Lamine Yamal has been named the best teenager in world football as three Chelsea wonderkids featured in the top 10. The Barcelona and Spain prodigy topped the CIES Football Observatory rankings with a remarkable average rating of 97.7, narrowly edging out some of the world’s finest emerging talents.

Lamine Yamal Dubbed Best Teenager in World Football as Chelsea Wonderkids Light Up Star-Studded Top 10

The Rise of Lamine Yamal – World Football’s Brightest Teen

It’s official: Lamine Yamal has been crowned the best teenager in world football. The Barcelona and Spain sensation topped the latest rankings released by the CIES Football Observatory, scoring an eye-watering 97.7 rating — a figure that reflects both his immediate impact and the long-term potential that has football fans, scouts, and coaches salivating.

Still just a teenager, Yamal has already become a household name across Europe. His fearless dribbling, vision, and composure in the final third helped Barcelona clinch not only La Liga, but also the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. For club and country alike, he has looked anything but a raw talent. Instead, Yamal plays with a maturity that belies his age, drawing comparisons with Lionel Messi — though he insists he wants to carve out his own legacy.

What makes Yamal’s recognition particularly impressive is the level of competition. The CIES list of top teenagers is stacked with extraordinary names from clubs like Real Madrid, PSG, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Dortmund. Yet, it’s Yamal who sits comfortably above them all, his consistency and star power pushing him to the summit.

Lamine Yamal Barcelona 2025-26

Chelsea’s Youth Revolution – Three Wonderkids in the Top 10

If Barcelona can celebrate having the world’s best teenager, then Chelsea fans can take pride in dominating the rankings as a collective force. Three Chelsea-linked wonderkids feature in the top 10, showcasing the London club’s aggressive strategy of stockpiling young talent for the future.

Estevão Willian (Palmeiras/Chelsea) – Ranked fourth with a score of 86.7, the Brazilian prodigy has already been dubbed “Messinho” back home. His dazzling footwork, eye for goal, and confidence against older opponents have made him one of the hottest properties in world football. Chelsea secured his signature early, in a deal reminiscent of their swoop for Endrick (who chose Real Madrid). Fans at Stamford Bridge are already salivating at the thought of him in blue.
Jorrel Hato (Ajax/Chelsea target) – Coming in at sixth with a rating of 84.0, Hato has been a revelation in the Eredivisie. A versatile defender, the Dutchman combines elegance on the ball with defensive steel. Chelsea believe he could anchor their backline for the next decade if they manage to hold off rival suitors.
Geovany Quenda (Sporting, joining Chelsea in 2026) – Ranked ninth with 83.8, the young Portuguese midfielder has already shown glimpses of brilliance at Sporting. While Chelsea fans will have to wait until 2026 to see him officially arrive, the excitement is real. Quenda is viewed as a complete modern midfielder — technical, athletic, and tactically sharp.

For a club often accused of lacking long-term vision in the past, Chelsea’s new era of future planning looks impossible to ignore. With three names in the top 10, they arguably have the most exciting teenage pipeline in world football.

Estevao Willian Chelsea 2025-26

The Top 20 – Talent Everywhere You Look

Here’s how the CIES Football Observatory rankings shook out:

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain) – 97.7
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona & Spain) – 93.4
Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG & France) – 87.8
Estevão Willian (Chelsea/Palmeiras) – 86.7
Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid) – 85.4
Jorrel Hato (Chelsea/Ajax) – 84.0
=7. Roger Fernandes (Braga) – 83.9
=7. Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal & England) – 83.9
Geovany Quenda (Sporting, joining Chelsea) – 83.8
Elias Montiel (Pachuca) – 83.2
Givairo Read (Feyenoord) – 83.1
Jesus Rodriguez (Como) – 82.2
Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg) – 82.1
Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund) – 82.0
Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) – 81.9
Andrija Maksimovic (RB Leipzig & Serbia) – 80.8
=17. Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham & Sweden) – 80.7
=17. Rayan Vitor (Vasco da Gama) – 80.7
=17. Rodrigo Mora (Porto) – 80.7
Pedro Henrique (Zenit) – 80.2

Barcelona’s Double Joy – Yamal and Cubarsi Lead the Pack

Barcelona have not just one but two teenagers in the top two spots. Alongside Yamal sits Pau Cubarsi, the young central defender who has emerged as one of the brightest defensive talents in Europe.

With a score of 93.4, Cubarsi’s rapid rise is a dream for Barca, who have long relied on their La Masia academy for superstars. Calm under pressure, composed on the ball, and aggressive in the tackle, he’s already a trusted figure under Hansi Flick. For Spain, too, he looks like a cornerstone for the next decade.

Together, Yamal and Cubarsi represent a golden duo that Barcelona hopes can define their next era of success.

PSG’s Warren Zaire-Emery – A Midfield General in the Making

At number three, Warren Zaire-Emery is hardly an unknown name. The French teenager has already captained PSG on occasion, a staggering achievement at his age. With a rating of 87.8, he is widely considered the heartbeat of both PSG’s midfield and France’s future.

His crowning moment came in PSG’s Champions League triumph over Inter Milan, where he was instrumental in their 5-0 demolition. Strong, intelligent, and creative, Zaire-Emery is arguably the closest thing to a “finished product” on this list.

England’s Young Lions – Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, and Bellingham

The Premier League is never far from conversations about young talent, and the CIES rankings reinforce that. Arsenal are especially well represented, with Myles Lewis-Skelly sitting joint-seventh, Ethan Nwaneri at fifteenth, and Jobe Bellingham — now making waves at Dortmund — coming in fourteenth.

Lewis-Skelly’s rise has been meteoric. Not only did he establish himself at Arsenal, but he also became the youngest-ever England player to score on his debut, breaking Marcus Rashford’s record. Nwaneri, meanwhile, is being carefully managed by Mikel Arteta but continues to show flashes of brilliance whenever given minutes.

Jobe Bellingham, following in the footsteps of older brother Jude, is quietly building his own career in Germany, proving he’s more than just a famous surname.

Did You Know?

Yamal became the youngest player ever to score in El Clásico last season.
Cubarsi broke into Barcelona’s first team after just 12 months in the academy.
Zaire-Emery is the youngest captain in PSG history.
Estevão Willian once scored a hat-trick against Brazil’s U20 side at just 16.
Myles Lewis-Skelly turned down offers from multiple European giants to stay at Arsenal.

The Bigger Picture – A Golden Generation Across Europe

Arsenal v Villarreal – Pre-Season Friendly

This ranking is more than just a list. It’s a snapshot of football’s future. From Barcelona’s two-headed monster of Yamal and Cubarsi, to Chelsea’s conveyor belt of wonderkids, to PSG’s Zaire-Emery, the next wave of superstars is already here.

For fans, it means excitement. For clubs, it means pressure — to nurture, protect, and give opportunities. And for the players, it means expectation at an almost unbearable level.

But if these rankings are any indication, they’re ready for it.

Final Word – Yamal Leads the Way, Chelsea Build for the Future

Lamine Yamal’s crowning as the best teenager in world football feels inevitable. He is already performing like a seasoned star, and his ceiling remains frighteningly high. Yet perhaps the bigger story is Chelsea’s quiet dominance of the list, with three top-10 wonderkids pointing towards a potential new dynasty in West London.

As always, not every name on this list will fulfill their promise — football is too unpredictable for that. But for now, one thing is clear: the future of the game belongs to this new generation. And leading them all, with a smile and a swagger, is Lamine Yamal.