Highest valued U18 footballers in history: While football clubs splurge huge sums for star players, they do not shy away from placing their bets at young talents. In fact, club owners make prudent moves by investing in youngsters for long-term gains.
Many football prodigies have gone on to become stars and proved their worth. In this article. Let us have a look at five under-18 players with the highest value in football history.
Lamine Yamal- £125m
Lamine Yamal started playing with Barcelona at just 15 and since then the wonderkid has taken the football world by storm. The Spaniard has gone on to become one of the Champions League’s youngest scorers, the youngest player and goalscorer at a European Championship, and even provided an assist in the final to help Spain win the Euro Cup 2024. Yamal received a whopping £125m, an amount that some can only dream of.
Kylian Mbappe- £75m
Kylian Mbappe made his Ligue 1 debut at just 16. His breakout season came in 2026 at Monaco after which he became a sensation. The Frenchmen then moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 where he maintained his dominance in the football arena. He played a key role in France’s 2018 World Cup victory. Mbappe is currently with Real Madrid. At £75m, he is the second most valued under-18 player in football history.
Gavi- £75m
Gavi delivered impressive performances with Barcelona and got much hype as an emerging football superstar. His deep potential in the football field landed him £75m, making his one of the most valued teenagers in the history of the sport.
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Gavi has been out of action with an ACL injury he sustained in November 2023. He is steadily making progress and hoping to pick up where he left off.
Ansu Fati- £67m
Ansu Fati bagged £67m but has had underwhelming campaigns so far. The winger was brought to Barcelona to fill the void left by Lionel Messi. However, a slew of injuries derailed his career. A loan spell at Brighton failed to get his career back on track and now it seems unlikely that Fati will be able to find a place in Camp Nou given Yamal is firm at the position.
Also Read: Top 5 Football Stars With The Most Expensive Private Jets In 2024
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Jude Bellingham- £67m
Jude Bellingham made his debut at just 16 with Birmingham City and grabbed eyeballs owing to his exceptional technical ability and tactical awareness. He became the youngest player to represent the club and there had been no looking back for the prodigy.
Bellingham moved to Borussia Dortmund in 2020 and became a dominant force. He has now become a staple in the England senior squad. He is currently enjoying success at Real Madrid and could potentially become England’s first Ballon d’Or winner since Michael Owen.
