Diego Maradona, Bebeto, Juan Riquelme, Ronaldinho, Diego Forlan, Kaka, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez and James Rodriguez are among the South Americans to have illuminated the FIFA U-20 World Cup. A crop of their compatriots will have the chance to do the same in June 2015, when Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay partake in the 20th edition of the tournament. This is your chance to see the next generation of top footballing talent.
I have assessed all 504 players that will be taking part in this tournament in correlation with their abilities in Football Manager 2015 and picked 86 young talents who are or have the potential to become wonderkids in-game. Therefore, the purpose of this list is to highlight the young stars to watch out for in U-20 World Cup at New Zealand based on how well they develop on FM 2015.
25 young stars set to shine at the Under-20 World Cup 2015
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Gabriel JesusAge: 17Nation: Brazil Position: Striker Current Ability: 99 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Andrija ZivkovicAge: 17Nation: Serbia Position: Right Winger (AMRLC) Current Ability: 113 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Angel CorreaAge: 19Nation: Argentina Position: Forward (AMLC, FC) Current Ability: 135 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Andres CubasAge: 18Nation: Argentina Position: Defensive Midfielder Current Ability: 119 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Julian BrandtAge: 18Nation: Germany Position: Left Winger (AMRL) Current Ability: 134 Potential Ability: 175 |
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Diego PoyetAge: 18Nation: Uruguay Position: Midfielder (DM) Current Ability: 121 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Niklas StarkAge: 19Nation: Germany Position: Defensive Midfielder (DC, DM) Current Ability: 124 Potential Ability: 152 |
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Hirving LozanoAge: 18Nation: Mexico Position: Right Winger Current Ability: 125 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Emanuel MammanaAge: 18Nation: Argentina Position: Central Defender Current Ability: 120 Potential Ability: -9 |
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MalcomAge: 17Nation: Brazil Position: Striker (ST, AMR) Current Ability: 115 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Levin OztunaliAge: 18Nation: Germany Position: Midfielder (D/WBR, DM) Current Ability: 128 Potential Ability: 160 |
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Adama TraoreAge: 18Nation: Mali Position: Right Winger Current Ability: 129 Potential Ability: -9 |
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Marc StenderaAge: 18Nation: Germany Position: Midfielder (AMC) Current Ability: 126 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Nahitan NandezAge: 18Nation: Uruguay Position: Midfielder (DM) Current Ability: 115 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Andreas PereiraAge: 18Nation: Brazil Position: Midfielder (AMRLC) Current Ability: 99 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Marc-Oliver KempfAge: 19Nation: Germany Position: Defender (DC, DM) Current Ability: 125 Potential Ability: 153 |
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Andre SilvaAge: 18Nation: Portugal Position: Striker Current Ability: 90 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Maximilian WittekAge: 18Nation: Germany Position: Left Full Back Current Ability: 90 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Predrag RajkovicAge: 18Nation: Serbia Position: Goalkeeper Current Ability: 114 Potential Ability: 155 |
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Emerson HyndmanAge: 18Nation: USA Position: Midfielder (AMC) Current Ability: 115 Potential Ability: 145 |
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Giovanni SimeoneAge: 18Nation: Argentina Position: Striker Current Ability: 113 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Rodrigo AmaralAge: 17Nation: Uruguay Position: Striker Current Ability: 100 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Andres TelloAge: 18Nation: Colombia Position: Defender (DC, DM) Current Ability: 92 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Kelechi IheanachoAge: 17Nation: Nigeria Position: Striker Current Ability: 105 Potential Ability: -8 |
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Gedion ZelalemAge: 17Nation: USA Position: Midfielder (AMC) Current Ability: 95 Potential Ability: -8 |
And here's the full list of Football Manager 2015 wonderkids that will make an appearance in the Under-20 World Cup New Zealand.
Football Manager Wonderkids at the U-20 World Cup 2015
| Name | Nation | Age | Position | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel BOATENG |  |
18 | Winger (AMRL) | Rio Ave (POR) |
| Clifford ABOAGYE | |
19 | Winger (AMRC) | Granada (ESP) |
| Adama TRAORE |  |
18 | Winger (AMR) | Barcelona (ESP) |
| Roger GOMIS |  |
19 | Midfielder (AMC) | CS Louhans-Cuiseaux (FRA) |
| Ibrahima SY | |
18 | Goalkeeper | FC Lorient (FRA) |
| Isaac SUCCESS |  |
18 | Striker | Granada (ESP) |
| Kelechi IHEANACHO | |
17 | Striker | Man City (ENG) |
| Konrad LAIMER |  |
17 | Midfielder (AMRC) | Salzburg (AUT) |
| Krisztian TAMAS |  |
19 | Defender (D/WBL) | AC Milan (ITA) |
| Julian BRANDT |  |
18 | Winger (AMRL) | Leverkusen (GER) |
| Levin OZTUNALI | |
18 | Midfielder (D/WBR, DM) | Leverkusen (GER) |
| Marc-Oliver KEMPF | |
19 | Defender (DC, DM) | Freiburg (GER) |
| Niklas STARK | |
19 | Defensive Midfielder (DC, DM) | Nurnberg (GER) |
| Robert BAUER | |
19 | Defender (DRC, DM) | Ingolstadt (GER) |
| Maximilian WITTEK | |
18 | Defender (D/WBL) | 1860 Munchen (GER) |
| Julian WEIGL | |
18 | Midfielder (DM) | 1860 Munchen (GER) |
| Jeremy DUDZIAK | |
18 | Defender (D/WBL, AMLC) | Dortmund (GER) |
| Marc STENDERA | |
18 | Midfielder (AMC) | Frankfurt (GER) |
| Hany MUKHTAR | |
19 | Midfielder (AMLC) | Benfica (POR) |
| Goncalo GUEDES |  |
17 | Winger (AMRL) | Benfica (POR) |
| ANDRE SILVA | |
18 | Striker | Porto (POR) |
| RAFA | |
19 | Full Back (D/WB/ML) | Porto (POR) |
| JOAO NUNES | |
18 | Defender (DC) | Benfica (POR) |
| Andrija ZIVKOVIC |  |
17 | Winger (AMRLC) | Partizan (SRB) |
| Vanja MILINKOVIC SAVIC | |
17 | Goalkeeper | Man Utd (ENG) |
| Mijat GACINOVIC | |
19 | Winger (AMRLC) | Vojvodina (SRB) |
| Predrag RAJKOVIC | |
18 | Goalkeeper | Red Star (SRB) |
| Nemanja MAKSIMOVIC | |
19 | Winger (AMRLC) | Verona (ITA) |
| Ivan SAPONJIC | |
16 | Striker | Partizan (SRB) |
| Vukasin JOVANOVIC | |
18 | Defender (DC) | Red Star (SRB) |
| Sergej MILINKOVIC SAVIC | |
19 | Midfielder (DM) | Genk (BEL) |
| Milan GAJIC | |
18 | Winger (WBR, DM, AMRL) | OFK Beograd |
| Srdjan BABIC | |
18 | Defender (DRC) | Vojvodina |
| Eduard SOBOL |  |
19 | Full Back (D/WBL) | Shakhtar (UKR) |
| Roman PIDKIVKA | |
19 | Goalkeeper | Karpaty (UKR) |
| Roman YAREMCHUK | |
18 | Striker | Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) |
| Alberth ELIS |  |
18 | Striker (AMR, ST) | Olimpia (HON) |
| Hirving LOZANO |  |
18 | Winger (AMR) | Pachuca (MEX) |
| Erick GUTIERREZ | |
19 | Midfielder (DM) | Pachuca (MEX) |
| Raul GUDINO | |
18 | Golakeeper | Chivas (MEX) |
| Osvaldo RODRIGUEZ | |
17 | Defender (DL) | Pachuca (MEX) |
| Jose David RAMIREZ | |
18 | Winger (AMR) | Chivas (MEX) |
| Paul ARRIOLA |  |
19 | Striker | Xolos Tijuana (MEX) |
| Joel SONORA | |
17 | Midfielder (AMC) | Boca (ARG) |
| Gedion ZELALEM | |
17 | Midfielder (AMC) | Arsenal (ENG) |
| Emerson HYNDMAN | |
18 | Midfielder (AMC) | Fulham (ENG) |
| Cameron CARTER-VICKERS | |
16 | Defender (DC) | Tottenham (ENG) |
| Diego POYET |  |
19 | Midfielder (DM) | West Ham (ENG) |
| Nahitan NANDEZ | |
18 | Midfielder (DM) | Penarol (URU) |
| Mauro ARAMBARRI | |
18 | Midfielder (DM, MRC) | Defensor Sporting (URU) |
| Franco ACOSTA | |
18 | Striker | Villarreal (ESP) |
| Kevin MENDEZ | |
18 | Forward (AM/FC) | Roma (ITA) |
| Gaston GURUCEAGA | |
19 | Goalkeeper | Penarol (URU) |
| Gaston PEREIRO | |
19 | Midfielder (AMC) | Nacional (URU) |
| Rodrigo AMARAL | |
17 | Striker (AML, ST) | Nacional (URU) |
| Guillermo COTUGNO | |
19 | Defender (DRC) | Danubio (URU) |
| Andres TELLO |  |
18 | Defender (DC, DM) | Envigado (COL) |
| Joao RODRIGUEZ | |
18 | Striker (AM/FC) | Chelsea (ENG) |
| Steven LUCUMI | |
19 | Winger (AMRLC) | America de Cali (COL) |
| Alejandro ROMERO GAMARRA |  |
19 | Forward (AM/FC) | Huracan (ARG) |
| Augusto BATALLA | |
18 | Goalkeeper | River (ARG) |
| Emanuel MAMMANA | |
18 | Defender (DC) | River (ARG) |
| Adrian Andres CUBAS | |
18 | Midfielder (DM) | Boca (ARG) |
| Tiago CASASOLA | |
18 | Defender (DC) | Fulham (ENG) |
| Cristian ESPINOZA | |
19 | Winger (AMR, ST) | Huracan (ARG) |
| Leonardo ROLON | |
19 | Winger (D/WB/AMR) | Velez (ARG) |
| Giovanni SIMEONE | |
18 | Striker | River (ARG) |
| Tomas MARTINEZ | |
19 | Midfielder (AMC) | River (ARG) |
| Angel CORREA | |
19 | Forward (AMLC, FC) | Atletico (ESP) |
| Jose DEVECCHI | |
18 | Goalkeeper | San Lorenzo (ARG) |
| Agustin ROSSI | |
18 | Goalkeeper | Estudiantes (ARG) |
| Cristian PAVON | |
18 | Forward (AMLC, FC) | Boca (ARG) |
| Sebastian DRIUSSI | |
18 | Forward (AM/FC) | River (ARG) |
| Emiliano BUENDIA | |
17 | Midfielder (AMC) | Getafe (ESP) |
| Facundo MONTESEIRIN | |
19 | Defender (DC) | Lanus (ARG) |
| MARCOS FELIPE |  |
18 | Goalkeeper | Fluminense (BRA) |
| JOAO PEDRO | |
17 | Defender (D/WBR) | Palmeiras (BRA) |
| MARLON | |
18 | Defender (DC, DM) | Fluminense (BRA) |
| DANILO | |
18 | Midfielder (DM) | Braga (POR) |
| CAJU | |
18 | Defender (DL) | Santos (BRA) |
| MARCOS GUILHERME | |
18 | Midfielder (AMC) | Atletico Paranaense (BRA) |
| BOSCHILIA | |
18 | Midfielder (AMC) | Sao Paulo (BRA) |
| GABRIEL JESUS | |
17 | Striker | Palmeiras (BRA) |
| MALCOM | |
17 | Forward (AMR, ST) | Corinthians (BRA) |
| JORGE | |
18 | Defender (D/WB/ML) | Flamengo (BRA) |
| Andreas PEREIRA | |
18 | Midfielder (AMRLC) | Man Utd (ENG) |