NXGN has selected the best English players born on or after January 1, 2004 – but will they go on to fulfill their potential in the coming years?
The NXGN Nine for 2023 has been revealed, with nine elite teenage ballers having been selected as the best in the world among those born in 2004 or later. There were, though, no English players on the list, so where are the wonderkids who could be set for Three Lions honours in the future?
England did, after all, win the Under-19 European Championship in the summer of 2022, while Premier League academies are churning out plenty of homegrown youngsters who have begun making their mark on the top-flight.
Over in Europe, meanwhile, there are increasing numbers of English players making the move and trying to break into teams on the continent after impressing in their youth ranks.
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With all that in mind, check out England's NXGN Nine for 2023…
Getty ImagesJamie Bynoe-Gittens (Borussia Dortmund)
Leaving Manchester City’s academy to join Dortmund certainly worked for former NXGN winner Jadon Sancho, so why shouldn’t it work for another English winger?
Bynoe-Gittens moved to Germany in 2020, and though injuries limited his impact during his first two seasons, the 18-year-old is now a key member of the first-team squad and has already scored a number of key Bundesliga goals.
He was also an important player for England’s U19 European Championship-winning side in the summer of 2022, with his pace and trickery while cutting inside from the left making him a nightmare for opposition defenders.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesAlfie Devine (Tottenham)
Tottenham's youngest-ever player and goalscorer, Devine is closing in on making a proper breakthrough into the first team in north London having been one of the most impressive performers in English youth football over the past few years.
An attacking midfielder who is also capable of playing as a wide forward, Devine joined Tottenham from Wigan Athletic in 2020, and has been included on the bench by Antonio Conte on a number of occasions this season.
A key part of England's U19 European Championship-winning team in 2022, the 18-year-old has also been praised for his leadership qualities, and could become a captaincy option at both club and international level in the future.
Getty ImagesLewis Hall (Chelsea)
Premier League supporters have seen Hall emerge as an energetic left-back over the past few months at Chelsea, but it is actually in central midfield where the 18-year-old is most comfortable.
That versatility is perhaps Hall’s greatest asset, meaning he has been able to play with confidence that belies his years in a variety of roles when given opportunities by both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
There have been some concerns that the Blues’ lavish spending could lead to the pathway from academy to firstteam at Stamford Bridge being blocked, but Hall has shown he is good enough to become a regular contributor over the next few years at least.
GettyRico Lewis (Manchester City)
It takes a special player to earn Pep Guardiola’s trust at the age of 18, but Lewis certainly seems to have done this season having become a regular in the Premier League champions’ starting line-up.
The youngest player to ever score when starting their first Champions League match, the England youth international has shown an aptitude to learn over the past months after adapting his game brilliantly to play as one of Guardiola’s famed full-back/central midfield hybrids.
Talk of a full international call up from England has already begun, and it is now expected that Lewis will be Kyle Walker’s long-term replacement at the Etihad Stadium.