A ridiculous XI of international wonderkids born after Lionel Messi’s Argentina debut
It’s over 19 years since Lionel Messi kicked off his legendary career in international football inauspicious circumstances, shown a red card in a friendly against Hungary.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or has done alright for himself since, captaining Argentina to two Copa America’s and the World Cup and becoming the second all-time top goalscorer in the history of international football.
His longevity has got us thinking about the passage of time and the number of great footballers that have emerged since then. We’ve put together this XI of (almost) full internationals who were born after Messi’s Argentina debut in August 2005.
GK: Sammy Harvey
Who?
It’s not very often that freakishly mature goalkeepers like Gianluigi Donnarumma emerge, so we predictably had to do some digging to find a teenage goalkeeper who’s already a full international.
The search led us to the quite frankly bonkers case of 14-year-old Sammy Harvey, who recently made headlines after starting for the Turks and Caicos Islands in a CONCACAF Nations League match against Anguilla.
“After the first game, I did cry, knowing that my first game was a loss,” Harvey told BBC World Service Sport.
“[My coach] called me that same night to help me get my head back in it and get my head back up, and I was ready.
“I let it sink in knowing that, yes, I did play international level at 14 with a great experience. Let’s get ready for the next one to go again and prove to them that I can play at this level.”
RB: Kosta Nedeljkovic
The Serbian might not be a household-name superstar, but he is a talented prospect worth keeping tabs on.
Born in December 2005, Nedeljkovic had barely broken through at boyhood club Red Star Belgrade by the time he’d caught the eye of scouts of top clubs across Europe.
Back in January, Aston Villa won the race for his signature. He’s since gone on to make four senior appearances for his country and has now joined up with Unai Emery’s squad after spending the latter half of last season back on loan in Belgrade.
CB: Leny Yoro
We’ll hold our hands up; Yoro isn’t technically a full international (yet).
But he’s widely regarded as one of the best young centre-backs in world football and likely would’ve been called by Didier Deschamps for Les Bleus by now if he hadn’t spent the past few months on the treatment table. So that’s good enough for us.
The Manchester United prospect was born in November 2005, when Gold Digger by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx was No.1 in the UK charts. Feel old yet?
CB: Pau Cubarsi
The fact that we went with Yoro, having struggled to find any young senior international centre-halves anywhere in world football, underlines how remarkable Cubarsi’s rise has been.
The La Masia graduate looked absolutely at home in the Champions League for Barcelona, just weeks after turning 17. To look so terrifyingly composed in that position, at that level, is pretty much unprecedented.
He’s earned four caps for Spain already and can consider himself unfortunate to have missed out on Luis de la Fuente’s Euro 2024-winning squad.
But he’s very much a part of La Roja’s future from here and we’d be surprised if he’s not starting come the 2026 World Cup – by which point he’ll still only be 19.
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LB: Jorrel Hato
We could’ve stuck the Ajax prodigy alongside Cubarsi in the heart of our defence, but then we’d have struggled for left-backs.
The 18-year-old looks like he has everything in his locker to become the Eredivisie giants’ next big-money sale.
He’s been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, having been called up by Ronald Koeman for the Netherlands.
One to watch.
RW: Lamine Yamal
The first name on this teamsheet is Messi’s heir to the throne.
Yamal is already an absolute superstar for both Spain and Barcelona. What he’s achieved at such a young age is truly nuts.
READ: The incredible stats behind Lamine Yamal’s insane head start on Lionel Messi
CM: Warren Zaire-Emery
The one player in this XI who’s actually shared the pitch with Messi, 2006-born midfielder Zaire-Emery already looks a key cog for both PSG and France.
“When I scored my first goal in Ligue 1, I celebrated it with Lionel Messi… I can’t believe it,” the 18-year-old reminisced on his breakthrough.
Zaire-Emery and Messi didn’t overlap for long at the Parc des Princes, but they enjoyed their time together.
“The leaders in the locker room, surely the best players in the world, want Warren to team up with them in games,” former PSG coach Galtier told Canal Plus.
“It’s incredible to tell you this now in hindsight. But there was a real connection between Warren and Leo (Messi).”
CM: Kendry Paez
One of four players at this year’s Copa America that was born after Messi’s Argentina debut, Ecuadorian wonderkid Kendry Paez has already been snapped up by Chelsea.
He’ll depart Independiente del Valle for Stamford Bridge to link up with his compatriot Moises Caicedo next summer, following his 18th birthday.
LW: Ben Doak
With all due respect to the Scottish Messi, nobody was taking Yamal’s place out on the right side of the attack.
So we’ve had to shunt Doak out on the opposite wing here, but we’re sure the Liverpool starlet would terrify the opposition full-back in equal measure.
We’ve been semi-ironic with the Scottish Messi nickname, but there were more than a few shades of Argentina’s legendary No.10 in the way that the 19-year-old ripped Josko Gvardiol to shreds in Scotland’s recent 1-0 Nations League victory.
The Croatia defender must’ve had flashbacks to the World Cup semi-final.
READ: Ben Doak’s turn sent Gvardiol for a Haggis supper – & confirmed he’s the Scottish Messi
ST: Estevao Willian
Another one that’s best on the right side of an attack, it’s almost like an entire generation of mind-blowingly talented youngsters have grown up dreaming of emulating Messi.
Estevao is also another that’s already been snapped up by Chelsea. We had to have the Palmeiras winger in here somewhere, given he’s already a full Brazil international talked up as the South American talent of his generation.
”He is a great talent that is emerging in Brazilian football today,” says Neymar, who knows a thing or two about dealing with hype.
“I think he’s going to be a genius.”
ST: Endrick
We’re still waiting for the teenager to burst into life at Real Madrid, having been used in a peripheral role by Carlo Ancelotti as he adapts to life in a new continent.
Despite his limited minutes, he’s already scored a couple of eye-catching goals for Los Blancos. And goals for the Selecao against England and Spain suggest the sky’s the limit for their great hope.