Lionel Messi has chosen 10 of the world’s best young players to wear his new Adidas boots
By Callum Altimas
17 – 21 minutes
Considering his status as the greatest footballer of all time in the eyes of the majority, Lionel Messi’s opinion on the sport and those within it is one that holds a lot of weight. It’s one that’s worth paying close attention to and taking notice of. There are few who have come close to replicating the success that he’s had in the beautiful game and there are even fewer who come close to how masterful he was with the ball at his feet.
One reason he’s been so successful is his excellent mind for the sport. He knows what he’s talking about and with the launch of his brand-new Adidas boots, he’s picked 10 footballers he considers to be the future of the game and has selected them to wear his new boots going forwards. He’d previously tipped the group for big things last year, but has now given them the honour of wearing his boots too.
Messi goal Atlanta
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Lionel Messi’s New Adidas Boots
His new F50 boots were recently unveiled
Messi goal Atlanta
As one of the biggest stars in football history, there’s always an interest in what Messi does and that stretches to the football boots he wears. Young fans are eager to buy replicas, trying to emulate their idol on the pitch and now, his newest shoes with Adidas have been revealed online. The Adidas F50 is the latest design that he will be wearing and is a gorgeous design.
With a mix of green and red, the contrast works effectively and the design stands out and offers something unique. Not just any professional footballer can wear the boots, though. They will only be sported by Messi himself and then the 10 footballers that he personally selected and named as the future stars in the sport. He’s not just given the honour to anyone, but those who he thinks have the brightest futures in football. That’s some high praise from the icon. Let’s take a look at the lucky 10.
Messi’s 10 Future Greats
Lamine Yamal
The least surprising name on this list, Lamine Yamal has followed in Messi’s footsteps at Barcelona. He’s become an instant hit at the club too, bursting onto the scene at just 16 years old and finding immediate success. There are some who think he looks even better at 17 years old than even Messi did when he first emerged in the senior team. With 51 goal contributions in his first 96 appearances for the team, it’s hard to argue too. He’s the best young player in the world for a reason.
Jaedyn Shaw
At just 20 years old, Jaedyn Shaw has already made a pretty big name for herself in football. She’s quickly become one of the USWNT’s best players and has picked up 26 caps for her country while scoring eight goals along the way. With her national team and the San Diego Wave, she has plenty of silverware under her belt so far. Now playing for the North Carolina Courage, the sky is the limit for Shaw.
Vicky Lopez
Like Yamal, Vicky Lopez has burst onto the scene at Barcelona and is considered an incredible prospect for the Catalan giants. She signed with the club when she was just 16 years old and has since flourished into a key figure for the first-team. Since 2022, the forward has already played 46 times for the team and scored 10 goals. Not bad for an 18-year-old. With two Champions League titles already under her belt at the age of 18, and a potential third on the way this season, she’s off to a strong start.
Joel Ndala
Lewis Hall has the distinct honour of being the only English footballer included in Messi’s selection of the future stars in football. The youngster is currently on Newcastle first Eleven. He’s represented the Three Lions at multiple youth levels.
Cavan Sullivan
Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan
Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images
It takes a very special form of talent to be playing senior football at just 14 years of age, but that’s exactly what happened to Cavan Sullivan, so it’s hardly surprising to see Messi rate him so highly. The 15-year-old has played a handful of games for MLS side Philadelphia Union, but has already agreed to a future deal with Man City, so he could be tearing up the Premier League somewhere down the line.
Claudio Echeverri
City’s incredibly bright future continues as Claudio Echeverri is also developing at the Manchester-based club. After bursting onto the scene with River Plate, Pep Guardiola and company quickly bagged his signature and secured him for the future. They loaned him back to his old team first, though, and the 19-year-old has had a solid season.
Kenan Yildiz
Kenan Yildiz
Aside from Yamal, no one on this list has been operating at quite as high a level as Kenan Yildiz. After a decade in the Bayern Munich academy, he moved to Juventus in 2022 and the Serie A club took a chance that’s paid off. The 19-year-old is rated very highly in Turin and has already played 76 times for Juventus, recording 18 goal contributions along the way.
Eliesse Ben Seghir
Eliesse Ben Seghir joined Monaco at youth level in 2020 and he has developed into quite an exciting young attacking midfielder. At just 20 years old, he’s represented the Ligue 1 side on 78 occasions already, scoring 15 goals and creating eight assists for them in the process. It’s a promising start and having played domestically and in the Champions League, his club, and now Messi, have a lot of faith in him.
Assan Ouedraogo
After first bursting onto the scene with Schalke 04, RB Leipzig quickly lured Assan Ouedraogo away and secured his signature for the future. So far, he’s played just five times for his new club, but at 18 years old, there’s still plenty of time for him to develop into a world class player.
Antonio Nusa
Antonio Nusa – RB Leipzig
From one Leipzig prospect to another, Antonio Nusa has had much more significant success in the club’s senior team so far. After emerging as a real talent with Club Brugge, the Bundesliga side snapped up the star and he’s played 32 games in total for them following the move. He’s chalked up 12 goal contributions in that time too.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt and accurate as of 18/04/2025
