Garang Kuol and Steven Hall. Not to mention A-Leagues graduate Josh Rawlins. They are the three Australian youngsters on the list of brightest talents in world football.
CIES Football Observatory – based on it’s Impact Score (IS) method -compiled a 250-player list of the hottest prospects born in 2000 or after in 59 leagues worldwide.
According to CIES, the Impact Score calculates from the average match level in which players participated according to the experience capital method, their amount of official game minutes played over the last 365 days and their pitch performance compared to both team-mates and opponents, as well as with respect to players with the same technical profile as per the role-based approach also freshly developed by the CIES Football Observatory research team.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior (2000, IS of 100), Bukayo Saka of Arsenal (2001, IS 92), RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol (2002, IS 94), Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham (2003, IS 91) and Barcelona’s Gavi (2004 or younger, IS 93) top the rankings per year of birth.
Adelaide goalkeeper Hall (IS 58.2), former Perth Glory youngster Rawlins (56.9) and Central Coast Mariners teenager Kuol (55.9) are among the best prospects for players born 2004 or after.
Hall, who featured in 300 minutes of action across the league and Australia Cup, is the highest-ranked prospect from the A-League Men.
Rawlins – now playing for Dutch outfit FC Utrecht – made 22 ALM appearances for the Glory last season, amassing 1,967 minutes in all competitions.
As for Kuol, the 17-year-old took Australian football by storm in 2021-22.
While there were only 283 total minutes of action, Kuol scored four goals in nine substitute appearances in the ALM while also dazzling against LaLiga powerhouse Barcelona in a friendly.
