Football fans like to see young players come up with the potential to become stars. When a wonder kid shows exceptional talent, excitement builds up quickly and it is not long before they are reserved for potential greatness.
However, not every young football player meets the hype. Many careers take unexpected turns due to injuries, shape, poor decisions and even the ability to tackle the pressure associated with the immense control to which they are subject.
While some succeed in navigating through these rough waters and going big with reaching greatness, others fade in darkness. Mirror Football takes a look at some of the most hyped Premier League -Wonderkids since 2005 and how their career was.
Delt alli
Dele Alli was once one of the smartest prospects of England. He showed a glimpse of his talent at MK Dons before Tottenham was broken up in the tender age of 19 in 2015. And he really burst on stage on Spurs.
The midfielder, who had an eye for goals, won back-to-back PFA Young Player of the Year Awards and became a crucial part of the Spurs side of Mauricio Pochettino. It seemed that he was intended for greatness.
His performance, however, fell sharply after 2018. He lost his place in the English team and struggled for form at Spurs. Moves to Everton and Besiktas followed, but he never regained his old spark. Once considered a future superstar, his career took an unexpected decline and currently plays for Serie A Side Como.
His decline has been widely discussed. Former players and experts have criticized his attitude and work ethic. Injury and tactical changes also played a role in his struggles. His dramatic fall of the golden boy from England to a forgotten talent is one of the most surprising stories of football.
Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere was a striking talent in the midfield of Arsenal, since he broke the first team in 2008 as a 16-year-old. In fact, he was the youngest debutant of Arsenal and was expected that he led the club for years.
Wilshere had already set the Premier League on fire before he announced on the European stage with his performance against Barcelona in the 2010/11 Champions League round of 16 Clash. He surpasses people like Xavi and Andres Iniesta in the first stage, making Arsenal 2-1. Although the Gunners lost the return bone 3-1, Wilshere had made a name for himself.
Unfortunately, injuries derailed are progress. He underwent several operations on his ankle and knee and missed more than 100 games. A move to West Ham and then AFC Bournemouth did not help when he struggled for fitness and shape.
Wilshere finally retired at 30, much earlier than expected. He is currently a coach of the first team on the championship side Norwich City. His playing career, however, remains a story of unfulfilled promise.
Adnan Januzaj
Adnan Januzaj burst on stage in Manchester United in the 2013/14 season under David Moyes. Although reserved as a potential star in the last season of Sir Alex Ferguson in United, Januzaj got his breakthrough from the first team under Moyes and he immediately set the Old Trafford Faithful.
It was his match -winning performance of two goals against Sunderland in 2013 that announced his talent for the larger football world. The expectations of the young Belgian winger were huge and it grew further when he got the legendary no. 11 shirt that was worn by Ryan Giggs. Many believed that he would be the next large wing player of the club.
However, he has never built on that early promise. Although he was impressed under Moyes in what was a bad season for the club, he did not succeed in securing a regular place under both Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. Loan spells in Borussia Dortmund and Sunderland have not revived its form. By 2017 United let him go and he joined real Sociedad.
Since then, Januzaj has played for Seville and sent on loan to Istanbul Basaksehir and Las Palmas. Although he had moments of sparkle, he never became the superstar that many expected. His career remains a case of what could have been.
Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho was once considered one of the world's best game makers when he stuck it out in Anfield. Coutinho was always considered a huge talent from his days at the Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.
He was quickly picked up by Inter Milan as a teenager. But he never shone in Milan and eventually moved to Liverpool in January 2013, at the age of 20 -. The Brazilian shone in Liverpool and began to realize his early promise. His creativity and long -distance goals made him a favorite with fans. He made more than 200 performances for Liverpool, scored 51 goals and quickly settled as a global star.
It was no surprise when Barcelona drew him for compensation that was reportedly an initial £ 105 million, because they wanted to fill the emptiness of Neymar. However, Coutinho never fits in the system at Barca. He was shifted to different roles, but did not succeed in having a lasting impact.
His self -confidence fell and he was lent to Bayern Munich and Aston Villa. Although he has had flashes of his old sparkle, his career has never become the expected heights after his success in Liverpool. He is currently on loan in his youth club Vasco da Gama, from Villa.
Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku was another Premier League Wonderkid who showed enormous potential from a young age. After he torn it in differently, Chelsea signed the 18-year-old while watching to find a long-term replacement for Didier Drogba. But he could not break through in the first team team.
Struggling to play time, he went on loan to West Brom and then Everton. He showed his references as a top prime minister League striker during these spells and earned himself a permanent step to the toffees.
It was no surprise when Manchester United paid € 90 million for him in 2017, but he was unable to convince at Old Trafford and left for Inter Milan two years later. He rediscovered his form in Italy, which led Chelsea to brought him for a considerable fee in 2021. But the move back to Stamford Bridge did not work for Lukaku and he was soon lent again to Inter Milan and then Ara. He is currently playing for Napoli.
Despite a strong goal record for clubs and country, the career of Lukaku is characterized by inconsistency. Although he remains a big striker, he has never fully established himself in an elite club.
Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli was once considered a future balloon d'Or winner. After he had lit it as a teenager at Inter Milan, he won the European Golden Boy Award in 2010. The exploitation of the Italian striker saw Manchester City bring him to England in August 2010 as a 20-year-old.
His talent was not to be denied in the city. He helped famous Sergio Aguero's 2012/13 Premier League-winning goal against QPR, a moment when the Premier League folklore went. Although it seemed that he was intended for greatness, it didn't work for him. His attitude, issues outside the field and a tendency for controversy of the court stopped him.
Proverbs at AC Milan, Liverpool and Marseille followed, but he never settled in a club. His attitude and inconsistency frustrated managers. Clubs continued to give him opportunities, but he was unable to maintain performances at the top level. After nomadic spells he is currently in the books in Serie A Side Genoa.
Balotelli was never the world -class player expected many people to be. His story is a memory that only talent is not enough.
Gareth Bale
Unlike others on this list, Gareth Bale has certainly fulfilled his potential. Bale attracted attention as a left wingback from Southampton and made his first team debut in the tender age of 16 in 2006. He was sensational in that season and was quickly sniffed by Tottenham in 2007.
It was on White Hart Lane that he transformed from a left-back into an elite wing player. His pace and finish quickly made him one of the best players in the Premier League. He won two PFA Player 'Player of the Year Awards and received the attention of the world's best clubs.
Real Madrid signed him in 2013 and he formed a deadly front three with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, called the 'BBC'. He won three La Liga titles and five Champions League trophies with Real and scored in two finals.
However, injuries and a lack of playing time in later years led to some criticism. And his relationship with the fans of the club was tense.
Despite his ups and downs, Bale's legacy remains strong. He won several trophies and delivered at great moments. Although his career had challenges, he achieved much more than the most wonderful kids.
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