Where Are They Now? The Guardian’s ‘Next Generation’ from 2020: Sesko, Wirtz, Musiala…

Nestor Watach • 20 Oct 2025

The Guardian have published the latest edition of their excellent annual Next Generation series, in which they put in extensive research speaking to journalists and scouts around the world to pick out the most outstanding young talents of any generation.

We recommend giving the latest feature a read, but how many of them will make it? It’s always fascinating to go back and check in on the progress of wonderkids from years gone by.

Take a look at the 2003-born stars from their list published in 2020, with a few superstar names who have commanded colossal fees among lots more who have faded into obscurity.

We’ve taken a closer look at all 60 names who featured in the list and checked where they’ve ended up five years later.

Premier League stars

Headline names Florian Wirtz, Rayan Cherki, Xavi Simons and Benjamin Sesko all made high-profile moves to Premier League ‘Big Six’ clubs this summer, for a combined fee of well over £250million.

So it’s safe to say they’ve continued on the rise – although the jury remains out whether they’ll quite fully realise their potential in England.

Elsewhere, Italy international Wilfried Gnonto is back in the top flight after two seasons in the Championship with Leeds United.

Found their level in the EFL?

Manchester City academy starlet Alexander Robertson was likened to Steven Gerrard, “a two-footed box-to-box midfielder with an eye for goal.”

The Scotland-born Australia international moved to Cardiff City last year and is kicking on in League One after the relegation he suffered in his debut season.

Scotland Under-21 international centre-back Liam Morrison spent time developing his skills at Bayern Munich, but is now turning out at Championship side QPR.

Samuel Iling-Junior has Juventus on his CV and is now on his third loan away from Aston Villa since he joined them last year. He’s featured intermittently in the second tier for West Brom this season.

Ones to watch in Europe

Jamal Musiala is the obvious star name – currently suffering a long lay-off but Bayern’s most prized prospect, undoubtedly one of the best young players in Europe.

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Luca Netz and Isak Bergmann Johannesson are turning out at a decent enough level for Borussia Monchengladbach and Koln, respectively.

In Spain, Real Madrid starlet Bruno Iglesias still hasn’t moved beyond the Castilla (reserves) level, Nico Serrano is catching the eye for Athletic Club, Russia international Arsen Zakharyan is on the fringes at Real Sociedad and one-time Barcelona wonderkid Ilaix Moriba has found his feet at Celta Vigo.

A special mention for Federico Redondo, the highly-rated son of Madrid legend Fernando, who is continuing his journey at newly-promoted minnows Elche, fresh from a year of playing alongside Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami.

In Italy, former Inter and Chelsea prospect Cesare Casadei has embraced a more settled home after moving permanently to Torino in January. Fabio Miretti is back at parent club Juventus after impressing on loan at Genoa last term.

Now for a mixed bag across the continent of players who could yet go on and enjoy decent careers: Yusuf Demir (Galatasaray), Luca Oyen (Genk), Jhon Duran (Fenerbahce, on loan from Al-Nassr), Adam Karabec (Lyon), Maurits Kjaergaard (Red Bull Salzburg) and Naci Unuvar (FC Twente).

Off the beaten track

You’re no doubt a proper Football Manager obsessive if you’re aware of the fortunes of this lot, who have taken varied paths into relative football obscurity.

They’re all still earning a living from the game and are worthy of respect. Never say never, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely they’ll ever become household names.

In this category, we’ve placed Bikash Yumnam (Kerala Blasters, zero senior caps for India), Dario Sarmiento (once of Man City, now at second-tier RFC Liege on loan from Mexican side Tigre), Bruno Goncalves (still at Red Bull Bragantino), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Metinho (Ligue 2 side Troyes), Dimo Krastev (Serie C side Siracusa, on loan from Fiorentina) and former PSG starlet and Sunderland loanee Edouard Michut (Fortuna Sittard).

*Deep breaths* That list continued…

Hale End graduate Marcelo Flores (Tigres UANL), Luis Puente (Pachuca), Odin Thiago Holm (LAFC, on loan from Celtic), Stefan Bodisteanu (Botosani), Emil Roback (Muangthong United) Ivan Cubelic (Slaven Belupo), Tomislav Duvnjak (Varazdin), Kelvin John (AaB), Ravil Tagir (Al Jazira), Juan Ignacio Cabrera (Greuther Furth) and Isaac Tshibangu (Biniyas)

Phew. To cap off this list, a shoutout to Birmingham-born son of Colombia legend Juan Pablo Angel, Tomas Angel, who has represented his nation at youth level. He’s now playing for MLS side San Diego FC.

Fallen off the map

Almost a third (18) of the 60 most promising players around world football five years ago have almost entirely fallen off the map, if you want a reminder of how insanely cut-throat and competitive this industry is.

We’ll keep this brief, keeping you abreast of whatever level this lot are now playing at:

Ardy Mfundu (KPV, Finnish third tier), Emre Celtik (Arnavutköy Belediyespor, Turkish third tier), Joelson Fernandes (Hatayspor, Turkish second tier), Luka Cveticanin (Kolubara, Serbian third tier), Mateja Bacanin (Smederevo, Serbian second tier), Torben Rhein (Emmen, Dutch second tier), Kluiverth Aguilar (Lommel, Belgian second tier), Israel Salazar (Eldense, Spanish third tier), Aleksander Buksa (Polonia Warsaw, Polish second tier)

On we go…

Jia Boyan (Nantong Zhiyun, Chinese second tier), Takuhiro “Pipi” Nakai (Leganes B, Spanish fifth tier), Bartol Barisic (Austria Klagenfurt, Austrian second tier), Anthony Valencia (Royal Antwerp’s reserves), Amir Arli (Jura Sud, French fourth tier), Mohamed Amine Essahel (Mohammed VI Football Academy, Morocco), Ronaldo Camara (Beroe, Bulgarian top tier), Moses Nyeman (Loudon United, USL – USA’s second tier)

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