Predicting football's future has always been something of a fool's game. While one can make some very logical assumptions, it's never quite clear what's going to happen next. Who would have guessed Manchester United going over a decade without a Premier League title, let alone Leicester City's miraculous 2015/16 campaign?
And that's especially true when it comes to trying to name future world-beaters. Performances at academy level and the opinions of top managers in the game are all well and good - but they hold very little weight compared to a player's attitude, career choices and good, old-fashioned luck.
Which makes looking back at Goal's famous NXGN series all the more fascinating. Every year, Goal name the best young players in world football. We're taking a look back at the 2018 edition, which included a ranked top five.
Have their nominations stood the test of time, and where are those players now?
Phil Foden
phil foden
What Goal said
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was enamored with Foden, whom he described as "a gift" from the club's academy to the senior squad. The teenager had already had his first taste of Premier League and Champions League football, and also lifted the Golden Ball at the end of England's victorious 2017 U17 World Cup campaign.
Where is he now?
Very much a highly-rated but peripheral figure in 2018, Phil Foden has since established himself as one of the top attacking midfielders of his era. He's won six Premier League titles and the Champions League title with Manchester City, in the process scoring 97 goals in 308 appearances.
Foden's never quite delivered for England and 2024/25 has been a disappointing campaign for him, with City falling well below their usually incredible standards. But he's still a top player and one of the best in the world when in peak form.
Matthijs de Ligt
de ligt
What Goal said
Regarded as the most promising centre-back to emerge in Europe in years, the Ajax ace had already been capped at senior level by Netherlands and was being constantly linked with Barcelona.
Where is he now?
Matthijs de Ligt has already represented the biggest clubs in the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and England and probably hasn't even reached the midway point of his career at 25.
Nonetheless, his stock probably has never been quite as high as back in 2019, when he played an instrumental role in Ajax making it to the Champions League semi-finals.
He was solid enough at Juventus and Bayern without ever proving indispensable, partly due to injury issues. He now plays for Manchester United but hasn't been able to prevent the most disastrous season of the Premier League era for the Red Devils.
Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Jr
What Goal said
The Brazilian sensation had already been signed by Real Madrid for a whopping €45m, but that world-record fee for a 16-year-old was beginning to look like a bargain, with Vinicius developing at a rapid rate after being loaned back to Flamengo until the summer of 2018.
Where is he now?
Still at Real Madrid having established himself as one of the best players in the world. Much controversy was caused when he didn't come first in last season's Ballon d'Or, and even more came when he decided not to attend the ceremony in protest.
The Brazilian's goal tally is never as high as you'd expect for a winger playing in a team as dominant as Real Madrid. But he's an absolute monster when it comes to the Champions League, with 28 and 22 assists from 66 appearances in Europe's elite competition.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
donnarumma
What Goal said
"The 2017 NXGN winner had endured a difficult 12 months off the field because of contractual controversy caused by his agent, Mino Raiola. However, the 'new Gigi Buffon' showed remarkable composure for one so young to retain his status as AC Milan's No.1, despite still being only 19 years of age."
Where is he now?
Donnarumma was Goal's standout pick from the year before and they certainly backed a winning horse. Donnarumma has his critics but is widely considered to be one of the top goalkeepers in the world. 2021 was a defining year for the towering shot-stopper as he won Serie A's Goalkeeper of the Year award with AC Milan and then manned the net at the delayed European Championship when Italy defeated England in the final, making two saves in the penalty shootout.
Donnarumma now plies his trade at PSG where he has won three Ligue 1 titles and twice been named the division's Goalkeeper of the Year.
Patrick Kluivert
Tyler Adams
What Goal said
"Ronald de Boer was among those comparing the Ajax winger with the silky skills and super-sonic speed to Neymar. Hardly surprising, then, that the son of the legendary Patrick Kluivert was being linked with the likes of Manchester United and Barcelona, even though he was still only 18."
Where is he now?
Justin Kluivert has never quite reached the heights of Manchester United or Barcelona, but he's definitely found a home for himself as part of Andoni Iraola's plucky Bournemouth side after something of a journeyman career, which has seen him play all over Europe. In fact, Kluivert is one of just two players to have scored at least one goal in every major European top flight, which is certainly a unique achievement.
At 25, there is still a chance for Kluivert to kick on and become one of the top players in the world as predicted in his younger years. 12 goals for the Cherries this season will be a welcome confidence boost in that respect, but the Dutchman, who has only three caps for his country, is a long way off Ballon d'Or contention.