What happened to the 15 players that Lionel Messi tipped for greatness in 2020?
Lionel Messi put his neck on the line in 2020, when he named 15 young players who were "on the rise". So, what happened next? Did they push on and make the grade?
As part of an Adidas marketing campaign, Messi recently selected a handful of promising players to spotlight as potential stars of the future.
Arsenal's Max Dowman featured in the top 10 alongside Zavier Gozo from Crystal Palace, AZ Alkmaar's Kees Smit, Como's Jesus Rodríguez and highly-rated Mexico international Gilberto Silva.
READ MORE: Lionel Messi picks 10 future stars as 'next chapter' is announced
Lionel Messi tipped 15 young players for greatness in 2020. What happened next?
Messi has celebrated the next generation for years. Back in 2020, he partnered with trading card company Topps to speak about 15 young players who were, in his words, "on the rise".
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To kick things off, he named Trent Alexander-Arnold as his top pick, describing the then-Liverpool defender as a full-back who is "impressive" going forward, a trait he described as "the future".
Alexander-Arnold went on to establish himself as one of the best full-backs in the Premier League before completing a transfer to Real Madrid in the summer of 2025.
So who else did Lionel Messi pick? Here are his selections.
Christian Pulisic: "He has great balance and agility."
After joining Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund for £58 million in 2019, many tipped Pulisic to flourish at Stamford Bridge, including Messi, who praised his attacking qualities.
The winger went on to score 26 goals in 146 appearances for Chelsea before joining AC Milan in 2023. In total, he has made more than 100 Serie A appearances for the Italian side.
Mason Mount - "Having watched him play he has the potential to be one of the best."
Messi tipped then-Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount to become "one of the best" after making such a positive impact at his boyhood club. He wasn't the only one.
Mount scored 58 goals in 279 appearances for the Blues before joining Manchester United in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth £55 million. It hasn't exactly gone to plan for the midfielder following a series of injuries.
Jadon Sancho - "His ability to dribble past defenders is impressive."
Another future Manchester United player. Sancho was in the form of his life at Borussia Dortmund when Messi praised the winger for his "impressive" dribbling ability.
He went on to complete a move to Old Trafford in 2021 for £73 million, but that was the start of an alarming downfall. He is currently a free agent after United decided against triggering the one-year option on his contract.
Luka Jovic - "A magical player who makes the impossible, possible."
You must be special if Lionel Messi, one of the all-time greats, is describing you as a "magical" player. To be fair, Jovic was one of Europe's most sought-after young stars when he joined Real Madrid from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019 for £52.4 million.
However, the Serbian striker struggled to hit the ground running and, after scoring just three La Liga goals, he joined Fiorentina in 2022. Jovic currently plays for Greek Super League side AEK Athens.
Kai Havertz - "His composure in front of goal is so impressive for such a young player."
Havertz was ripping up the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen when Messi commented on his composure in front of goal.
He soon joined Chelsea in a deal worth £62 million and made 139 appearances for the Blues before joining Arsenal, where he helped the Gunners win a Premier League title last season. One of Messi's best calls, this one.
Eder Militao - "A phenomenal talent and fierce competitor."
To receive such a compliment from Barcelona's greatest player speaks volumes.
Militao has since established himself as one of the world's best defenders at Real Madrid, lifting numerous titles, including two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles.
Ousmane Dembele - "His pace is frightening in training."
Messi was certainly complimentary about Dembele's pace and power, but after joining Barcelona in a record-breaking £135 million deal, the Frenchman failed to deliver on a regular basis.
After a disappointing six-year spell with the Catalan giants, Dembele joined Paris Saint-Germain, a move that helped him flourish into one of the world's best players. His Ballon d'Or win in 2025 sums it up, really.
Phil Foden - "He will do amazing things in the game. He has huge talent."
There is no doubting Foden's talent. Has he gone on to do "amazing things" in the game, like Messi said? I'll let you be the judge on that one.
Since making a breakthrough, Foden has lifted six Premier League titles, five League Cups, three FA Cups and a Champions League with Manchester City.
Houssem Aouar - "He is always calm with the ball at his feet with an excellent technical quality."
At the time of Messi's comments, Aouar was one of Europe's most talked-about young talents.
He was a key player at Lyon and many top clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United, were being linked with a potential move. He never got his big move, and eventually joined Italian side Roma in 2023.
Like the rest, the attacking midfielder has time on his hands but improvement is needed to reach Messi's expectations. The 28-year-old currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad.
Frenkie de Jong - "One of the most accomplished passers I have ever seen for his age."
Another huge compliment. De Jong was tipped to flourish at Barcelona when he joined the club from Ajax in 2019 for £65 million - and he did exactly that. He continues to run the show in Barca's midfield.
Joao Felix - "One of the most exciting young players in the world right now."
A year before Messi's prediction, the hype around Felix was at its peak after he became Atletico Madrid's club-record signing following an eye-watering £112.9 million move from Benfica.
Felix went on to score 34 goals in 131 games under Diego Simeone before joining Barcelona in 2023 following a loan spell at Chelsea.
The Portuguese playmaker continues to show glimpses of brilliance, but performing on a consistent basis remains a struggle. Like the previously mentioned Aouar, he plays his club football in the Saudi Pro League but with Al Nassr.
Kylian Mbappe - "He is so fast and he can finish. Very dangerous."
Not much needs to be said on this one. Messi got it right, as did the rest of us.
Joshua Kimmich - "A hugely talented full-back who provides so many assists."
Hansi Flick described Kimmich as an "absolute professional" and a "mentality monster" after coaching the defender-turned-midfielder during his spell at Bayern Munich.
Kimmich was hardly a young player on the rise when Messi praised the German international. Still, he has lived up to expectations and more in these last few years after showcasing his versatility.
Benjamin Pavard - "A classy defender who can strike a ball so well."
I'm sure Pavard's strike against Argentina at the 2018 World Cup played a part in Messi's prediction. The full-back netted the goal of the tournament that year, and would later join Bayern Munich from Stuttgart.
Pavard recently made his 50th Serie A appearance for Inter Milan. He spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Marseille.
Topics: Lionel Messi, FC Barcelona, PSG, Premier League, La Liga
Jack Kenmare