What happened to the 25 players Bleacher Report tipped to be the 'next Lionel Messi' back in 2010

An article from Bleacher Report in 2010 named 25 youngsters who had the potential to "be like their protege" Lionel Messi as they emerged as potential stars of the future – so how did they get on, 15 years later?

Messi, of course, has gone on to become one of the all-time greats and at the time, he was described as someone who was "changing the face of modern football" with his "dribbles, perfect passes and ball control".

The report adds: "The timid Argentine has mesmerised the world and will continue to do so in the future, but what makes him all the more lovable is his humble attitude."

So, which players had the potential to be like Messi in 2010?

Pablo Piatti

After making an instant impact at La Liga side Almeria, former Estudiantes winger Pablo Piatti was tipped to follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi after helping Argentina win the under-20 World Cup in 2007.

He left Almeria in 2011 and would go on to make over 100 appearances for Valencia before enjoying spells at Espanyol, Toronto FC and Elche. He retired at the end of 2024 after spending two years at boyhood club Estudiantes.

Erik Lamela

Lamela has played for River Plate, AS Roma, Tottenham and Sevilla. He is currently at Greek Super League side AEK Athens.

Nicolas Lodeiro

Lodeiro has played for Nacional, Ajax, Botafogo, Corinthians, Boca Juniors, Seattle Sounders and Orlando. He most recently featured for Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo.

Jose Baxter

At the age of 16 years and 191 days, Baxter became the youngest first-team player in Everton history after being brought on in their Premier League clash against Blackburn Rovers. He was soon named in the club's starting line-up to face West Brom, becoming the youngest Everton player to start a game.

Unfortunately, he would make just 15 appearances across a four-year spell at Goodison Park before moving to League One side Oldham. He would later join Sheffield United but was suspended from football after failing a drugs test in 2015.

In January 2017, he was handed a lifeline by Everton, who offered him a 12-month contract, but he failed to make a first-team appearance in that time and returned to Oldham in 2018. Spells at Plymouth and Memphis 901 followed before Baxter retired in 2021, aged 29.

Baxter was tipped to make it big after his spell at Everton. Image credit: Getty

Javier Pastore

Javier Pastore has played for Talleres, Huracan, Palermo, Paris Saint-Germain, Roma, Elche and Qatar SC. He is currently a free agent.

Marko Marin

Marin's previous clubs include Borussia Monchengladbach, Werder Bremen, Chelsea, Sevilla, Fiorentina, Anderlecht, Trabzonspor, Olympiacos, Red Star Belgrade, and Al-Ahli. He retired at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Pedro

Pedro began his career at Barcelona before moving to Chelsea. He has since enjoyed spells at Roma and Lazio; his current club.

Sotiris Ninis

He was once described as "the future of Greek football" by Djibril Cisse after an online publication suggested he would be Paul Scholes' successor at Manchester United.

Ninis was introduced to the football world in January 2007, when he made his much-anticipated debut for Greek Super League side Panathinaikos at the age of just 16. A few months later, he would become Panathinaikos’ youngest ever captain at the age of 18 years and 125 days.

Ninis would end up staying at Panathinaikos for two more years before getting his big break in 2012, when he agreed a much-anticipated transfer to Serie A side Parma. In fact, president Tommaso Ghirardi called Ninis “one of the best young players in Europe” as he came in to replace Sebastian Giovinco.

It was the start of a slow decline for Ninis. After a forgettable campaign with Greece at Euro 2024, he made just 14 appearances for Parma in his debut campaign. Spells at Belgian Pro League clubs Charleroi and Mechelen followed, followed by time at at Maccabi Petah Tikva, Hapoel Ashkelon, Volos, PAS Giannina and most recently A.E. Kifisia. He is currently a free agent at 35.

Ninis was once described as "the future of Greek football".

Bryan Ruiz: Costa Rican Messi

Ruiz played for Gent and FC Twente before joining Premier League side Fulham in 2011. He would later spend time at PSV, Sporting CP and Santos before joining boyhood side Alajuelense. He retired in 2022.

Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho spent five years at Inter Milan before joining Liverpool in 2013. He later signed for Barcelona in a £142 million deal and spent four years at the Catalan side, although that period featured loan spells at Bayern Munich and Aston Villa.

He recently signed for Brazilian side Vasco da Gama from Villa.

Frank Acheampong

At the time, Acheampong was a 17-year-old Ghanaian prodigy that was being labelled the next Messi. Manchester City were apparently tracking the youngster as he continued to impress for Ghanaian side Berekum Chelsea.

He would later get his big move to Belgian side Anderlecht and would make over 150 appearances for the club before Chinese Super League outfit Tianjin TEDA. He currently plays for Henan FC in China.

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Ioannis Fetfatzidis

Fetfatzidis was labelled the "Greek Messi" in 2010 as he continued to impress for Olympiacos. He was praised by Bleacher Report for his superb ball control and "excellent eye for goal" but ultimately, the winger struggled to live up to expectations.

He spent two years at Italian side Genoa between 2013 and 2015, before spells at Al‑Ahli, Aris Thessaloniki, Al‑Khor, Al‑Sailiya, SPAL and APOEL. He most recently played for Greek Super League side Aris Thessaloniki.

Alexis Sanchez

Sanchez has played for Cobreloa, Udinese, Colo-Colo, River Plate, Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Inter Milan and Marseille. He currently plays for Udinese.

Alexis Sanchez failed to find his previous form while playing for Manchester United. Image: Getty

Reimond Manco

Manco has played for many clubs in his 17-year career, including Alianza Lima, PSV, Willem II, Juan Aurich, Atlante, Leon de Huánuco, Al-Wakrah, Universidad Tecnica de Cajamarca (UTC), Union Comercio, Sport Boys, Real Garcilaso (Cusco FC), Binacional, Sport Huancayo, Atlético Grau and Santos de Nasca. He last played for Union Comercio.

Nicolas Gaitan

Gaitan's former clubs include Boca Juniors, Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Dalian Yifang, Chicago Fire, Lille, Braga, Penarol and Pacos de Ferreira. He last played for Argentine side Sarmiento and is currently a free agent.

James Rodriguez: The Colombian Messi

Rodríguez has played for Envigado, Banfield, Porto, Monaco, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Everton, Al-Rayyan, Sao Paulo and Rayo Vallecano. He currently plays for Liga MX side Leon.

Matias Defederico: Argentina's Newest Messi

Defederico has featured for multiple clubs in his career, including Huracan, Corinthians, Independiente, Newell’s Old Boys, Al Dhafra, Universidad Catolica, Eskisehirspor, San Marcos de Arica, Mumbai City, Universidad de Concepcion, Agropecuario, Apollon Smyrnis, and Mushuc Runa. He currently plays for Agropecuario.

Sebastian Giovinco

At the time, Giovinco was seen by many as the most promising youngster in Italian football. In fact, he was touted the "Italian Messi" by some corners of the media; all while drawing comparisons with Alessandro Del Piero. No pressure, right?

The forward made over 100 appearances for Juventus between 2006 and 2015, a nine-year period which also featured two loan moves to Empoli and Parma.

Giovinco went on to play for Toronto and Al Hilal before a short-spell at Sampdoria; a spell that included just two appearances. He hung up his boots in 2022 and is currently a Special Advisor and Club Ambassador at former club Toronto.

Bojan Krkic

Bojan enjoyed a 17-year career that featured spells at Roma, AC Milan, Ajax, MLS side Montreal Impact and Vissel Kobe. He retired in 2023.

Bojan was tipped to become the next Messi. Image credit: Getty

Kerlon Moura Souza: Brazilian Wonderkid

Kerlon became famous for using the 'Seal Dribble' throughout his time as a young player at Cruzeiro. After scoring eight goals in seven games for Brazil U17s, he quickly became a focus for many of Europe's top scouts, and he signed for Inter Milan in 2008.

However, Kerlon never played for them due to knee injuries, which ultimately prevented him from becoming a world star.

He ended his career as a football journeyman, playing in Japan, the United States, Malta, Brazil and Slovakia, where he retired at the age of 29 in 2017 after a staggering six anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries.

Jean Carlos Chera

Chera has played for Santos, Genoa, Flamengo, Atletico Paranaense, Cruzeiro, Oeste, CS Universitatea Craiova, Paniliakos, Portuguesa Santista and Sinop. He is currently a free agent at 30.

Diego Buonanotte

Buonanotte's former clubs include River Plate, Malaga, Granada, Pachuca, Quilmes, AEK Athens, Universidad Catolica, Sporting Cristal, Union La Calera and O'Higgins. He currently plays for Chilean outfit Deportes Temuco.

Eduardo Salvio

Salvio has played for Lanus, Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Boca Juniors and Pumas UNAM. He currently plays for Argentine club Club Atletico Lanus.

Neymar

Not much has to be said on this one. Back in 2010, Neymar was one of the most talked about players in world football after impressing for Santos.

"Every club has made their intentions to sign this prodigious talent," the report from BR said. Likened more to Pele and Robinho he his inclusion in the list has been merely based on the amount of talent he has similar to Messi."

He would go on to enjoy a trophy-laden spell at Barcelona before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, a transfer that remains the most expensive in football history at €222 million. He currently plays for boyhood side Santos following an injury-ravaged time in Saudi Arabia with Al Hilal.