. Capable of holding his own in duels, there is an abundance of evidence to suggest that he can withstand stronger, and much larger, opponents. His release clause stands at just shy of £60 million but, who knows, that could be regarded as money well spent if he lives up to expectations.

Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool

Liverpool have become tagged with being the Premier League’s biggest spenders, think Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, but they may well have a superstar in their ranks already: the one, the only Rio Ngumoha. The glittering youngster’s late match-winner against Newcastle United in the English top flight perfectly epitomised what the 17-year-old is all about: stepping up to the plate when his team needs it most.

Pinched from fellow English outfit Chelsea in 2004, he’s quickly progressed through the ranks of the Reds and, in terms of his ball-carrying exploits, there are very few better at Arne Slot’s disposal. Unpredictable with the ball at his feet, the London-born winger plays without a trace of nerves and the conviction in his play is utterly deceiving: he looks a season professional despite only breaking into the first team this campaign.

Mohamed Kader Meite, Stade Rennais

Mohamed Kader Meite – born in Creteil, a suburb of Paris – will have worked himself onto many a transfer shortlist across Europe for his potency in front of goal. Earmarked for an extremely bright future, the towering line-leader has made quite the impression on Stade Rennais and their prospects: his burly presence, thanks to his big frame, is what first stands out to the naked eye.

Don’t let his tender age deceive you: the 21-year-old hitman looks as if he’s played at the top level for years, hustling and bustling with some of Ligue 1’s toughest defenders. He’s made quite the impression on those of a Roazhan Park persuasion, and that’ll be the same for whichever top European club gets their mits on the 6ft 3in Frenchman in the coming years. It’s bound to happen, it’s just who is willing to splash the cash.

Kendry Paez, Chelsea (On loan at Strasbourg)

Independiente del Valle have acquired a failproof knack of developing some top-tier talents. Moises Caicedo and Piero Hincapie both spring to mind in an instant – but seemingly up next, destined to reach the big time, is Kendry Paez, who is widely regarded as one of the best young players in world football right now. Although his in-your-face numbers don’t catch the eye, his off-the-ball work is what is so impressive.

A 21-cap Ecuador international at the age of 18, Paez was snapped up by European juggernaut Chelsea in 2025 but is currently plying his trade for their sister club, Strasbourg. His seamless transition into top flight football is exactly why the west Londoners were keen to secure his signature; his preference to float onto the right-hand side of the attack could see him strike up a wonderful partnership with Chelsea posterboy Cole Palmer.