Picking The BEST Player At EVERY AGE From 17-36+… 🌟 | Saturday Social
► Subscribe to Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWPremierLeagueYT This week on Saturday Social, Adam Smith and Joe Thomlinson are joined by Julien Laurens, Matisse Armani, and Ben Bowman. With the Ballon d’Or aking place in London on Monday there is some serious talent nominated as always but there’s also a huge age range between some of the favourites. At one end you have Lamine Yamal, who is just 19 and at the other end you have Harry Kane. So we have tasked Jules with picking the best player in the world at every age category from 17-36+. premierleague football skysports saturdaysocial Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:38 17 01:17 18 02:45 19 03:10 20 04:31 21 06:11 22 06:58 23 09:03 24 09:42 25 10:38 26 11:28 27 12:52 28 13:34 29 14:47 30 16:16 31 17:21 32 18:23 33 20:44 34 21:32 35 22:42 36+ ► Premier League highlights: https://bit.ly/PL2627HL ► MNF, FNF, SNF & Super Sunday analysis: https://bit.ly/SkyMatchAnalysis ► Gary Neville Podcast: https://bit.ly/GaryNevillePodcast ► Saturday Social: https://bit.ly/SkySaturdaySocial ► Buy this season’s shirts: https://bit.ly/SkySportsShop More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkySportsFootball ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skysportsfootball ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsfootball ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsPL ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can…
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Welcome back to Saturday Social. We are joined by Jules, Ben and Matise. Cracking lineup this morning as always, Joe. Right, the Bun Thor is of course taking place in London on Monday and there's some serious talent nominated as always. But there's also quite a big age range between some of the favorites. At one end, you have Lamin who is just 19. The other end you have Harry Kane who's 33, which did get us thinking about the best players in every age group, didn't it? >> Yeah. And that's what Jules is going to bring forward today. We've got 17 through to 36 plus. Jules is going to bring a name to the table that he thinks is the best player in the world at that age. We'll bring some alternatives, have a little bit of debate. Boys will chip in throughout. So, let's start with 17y old. Who's the best 17-y old footballer in the world right now? >> So, I went for Cavan Sullivan. Remember when we did the under the 21s? Yeah. Under the 21's best 11. I mean, there's Brian Major, Aston Villa, who we saw really good in the Super Cup and European Super Cup, but then got an injury. >> It's all PSG really. >> No, there's a few others. And Max is 16 count. Exactly. Max, but in terms of who's playing already >> professional football and >> Sivan also made his debut for the national team, the USA national team. He's been great in MLAs. He will come to Europe and to Man City very soon. So 17 outstanding progress and and talent already really >> and big personality as well. Love that. Nice. Okay. 18 18 L Car for example, Ibrahim Ibrahim Embi from from Aston Villa, Ketsas abdorman, but I went for Ron Gamua who was outstanding in midweek for Liverpool for example, who's already played in the Premier League in the Champions League. >> Great winger, can play probably more on the left than on the right, but the right is also an option for him. Uh huge potential and I think only again only 18 and only a few days because I think he's he turned 18 months ago. >> Should have been at Chelsea. >> Yeah, devastated for you. Absolutely devastated. Yeah, he's we've we've produced a few talents from from Cobman, the left wing position. Obviously, Ali picked up the massive injury and he's the next one there and yeah, he's just been brilliant at Liverpool and I'm surprised with just how much he's, you know, gone to the right side and actually started shining as well. >> Well, I was thinking about this earlier when when he was looking at the list and you think about Saka and the injury problems that he's kind of going through at the moment that have been quite persistent. I know is obviously probably better on the left as you said, but with his performances on the right, I think there's a chance for him over the next few years, especially with how Palmer's been kind of in and out for England as well. doesn't feel like there's many players that could grab that right hand side in the way that Ingamoa potentially could over the next few years. I'm obviously not completely ruling Sakura out or writing him off, but to have him as backup in competition even for England quite likes him as well. >> Brought him to the camp before they brought to the camp before, wasn't it? Liverpool's youngest ever starter and youngest ever goal scorer. You think of the plethora of talent Liverpool have had over the years. I'm glad you shout out Carl as well. >> Yeah. who's who hasn't done as well maybe this season with Bayern than than what we saw last season but >> at age 19 obviously a bit of a tap in I think we all agree even if you like a yan mande or pubi or even a city >> has to be you give him the ballor >> I I think he's in contention I would not give it to him as you know because we discussed that already and my boy for me deserves to be the the balandor winner but lamin would win many ballors in his career because he's just that good Yeah. Okay. >> 20 >> 20 controversial one this trip. >> Now this is quite so to read some of the you got Warren Zory you've got Mars Skellyy Junior Krooppy Hendrick. It's quite a stacked category this but you've gone >> it is but I went for Ibrahim Maza who if you've watched a little bit of the Bundesliga and Bay Lever Kusen both >> also in in Europe then in the league he's just been incredible this year and it feels very much that this year last season was his breakthrough season at 19. This year is the year where I think he's shocking everybody. His performance in midweek in the Europa League was extraordinary. Really was >> what he's been doing. If you saw the assist that he did last weekend with B Le Kuzen was just a joke. Absolute joke. >> And he's technically good. He's got a great engine. He's a smart kid. He's only 20. And I think he's going to >> go to the top very very soon. >> Yeah. What I love about a young player 20, don't build him up too. His nickname is Mazadona. Just like kick it out of the ground. Do you know what I mean? >> No. What could go wrong from that? I think I think if Endric had got his loan, he really would have had a good shout for this because what he was doing at Leon when he went over there, he was showing that he could really be >> What more can Emry do, man? What more can he do at this stage? >> Honestly, you know what? I was going to put him last. Exactly. >> I know. I was And then even my kids said like, "No, no, they're going to sell you put him because he's only PhD and stuff. So, >> he's a close second." Why? Well, let's put it that way. >> That's the level of preps going through. He even gets his kids. >> My whole house was going for this, you know, age 21. could get back on the PSG >> ch this one really. I know you're going to try to argue with this obviously deser way >> even just the game against Barcelona this week in the Champions League or against City last week in the Champions League >> where he was incredible. I think he turned 21 in June. He maybe didn't have the World Cup that he wanted with France because he was in a n Bakola was him and Bcola was sharing that left hand side. But what a talent and again he's got the mentality. I think that's the most important really outside of all the technical ability and physically he's obviously very strong. His mindset and his mentality is wonderful. >> Yeah. The one player I was thinking was strong contention was Argula. >> Yeah. And I think it's a close debate really. I thought about >> Real Madrid. >> Yeah. Yeah. when you watch Madrid, he he's consistently their best player. Like he's a creative machine and obviously Desway is I think he's playing in a much better team >> if we're I know there's better individuals potentially in certain areas at Madrid, but as a unit they function better. They're better coached whereas Ardula in moments just drags Madrid through games. >> I think the biggest moments for PSG though has got his fingerprints all over it final, right? >> It's just a joke. His his his finishing ability is outrageous. I mean Smithy, we had him at the training ground a couple of years ago, didn't we, for Spurs and didn't quite put that one through. So that's >> he's another one for you guys. >> Exactly. No, he's D is absolutely top. >> You could make the argument whether he even gets the flowers that he deserves anyway. I just think he's he's top level. >> Kobe Mayu for no at that age. Okay. No, let's move on. Let's >> disrespect KBY. >> Can I yield his 21 PSG player to another? Okay, hear me out now because especially if you're Joe Tomlinson or Manchester United fans, you would have seen Nikopaz from very close in midweek and I know >> but I didn't want to troll you with Nikopaz, I promise you. So I went anyway I had to you know he's just coming back from Portugal so you know but I think >> in terms of what Joves did certainly since arriving at PSG and again he's he's his performance against Barcelona in midweek >> just shows for you that if you want a midfielder that does everything that just never stops running that is one of the smartest players on the pitch even at such a young age he'd be join and he chips in with goals now and again as well some spectacular ones too uh and I just think Again, he's a player that every coach would love to have in his team. >> Yeah. Top player. Stick him out. George, can you reach 22? >> Yes, 22 is there. >> Now, 23 is a big debate because there are two two of the best players in the world are 23. Pedri or Jude Bellingham. Great debate this one. Where are you going with this? >> So, there was also Ryan Sherki, for example, if you wanted there's a there's a Fanveria Anderson. >> Fur I went for Pedri. And I don't want to angry the whole English nations and all of England by not picking Bellingham, but I have already I just think that World Cup winner Pedri Pedri as in you mentioned about Araula and how you could just dictate the game. I think Jude is wonderful at a lot of things but in terms of dete dictating the tempo of a game there's just no nothing better than Pedri press resistance quality on the ball never stops running. I just think it's I think but I think it's just a a tasting. >> Yeah. >> Some people would like Jude and what he brings to a team. >> Some would prefer the way Pedri plays. It's just me. And you look at aesthetically, Pedri is just a beautiful footballer to watch, isn't he? Technically, but then Jude is, you know, such a big game player as well. Your face was a picture when you didn't see Jude Ben, you don't look happy. >> I think off the back of the World Cup, what Bellingham's personality in the big moments, I think you're completely right in terms of it's down to sort of personal taste. Some people prefer those midfielders that, >> you know, have their fingerprints all over the game in terms of the passing and sort of dictating the tempo and the rhythm, but some people just love players like Bellingham who could just grab the game like that and >> clutch moments. Clutch moments. Exactly. And he's done that for Madrid, although he didn't have the best season at Madrid last year into the World Cup. But I just think Jude, man, he's just one of a kind. I think >> it's funny cuz I actually they they are often compared because obviously they both play for massive teams in Spain, but I actually think they would play brilliantly together in a 4-3-3. I look at the way I look at the way Jude plays the game and the box crashing, the ability to to impose himself, get goals, you know, kind of the physical combat, and then Pedri, the way he keeps the game ticking and the passing. I think they'd be brilliant together. So, They complent each other very well. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean to be we could have had Pedringham but I thought that was a bad joke. So >> too unbelievable. There's no wrong. >> Stick for the football analysis. >> That's what I'm here for. You know, obviously >> 24 year old >> 24 I think is probably the most gifted of all the ages that we're going to go through. It's incredible because I've given it to Mich. Uh, one because I love the fact that the French stole it from England obviously, but also how good he's been a Bayern Munich and even before that. But when you think that Morgan Rogers is obviously 24 years old, that cop Palmer is 24 years old. Bradley Barcola is 24. You've got Kaiso that we mentioned earlier, 24. Nun Mendes, Ekit Dou, I think this is the most the most packed age group right now in world football. >> I just think Kiss is a he's a magician. >> Has to be Elisa, doesn't it? >> Has to be. Unbelievable. >> Such a shame he's out midweek. actually looking forward to that. >> Absolutely. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. 25. We're cramming another PSG player in. >> Yeah. But again, >> you're a Bandor winner. >> My Bondor winner. Here you go. Vakasalia. Again, if you think about Enzo, Fernandez, Saka, Saliba, Joe, Pedro, Sobos, Timber. That's an age that is stacked with talent. It's just you you pay your ticket to go to a game to watch Vascal play on that left wing. all the trickery, all the curlers, all the goals, all the activity that he has. I think he's a wonderful talent to the point that I cannot understand as good as been for us at PSG that no English club when he was about to leave Napoli was he was on the market in the summer and then again in January that not a Manchester United, a Chelsea, an Arsenal, a Liverpool, a Spurs, whoever would have spent the 70 million to get him in the Premier League. I really can't get my head around that. >> What a shame as well in >> Yeah, the injury is bad. So we see him next season now but even just for that I think he deserves to be on our board today you know >> get 26 good category this as well isn't it? >> Yeah. Yeah cuz Vitinia is there Venicious Jr. is there obviously Julian Alvarez if you want those kind of guy Phil Foden Chumeni but really there's just no debate the goal machine monster of of a of a finisher really. >> What a World Cup he had as well by the way to go to the World Cup with Norway and just bang the goals in the volume that he did was ridiculous. And I think maybe last year or a couple of scenes ago, the Vinnie debate would have ripped. I feel like Vinnie, >> it's gone off a bit, hasn't it? >> I personally think he should have stayed at Real Madrid. I think he should have left. >> Especially when you look at what Demand is doing now over the last couple of games as well. I know it's a small sample size, but obviously Vinnie being out for Eláico on Sunday as well. If Demand has a game like he's had over the last couple grabs that then >> you don't want to say it's curtains for Vinnie, but the writing might be on the wall. So >> yeah. Wow. >> Yeah. >> 27. >> 27. >> Dean Rice. >> 27. Declan Rice, Alexander Isach or Arafakimi if you want Martin O the guard but really one Paris born and bread boy it could only be could only be Ken Mbappe right all those goals you keep talking to me about hurricane Ken and all the goals he scored >> this is La Liga top goal scorer the world cup goal scorer the champion league top goal scorer of last season >> I know he's not perfect before somebody says it I know he should defend more I know he should play for the team a bit more but in terms of finishing again and the pace that he has >> with the ball and is just fantastic. >> Yeah, for this category got to be killing Mbappe, isn't it? >> It's a bit of a problem though, isn't it? For Real Madrid, that narrative that feels like it's developing like it was the same at PSG in the the Yeah, he's incredible player, but as a team, it's just not functioning yet. >> Yeah. And I think the worst for him was that as soon as he left PSG, they won backto-back Champions League and Real Madrid, who's won the Champions League the year before, >> hasn't won it since with him. And you even if you try to see it in a in a more logical way, you just have to see that yeah it doesn't make that team better. >> How will he be feeling about this because you know you obviously cover French cover European for that that situation that he left and then they've won backto back champions. >> He explains >> as a player that you know well how will he be feeling about that? >> He just explains that it's not just about him and it's not one individual that could make a a whole team of 11 better or worse >> which I'm not even sure that I'm on board. >> Okay. 28 >> 28 maybe not as much talent as you know the more age group that we've just done Bruno Garez for example is one Trent is another one Daniel Moore valve those kind of guys but I went for Gabrielle because I just think that in terms of center back and I know Saliba probably made him look a bit better than what he actually is I still think he's a monster of a one v one defender great ons set pieces so in an age group that maybe the others haven't hit the the pick that they could or should have hit. I think Gabrielle is a deserved winner for that age group. >> It's good to have a center back on the board. >> Yeah, >> ability. It could have easily been Trent, but obviously he's not. >> He's not playing to the level that we know Trent can play to. So that's the problem. >> Stick it down cuz 29 29 is a good category. You've got Rafinia, Usman Dembele, Lewis Diaz. This is a good category. >> And again, we're talking about form now on this season. Okay. Really? And I know Usman Dembele, my boy Balondo still for now for a couple of days. Balo holder. Yeah, but I think what Rafini has done in the nine this seasonal >> is just out of this world. I think he's called 12 in seven before his injury >> in every different kind of goals. We were saying with Matis before the show that he adapts to those positions so well that he's so versatile >> and just for that I think again I would love as a coach to have him in my team every single day. >> Current league top scorer three more than the next highest as well at this stage of the season. It's incredible. He missed two or three games because of the injury the last two games. I didn't when he went from there from Leeds, I genuinely didn't see a captaincy leader type figure. Obviously he was playing right wing under Belsa, hardworking, you know, right winger >> getting a few goals here and there. Then he's gone over to Barcelona, he's played 10, he's played left, he's played up front. >> So adaptable. It's been incredible to see his >> attitude out of possession as well. Like sets the tempo for whole Barca team. >> He's the best presser of the ball. >> Yeah, he is great off the ball, isn't he? All right. Okay. >> Up >> 30. I think there's a good debate here as well. >> Yeah, there is. Uh Fabian Re said very underrated. >> Very underrated. >> I think a wonderful player, one of the smartest player that you could get on the European stage right now. Again, the point of a coach would love to have a Fabian Ree in his team every day. He balances your midfield so well. He compensates every other movements. >> I think he's the most underrated player in the world. Fabian Ruiz. Yeah, I think he's he's he's yeah, he would be in that kind of conversation. >> Who who's had a better year, Fabin Ree or Rodri? >> Rodri's been injured for City as well, hasn't he? So, he's missed game time. Obviously, the World Cup, he was in incredible. >> You'd probably have to say Fab Mice. How could you not, you know, with >> He also had some injuries, too, to be >> Yeah, I didn't I didn't like him in the Champions League final, I have to be honest. The Fab Marice performance there. I thought he pulled out to the left and got in Cavis Skellier's way a little bit too much, but I don't know if that was tactical, but that dampened it a little bit for me. But um yeah, I mean his record for Spain, both of them are >> Yeah. >> And he was a bit in and out. The Spain team >> scored some big goals for PSG as well though. >> Yeah. No, he did. He did to be fair. He did. Uh I still think that again Rodria is best, which we've seen with Barcelona this season to be fair >> in terms of dictating the tempo of a game. There's still not nobody better. >> The best possible sign Barcelona could have made because you think about like their immaturity a little bit in the Champions League over the last couple of years, throwing games away or being a little bit too easy to play against. Unbelievable going forward. But the way that Flick wants to play, leave him a bit exposed. To have someone of his quality, control, and experience in there, it was just a tap in. >> Yeah. Unbelievable. >> He goes >> 31. >> 31. Uh there's no goalkeeper yet on our boards. And to be fair, I think he deserves it. Rya in the last two years has been incredible. Apart from maybe Tibok Cotto, who still pulls out those incredible saves for a leaky Real Madrid defense now and again, I think Rya has been the best goalkeeper in the world. I think it's a age group that maybe doesn't have as much talent. Kimish McMmanon and Adrian Rabio who's a bit underrated as well again I think but Rya outstanding really since he joined Arsenal. >> Is he the best goalkeepe