The Club World Cup's brightest young players – including Doue, Bellingham and Bayern's new Robben?
A summer tournament like the Club World Cup is a chance for emerging stars to showcase their talent.
Some will already be familiar names and have been playing for the world's best teams in the biggest competitions already, while others will try to make an impact on the global stage this summer, and perhaps take the next step in their career.
But who are they? Allow The Athletic to walk you through some of the brightest players aged 21 or under who will grace — or already have graced — pitches across the United States this summer.
It is tricky to fly under the radar when wearing the colours of Paris Saint-Germain.
Luis Enrique's quadruple-winning side put on the most comprehensive performance in UEFA Champions League history during a 5-0 thumping of Inter Milan last month — with a squad whose average age (25 years) was one of the youngest across the whole competition.
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A then 19-year-old Desire Doue was the star of the show in Munich, his two goals and one assist demonstrating that he was unfazed under the spotlight. His quick feet were on show in Pasadena on Sunday as PSG pulled Atletico Madrid apart in their opening group game.
While Doue did not score in that match, there was a teenager on the scoresheet, with Senny Mayulu's sharp finish continuing a memorable few weeks for the 19-year-old after scoring PSG's fifth goal in the Champions League final last month. Mayulu's five goals and three assists in all competitions are not to be sniffed at considering the minutes he has played, and this summer could be the perfect opportunity to make a further step up.
Incredibly, neither Mayulu nor Doue were the youngest players to take to the field against Atleti, with 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye getting more minutes in a PSG shirt after breaking into Luis Enrique's squad this season. Mbaye needed little time to show off his powerful dribbling, with his direct running crucial in the lead-up to PSG's fourth goal at the Rose Bowl.
More minutes should follow in the States, even if Mbaye has the unenviable task of trying to break into one of Europe's most devastating attacking tridents.
In midfield, it is easy to forget that Portuguese terrier Joao Neves is still only 20 years old. With an old head on young shoulders, Neves played more than 3,700 minutes across 52 matches for PSG last season. His aggressive tackling was crucial in helping PSG regain possession high up in their first goal against Atleti on Sunday (see top right of pitch map).
Then there is the prodigious talent of Warren Zaire-Emery, 19, whose 23 Ligue 1 starts in the heart of PSG's midfield were crucial to them winning the league title with six games to spare. While Neves, Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz became the core trio Luis Enrique trusted at the business end of the season, Zaire-Emery's impact was worthy of praise across the campaign.
Luis Enrique's squad certainly packs a youthful punch.
Bayern Munich have a talent pathway that is also looking rather healthy this summer. Their recent acquisition of Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim could provide them with a midfield engine for the next decade, with the 19-year-old's box-to-box style — coupled with a delicious weight of pass — the perfect match for Bayern's possession dominance.
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Bischof did not get onto the field during Bayern's 10-0 thumping of part-time outfit Auckland City in their first group game, but there was a debut for Lennart Karl. The 17-year-old made Bayern's matchday squad multiple times at the back end of last season, but he finally got onto the pitch for the second half of Bayern's glorified friendly on Sunday afternoon.
While his centre of gravity might be low, his confidence is anything but. Karl was demanding the ball from team-mates, taking corners, dropping a shoulder and pirouetting in the penalty area as though he were a prime Arjen Robben.
Notwithstanding the quality of the opposition, such an impressive performance should be worthy of more minutes this summer.
The same can be said of 19-year-old left-back Adam Aznou, who notched a handful of appearances in a Bayern shirt last season. The Spanish-born Morocco international spent the second half of the campaign getting experience on loan at Valladolid, and looks ready to be a regular member of Vincent Kompany's squad going into the new season.
Head 90 miles east across the Austrian border, and the production line of young talent continues to serve in Salzburg.
Red Bull Salzburg's Oscar Gloukh has been one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise disappointing season, shouldering a lot of his side's creative responsibility. Gloukh's close control, weight of pass, and two-footedness display a technical proficiency beyond his years. The 21-year-old operates as a No 10 but regularly drifts wide towards the left touchline.
If we could cheat for one moment, keep an eye on Gloukh's team-mate, Nene Dorgeles. At the ripe old age of 22, Dorgeles's 13 goals and four assists in the Austrian Bundesliga are worthy of note, with an elusive style that can see him fly past opponents in the blink of an eye.
Still a few weeks away from his 18th birthday, Franco Mastantuono must feel invincible whenever he graces the field.
As chief playmaker with an eye for a finish, Mastantuono arrives at the Club World Cup with seven goal involvements in his last 10 appearances for Argentine side River Plate. After this summer, the 17-year-old will be joining Real Madrid on a six-year deal for a fee of €63.2million (£53.9m/$73m).
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The Club World Cup is an opportunity for Mastantuono to show he can cut it against European opposition, with River Plate drawn against Champions League finalists Inter in Group E.
As a prodigious Argentine talent making the move across to Spain as a teenager, the Messi comparisons are already in full force, but Mastantuono plays with a different style, a different gait. Either way, as the graphic shows below, the teenager is in a hurry to make things happen when he receives the ball.
Mastantuono might be wary of his game time at his future club, with the talented Endrick, 18, and Arda Guler, 20 — both of whom will be keen to impress new manager Xabi Alonso this summer — not hoovering up as many minutes as they would have hoped from attacking positions last season.
With injuries still plaguing Madrid's squad, there is an opportunity for Alonso to showcase some of his young talent this summer, particularly during the group stage. As The Athletic has recently reported, he has plenty of options to choose from.
Brazilian Estevao Willian is in a similar position to Mastantuono. The 18-year-old will move from Palmeiras to Chelsea at the end of the summer, but not before he tries to make an impact at the Club World Cup.
With 13 Brazilian Serie A goals last season, the teenager has already shown he can dominate senior football. Operating largely from the right flank, he has the fearlessness of a typical teenager but with the dazzling quality to back it up as opposition full-backs underestimate the strength and speed he possesses in that wiry frame.
Let's be honest, young playmakers are just so on brand at the moment.
Manchester City have recently secured the services of 21-year-old Rayan Cherki this summer, tasked with filling a Kevin De Bruyne-shaped hole in Pep Guardiola's attack.
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As one of Europe's most exciting creative players, Cherki can play comfortably off either foot and embarrass defenders with a mazy dribble or a razor-sharp through-ball with equal nonchalance. Guardiola might use this summer to fix up his defensive discipline, but expect to see Cherki's creativity in full flow against weary defences melting in the sweltering sun.
City will face Juventus in Group G, with the Bianconeri possessing a young star themselves in Kenan Yildiz. Fleet-footed, fearless and forward-thinking, 20-year-old Yildiz is a box of tricks. His 113 take-ons were more than any other Juventus player in Serie A last season, and he often looks to drive forward with the ball after making the opposition commit.
If it is young English talent you are after, head to… Germany. With 19-year-old Jobe Bellingham following in his brother's footsteps in making the move to Borussia Dortmund, there is an opportunity for the teenager to make an instant impact.
'Jobe has already made his mark in training during the first few days,' said Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl. 'That's why we're glad to have completed the deal before the Club World Cup. He will strengthen us, not just for this tournament, but hopefully for many years to come.'
Bellingham joins fellow Englishman Jamie Gittens, who has had a mixed season. Fatigue meant the 20-year-old's blistering start to the season was curtailed slightly, but he is often the player Dortmund look to when building their attack. No Bundesliga player attempted more take-ons across the campaign, with Gittens relishing the chance to drive into the box from the left flank (as shown below).
Other Englishmen include Chelsea's Tyrique George, who will be looking for more minutes after breaking into Enzo Maresca's side last season. The 19-year-old forward came on for the final 30 minutes of Chelsea's group game with LAFC on Tuesday, and has made a positive impact whenever he has played, popping up anywhere across the forward line.
Sticking with Maresca's side, Andrey Santos will be hoping for some game time this summer after impressing on loan at Strasbourg last season. The 21-year-old midfielder did not make the pitch even after Maresca rang the changes in the second half of Chelsea's clash with LAFC, but his quality is too good to ignore.
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At the sharp end of the pitch, Porto's Samu Aghehowa has scored 25 goals in 39 appearances across the Primeira Liga and Europa League, and the 21-year-old has shown he can become one of Europe's elite finishers.
At 6ft 4in (193cm), he has the strength to hold off defenders while possessing the poise and movement of a striker a fraction of his size. In an era where traditional No 9s are hard to come by, Samu is something of a throwback.
Behind Samu in Porto's attack is the diminutive playmaker, Rodrigo Mora, who is one of the most exciting young talents coming out of Portugal. With silky touches, mazy dribbles and an eye for a finish, Mora's 10 league goals were more than any other under-20 players across Europe's top seven leagues last season. Given his small frame, you might miss him in the crowd, but give him the ball and you will struggle not to sit up and watch.
There are also plenty of young, talented players at the other end of the pitch, including Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen. The 20-year-old is keen to clock up minutes and acclimatise to his new club after making the move from Bournemouth this summer.
Similarly, it feels like Benfica's Antonio Silva has been playing senior football for over a decade, but somehow the front-footed, aggressive centre-back is still only 21.
But look beyond the obvious names and you have Botafogo's Jair Cunha who, at 6ft 6in (198cm) tall, has all the attributes to be an elite centre-back. Jair is just 20 years old and looks bound for Nottingham Forest this summer. He has already made an impact in the Club World Cup — rising highest from Alex Telles's free kick to open the scoring against Seattle Sounders.
Sounders' Obed Vargas played in that game. The 19-year-old can play as a defensive midfielder or a No 8 as he looks to dictate the game's tempo and progress the ball forward.
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The same can be said of Boca Juniors' Milton Delgado. Having only just turned 20 this month, the Argentine's talent must be nurtured, but there is poise and maturity in the way that he plays as a defensive midfielder.
In April, CIES Football Observatory ranked Delgado as, statistically, the best under-20 defensive midfielder in the world, so there are plenty of reasons to keep an eye on his progress — both this summer and beyond.
(Top images: Desire Doue by Alex Pantling; Jobe Bellingham by Hendrik Deckers/Borussia Dortmund; both via Getty Images)
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