In 2002, Match Magazine compiled a list of the Top 20 Wonderkids in the Premier League – but how did their predictions separate and how did the career of the players develop?
Match was first published in 1979 and has been a source of football knowledge, quizzes, interviews and more for British youth for decades. The Voetbal-Crazy magazine became known in the mid-1990s, and was the best-selling publication of its kind in Great Britain and is still being produced today.
In 2002, the publication compiled a list of the top 20 young talents who have just begun to print in the Premier League players who would become the predicted matches worldwide superstars. From two members of Arsenal's Invincibles to one of the top scorers of the top flight, Mirror Football Revisits Match's '20 Premiership Wonderkids who are red -hot prospects and investigates what these once tired future stars have achieved in their career.
The list of match at number 20 starts the then Prodigy Michael Chopra of the then Newcastle. The young Magpie tried to make a career for himself in St. James's Park, but he never fully managed to secure a regular place. Instead, Chopra was successful with Cardiff, deserved two PFA team of the year, and enjoy a fruitful spell with Ipswich Town before his career started. After initially retiring in 2016, he returned to play for the local West -Alles Allowance Celtic in 2022.
At number 19, the young Aston Villa defender Liam Ridgell came. The former West Ham youth player showed potential as a center-back in Villa Park, which appeared countless performances before moving permanently to Birmingham City in 2007. There he flourished an important player and helped his team to achieve a competitiveup victory in 2011. After a few seasons with West Brom, he moved to the MLS with the Portland Timbers. Now 40, Ridgewell Coach is at the club and retired in 2020.
At no. 18, the Australian Luke Wilkshire, who never completely made it as a defensive prospect in Middlesbrough. He found relative success with Bristol City and later Dynamo Moscow before he retired in 2018. The right back earned 80 caps for Australia.
Arsenal's invincible younger Jeremie Aliadiere was number 17. The Frenchman came to the Gunners at the age of 16 and gradually understood to the first team under Arsene Wenger, who earned two Premier League medals and an FA Cup on the way. After various loan spells, the striker eventually left Arsenal and signed for Middlesbrough in a £ 2.5 million deal. His time on Tesside was not successful, and after Stints in France and Qatar he retired in 2018.
The Englishman Chris Shuker was mentioned on number 16. He showed promising in Manchester City, but the agile midfielder never really left in Sky Blue. He left in 2004 and had a successful career in the EFL with teams such as Barnsley, Tranmere and Port Vale before he became a coach.
The promising talent of Birmingham City, Darren Carter, landed at number 15. The midfielder had a laudable career at the Blues, Preston North End and West Brom, among other things, with more than 300 Premier League and ELL matches. He ended his career in a consistent tone with Solihull Moors before hung up his boots in 2021.
Former England Star Kieran Richardson was number 14. The versatile player, who sharpened his skills at the Manchester United Academy, enjoyed the Prime of his career in Sunderland, where he was known for his tenacity and endurance. After earning eight caps for the three lions and playing for Fulham, Aston Villa and Cardiff City, he retired in 2017.
The Portuguese prodigy of Chelsea, Filipe Oliveira, came to number 13. The right -sided midfielder had trouble finding a permanent house during his career. After leaving Stamford Bridge in 2006 with a limited playing time, he played in Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Cyprus and Romania before he called it a day.
De Hoop was high for Hugo Viana, another Portuguese star who came to Newcastle in 2002 for £ 8.5 million and was placed on the list at number 12. However, the career of midfield Maestro did not come out as expected. After Stints with Valencia and Braga, the former young European Footballer of the Year retired in 2016 at the age of 33. He is involved in football and currently serves as director of football in Manchester City.
Striker Milan Baros, listed on number 11, joined Liverpool as one of Europe's most promising talents. Although the Czech star did not fully fulfill its potential at Merseyside, he played a role in the historic 2005 Champions League victory of the Reds. He left for £ 6.5 million that summer to become a member of Aston Villa, where goals were difficult to find. Baros retired at the age of 38 in 2020 after a period back in his home country.
At No. 10, striker Stefan Moore seemed intended for a top career at Aston Villa. However, he played Non-League football against his mid-twenties. Moore was successful with teams such as Halesown Town and St Neots Town, and his semi-professional career ended in 2018.
The Irish defender John O'Shea, tipped as a success story at No. 9, was not always the first name on the Manchester United team magazine during his early years. Nevertheless, O'Shea made nearly 400 performances for the Red Devils for more than a decade. With 14 winners medals – including five league titles and a Champions League – to his name, he would transfer to Coaching in 2020 as one of the most decorated players in Ireland ever.
The Argentinian striker Vicente Vuoso, who was arranged at number 8, never played a competition match for the city despite the fact that he was signed from Independent in 2002. He received Mexican citizenship and earned 15 caps for the country before retired in 2017.
Carlton Cole, who was at Chelsea at the time, was noted at number 7. Although he was unsuccessful with the blues, his move to West Ham in 2006 marked the start of a career that made him a hammer icon. Cole made 293 performances for the club, scored 68 goals and earned seven English caps. After leaving West Ham in 2015, he had short stints with both American and Indonesian teams before retired in 2018.
Coming at number 6 is another Englishman, Jermaine Pennant. The gifted but restless former Arsenal-Vleugel player was perhaps more famous for his off-field behavior than his performances on the field. His high -profile transfer to Liverpool in 2006 showed part of his best football, but he gradually got out of favor and moved between clubs. A remarkable period with Stoke City offered a glimmer of hope, but Pennant eventually hung up his boots in 2017, last to play Billericay Town for the non-League side.
The youth product of Sunderland, Grant LeadBitter, was strongly appreciated at number 5. Although he never reached the top -echelons of football, he had a solid career in the northeast. The tough Tackling midfielder made nearly 250 performances for Middlesbrough and more than 200 for Sunderland, with a remarkable spell in the city of Ipswich. He ended his gaming career in a high tone, returned to the Stadium of Light in 2019 and won the EFL trophy in 2021 before hunging his boots and became a coach with the black cats.
At No. 4, West Brom's young midfielder Adam Chambers came. Although he was tipped for quantity, Chambers struggled to secure a regular place in the first team at the Hawthorns and moved to Leyton Orient in 2006. He played almost 200 games there before he came to Walsall in 2011, where he became a position that made more than 300 performances before he retired in 2019.
Starting the stage positions at number 3 was Arsenal -defender Kolo Toure. The Ivorian was an important player in the Invincibles season of Gunners, who often came in for veteran Martin Keown next to Sol Campbell. He left the Emirates when he moved to Manchester City in 2009, where he later played next to his brother Yaya. He also had Stints in Liverpool and Celtic before he retired in 2017.
Irish former Wonderkid Thomas Butler is number 2 on the list. Despite the fact that he showed promise as a young winger, he did not fully meet expectations. After making his debut for Sunderland, Butler had limited playing time with the Black Cats and left the club in 2004. He later found more playing time in Hartlepool United and Swansea City before injuries ended his career prematurely.
The player at the top of the list at number 1 needs no introduction. Wayne Rooney, once one of the most promising talents in English football with Everton, continued with remarkable success at Manchester United. With five Premier League titles, a Champions League and FA Cup, 559 performances and 253 goals under his belt, Rooney later returned to Goodison Park. He then played for DC United and Derby County before he ended his illustrious career, including it 120 times by England, in 2021 to become a manager. His most recent fatal role was at the helm of Plymouth Argyle.
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