With the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo firmly entrenched in their twilight years, it won't be long before that entire generation of world-class stars have hung their boots up for good. For almost 20 years, they've been the faces of football, and it's hard to imagine the sport without them tearing teams apart. With that said, the future of the game is certainly in safe hands.

The next crop of talent looks absolutely fantastic and there are more than a handful of young prospects who will inevitably dominate football for years to come. Specifically looking at players who are 23 and younger at the time of writing, we've identified the very best youngsters in the world right now. Bursting with promise, the names on this list are as good as it gets right now and unless something goes seriously wrong, you should expect to see them at the very top for years to come.

15 Enzo Fernandez - Chelsea

In a Chelsea team that continues to look unconvincing, Enzo Fernandez has been a bright spark for the club since his arrival in January. The midfielder has looked fantastic going forward and has been influential in linking up play between the team's forwards and its midfield.

Signed for a British transfer record at the time, it seems inevitable that he will go on to be a major player in the Premier League in the future and if Chelsea can figure things out and start playing like the talent they possess suggests they should, he could reach scary levels of good.

14 Josko Gvardiol - Manchester City

Considering they had the joint-best defence in the Premier League last season, it seemed unthinkable that Manchester City could even improve their back line and yet, that's exactly what they've done by signing Josko Gvardiol.

The 21-year-old emerged as a defensive menace at RB Leipzig and is a striker's nightmare on the pitch. Whether it's on the left-hand side or in the centre of defence, his combination of speed and strength makes him a problem for anyone. Given time, his presence in Pep Guardiola's side should only become more significant and there's a strong chance he'll be the best defender in the world somewhere down the line.

13 Gabriel Martinelli - Arsenal

After initially struggling with injuries, Gabriel Martinelli has now emerged as a serious talent at Arsenal and looks like he's on the verge of becoming a world-class star. Cutting in on the left-hand side, he's been pivotal for the Gunners under Mikel Arteta and was key to the club's title challenge last season.

The sky is the limit for the Brazilian who just keeps getting better and while all the plaudits have been aimed at Bukayo Saka (more on him later) so far, Martinelli is almost as important and as talented as his English teammate.

12 Aurelien Tchouameni - Real Madrid

After taking France by storm while playing with Monaco, it seemed everyone and their aunt wanted a piece of Aurelien Tchouameni, but it was Real Madrid who landed his signature in 2022. At 23 years old, the midfielder has slotted into Los Blancos' midfield seamlessly, and it's as though he's been playing for the side for years.

A natural ball-winner, Tchouameni has continuously shown he's just as effective driving forward through the heart of the pitch and is more than capable of finding the necessary spaces between an opposition defence and Madrid have reaped the benefits. A regular for the club and for his native France now, things will only get better for this impressive talent.

11 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - Napoli

Last season, seemingly out of nowhere, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia emerged as a serious talent in Serie A after his move to Napoli. Initially playing fine, but hardly uprooting any trees at Rubin Kazan, his brief spell at Dinamo Batumi convinced Luciano Spalletti to bring him to Italy and it's been a major success.

With his blistering speed, insane ability with the ball at his feet and his tendency to beat just about anyone in a one-on-one situation, the 22-year-old's stock has skyrocketed recently, and it seems inevitable that his career trajectory will lead him to one of the biggest clubs in the world sooner rather than later.

10 Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen

It's a testament to just how talented Florian Wirtz is that it seems as though he's been around forever, despite the fact he's just 20 years old. A mainstay in the Bayer Leverkusen side since the age of 17, the German international has caught the eye of just about everyone in the footballing world over the years and seems destined to reach the top of the sport in no time at all.

A serious injury last season threatened to hinder his development, but he's bounced back in emphatic fashion and whether it's on the left or his more natural central attacking midfielder role, his relentless work rate and offensive flair will only lead to a bright future.

9 Eduardo Camavinga - Real Madrid

Similarly to Wirtz, it seems as though Eduardo Camavinga has been tearing teams apart for years and that's largely down to the fact he's been a top talent in men's football from the age of just 16. Making his debut in 2019, the now-20-year-old has been electric for first Stade Rennes and now Real Madrid. At his best playing just in front of a defensive backline, he has thrived at the Bernabeu and it's hard to imagine a future where he isn't one of the best midfielders in the world.

8 Gavi - Barcelona

As Barcelona were hit with some serious financial difficulties, it seemed the club were heading for some dark times. Fortunately, out of nowhere, an incredible young talent emerged from their youth ranks and immediately made an impact in the side. Gavi is the first of two sensational young players to have burst onto the scene for the Catalan giants recently, and he has already stamped a claim as one of the best young midfielders in the world.

Whether it's disrupting the opposition attacks or progressive passing into the final third, the 19-year-old can seemingly do it all in the middle of the park. As Spain's youngest-ever goalscorer, his future is destined for greatness.

7 Pedri - Barcelona

While he didn't come through Barcelona's academy quite like Gavi, Pedri seemed to burst onto the scene and take the side by storm in a similar fashion. Signed from Las Palmas for just over £4m in 2020, he instantly became one of the club's most important players and has held onto that distinction ever since.

Playing in the centre of midfield, the 20-year-old has just gotten better with every passing year and his goalscoring numbers continue to rise each season. Alongside Gavi, the two seem destined to become one of the greatest midfield pairings in the world.

6 Jamal Musiala - Bayern Munich

Known for his incredible dribbling ability, there are few attackers in the world capable of causing defenders problems to the degree that Jamal Musiala can. In the Bayern Munich side, the 20-year-old has been breathtaking to watch over the last few years and shows no sign of slowing down. If anything, he seems to improve every single time he steps onto a football pitch.

His positioning on the field is second to none and whether it's on either wing or in an attacking midfield role, he is unstoppable and will undoubtedly become one of the best attackers in the world, if he isn't already at that level.

5 Phil Foden - Manchester City

Playing the patient game and waiting for his opportunity at Manchester City, Phil Foden has emerged as one of the bright attackers in the Premier League and one of the most gifted Englishmen in a generation. It's a true testament to how impressive he is that he manages to stand out among one of the deepest squads in all of football.

Foden is one of the most decorated players in the game, and at 23 years old, he's won just about everything there is to win at club level. His career at City has seen his game time limited due to the sheer number of forwards the club has at its disposal, and it's scary to think just how much better he could be and how much higher he could have ranked on this list if the shackles were taken off, and he was allowed to go all out as some of the other names we've discussed have.

4 Bukayo Saka - Arsenal

No one makes dancing past defenders look as easy and as effortless as Saka does. The Arsenal winger has made a living of being a defender's worst nightmare as he regularly tortures them with his dazzling runs and his electric speed. At just 22 years old, the Englishman is already closing in on playing 200 games for the Gunners and if he continues to perform in the manner in which he has already, it's not beyond the realm of possibility to imagine he'll go on to become one of the best ever players.

Arsenal's title challenge last year simply doesn't happen without Saka and the club look as good now as they have in almost two decades and he's been influential in that remarkable resurgence.

3 Vinicius Jr - Real Madrid

While his career at Real Madrid got off to a slow start, it's safe to say Vinicius Jr has more than found his feet in Spain now and is coming off two incredible seasons at the Bernabeu. The Brazilian is one of the most exciting forwards in football and has made it a habit of tormenting defenders.

Known for his incredible speed, his dribbling ability, but also his exceptional playmaking prowess, he can impact a match in a variety of different ways and as such, is one of the best young players in the world. He'd be the best young player at Madrid too, if it wasn't for the arrival of a certain midfielder this summer.

2 Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid

While he was already one of the most impressive young players in the world, Jude Bellingham's move to Real Madrid has already seen his game rise to a whole new level. The star has gotten off to a blistering start in Spain and has already made a case for being the best player in Los Blancos' team.

It seems inevitable that Bellingham will eventually be the very best midfielder in the world, and it doesn't seem like it's going to take him long to get there. The former Borussia Dortmund man is the most promising talent England have had, maybe ever and if anyone's going to lead the country to glory, it feels inevitable that it will be the 20-year-old. In any other era, there's no denying that Bellingham would be the best young player in the world, he's just unfortunate that we're currently baring witness to one of the most explosive goalscorers in history.

1 Erling Haaland - Manchester City

We've simply never seen a goalscorer quite like Erling Haaland. The City striker has already demolished several records in the Premier League despite only arriving in England last summer.

He scores goals at a rate we've never really seen before and if he continues to perform like he has throughout his entire career so far, he'll continue to break records. Haaland isn't just the best young player in the world right now, he's the best striker on Earth, period.