Lionel Messi Names 4 Premier League Stars In His 15 ‘Youth On The Rise’ Players List

FC Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi reportedly has named four Premier League players in his list of 15 young soccer players, who he believes are on course to be the future stars in the sport.

Messi, who began his senior-team career in 2004, has established himself as one of the greatest soccer players to have graced the sport. The Argentinean won a record-breaking six Ballon d'Or in his career while he’s scored a staggering 627 goals in 718 appearances for the Catalans.

The list was a part of Topps’ Champions League cards, which were designed by Messi. The cards included the "Greatest Moments" of his career and his picks for "Top Talents" and "Youth on the Rise", according to the news reports.

Out of the 15 young talented players Messi named, one was Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold. There were no surprises to see his name in the list as the Merseyside defender had outplayed Messi in Barcelona’s forgettable Champions League semi-final against The Reds at Anfield in 2019.

Along with Trent on the list, the other Premier League players are the Chelsea duo Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount and Manchester City’s 19-year-old midfielder Phil Foden.

The 32-year-old legendary forward even wrote one-liners for the 15 young players he named. Here’s the complete list:

1. Trent Alexander-Arnold: "A full-back who is impressive going forward, it is the future."
2. Christian Pulisic: "He has great balance and agility."
3. Mason Mount: "Having watched him play, he has the potential to be one of the best."
4. Phil Foden: "He will do amazing things in the game. He has a huge talent."
5. Jadon Sancho: "His ability to dribble past defenders is impressive."
6. Luka Jovic: "A magical player who makes the impossible possible."
7. Kai Havertz: "His composure in front of goal is so impressive for such a young player."
8. Eder Militao: "A phenomenal talent and fierce competitor."
9. Ousmane Dembele: "His pace is frightening in training."
10. Houssem Aouar: "He is always calm with the ball at his feet with excellent technical quality."
11. Frenkie de Jong: "One of the most accomplished passers I have ever seen for his age."
12. Joao Felix: "One of the most exciting young players in the world right now."
13. Kylian Mbappe: "He is so fast and he can finish. Very dangerous."
14. Joshua Kimmich: "A hugely talented full-back who provides so many assists."
15. Benjamin Pavard: "A classy defender who can strike a ball so well."