Football wonderkids: Brighton youngster included in list with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona prospects

Brighton’s Facundo Buoanotte has been included in a list of the top 50 best wonderkids in world football.

The Argentinian midfielder was named alongside some of the world’s best youngsters in this year’s GOAL NXGN Awards.

The fifty unranked nominees included players from across European football’s biggest clubs – such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

This year, instead of selecting a sole award victor, GOAL will chose an elite group that we believe are the very top of the class, known as the NXGN Nine.

Buoanotte joined Albion from Rosario Central in January in a £5.3m move and has so far made four appearances for the Seagulls.

He is joined on the list by fellow teammate Evan Ferguson – who recently scored his sixth and seventh goal of the season to help Brighton into the FA Cup semi final with a 5-0 over Grimsby Town on Sunday, March 19.

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But who else has made this list of the game’s brightest stars of the future?

Here is part one – looking at 25 nominees for the NXGN award.

13. Diego Moreira (Benfica)

Another star of Benfica's UEFA Youth League winning side, the 18-year-old is capable of playing on both flanks and has been compared to Nani in the past. The winger has already been linked with Manchester City and a number of other top European clubs. Photo: Ricardo Moreira

14. Valentin Barco (Boca Juniors)

The left-back is the fourth youngest player to play for Boca Juniors, being discovered by the same scout who first spotted the likes of Carlos Tevez and Juan Roman Riquelme. Manchester City and Juventus have both been linked with one of South America’s brightest young talents. Photo: Daniel Jayo

15. El Chadaille Bitshiabu (PSG)

Bitshiabu broke Kingsley Coman’s record as PSG’s youngest-ever player when he debuted in December 2021, and he played a key role in France winning the U17 European Championship the following year. Photo: GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT

16. Cher Ndour (Benfica)

Being dubbed ‘the next Paul Pogba’, the Benfica midfielder was a key member of Benfica’s UEFA Youth League side and has already broken Joao Felix’s record as the youngest player to debut for the club’s reserve side in the second division. Manchester United and Juventus are both said to be interested. Photo: Gabriele Maltinti