Hannibal.

United pair among world's top teenagers

Tuesday 22 March 2022 12:00

Manchester United’s Hannibal and Shola Shoretire have been ranked among the top 50 best teenage talents in world football.

The Reds pair appear in Goal’s NXGN list for 2022, which celebrates the best players born on or after 1 January 2003 and is compiled by hundreds of journalists operating across 37 countries.

Hannibal is ranked at no.22 after a promising 12 months for the 19-year-old. He made his senior debut for United in the 2-1 victory at Wolves on the final day of the 2020/21 campaign before being capped by Tunisia for the first time that summer.

Hannibal was involved for the Eagles of Carthage at the Arab Cup and Africa Cup of Nations and is, once again, in the squad for the key two-legged World Cup qualifier against Mali, after recently training with Ralf Rangnick’s first team at Carrington.

Shola poses with his prize.

Shoretire is a year younger than Hannibal, having turned 18 last month, but the Newcastle-born forward has already made four senior appearances for United.

Shola became the Reds’ youngest-ever player in European competition when he came on to face Real Sociedad in the Europa League last year and he was also crowned the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year, following in the footsteps of the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Marcus Rashford.

The teenager, who has played for England’s Under-19s side, appears at no.44 in Goal’s list.

Borussia Dortmund midfield prodigy Jude Bellingham is this year’s winner, becoming the second player from the German side to claim the prize, after our very own Jadon Sancho, who won it for his performances in the Bundesliga three years ago.

NXGN was first established in 2016 to celebrate the next generation of young talent breaking into the game by finding the superstars of tomorrow and helping fans know them on and off the pitch.

Previous men’s winners include Youri Tielemans, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ansu Fati, while a women’s list was introduced in 2020.

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