For soccer trading cards and sticker collectors, finding a young player before their big breakout can be one of the most exciting parts of the hobby! Every season brings a new generation of young players who are starting to make a name for themselves, and getting their cards and stickers early can be a great way to follow their journey as their careers start taking off. From teenage wonderkids making history in the Premier League to future stars already attracting interest from Europe’s biggest clubs, keep reading for seven young players who could be worth investing in before their names become even bigger!
Manchester United is famous for producing academy stars, and JJ Gabriel could be the next big name to come through! At just 15 years old, Gabriel has already trained with Manchester United’s first team on numerous occasions and was included in the club’s 2026 pre-season squad, giving fans an early look at the next generation of soccer talent. Gabriel previously spent time in the youth academies at Chelsea, Arsenal, and West Ham before joining Manchester United. He’s the son of former Ireland international and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Joe O'Cearuill, and was nicknamed “Kid Messi” when a video of him showing off his skills went viral at just nine years old. Since then, he’s continued to showcase his impressive skills at youth level, including scoring twice on his Manchester United U18 debut when he was 14. At this stage, JJ Gabriel is still very much a prospect, but that’s exactly what makes him an interesting name for collectors to watch out for!
Legendary goal scorers aren’t easy to find, but Benfica could have something special on their hands when it comes to Anisio Cabral! The Portuguese forward made an amazing first impression after being introduced to senior soccer, scoring twice in his first few appearances and earning a notable comparison from manager José Mourinho, who sees similarities between him and Didier Drogba. Cabral's scoring ability had already caught attention before his senior breakthrough. He was part of Portugal's successful Under-17 World Cup campaign in 2025, scoring seven goals during the tournament against Switzerland and scoring in the final. His performances have also attracted interest from clubs including Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, while Benfica have moved to protect their investment by raising his release clause to €80 million ($94 million). For collectors, Anisio Cabral is especially worth investing in because he plays for one of Europe's best clubs and has already shown that he can score at senior level!
Andrija Maksimović is arguably the most confident young player we’ve seen so far! The Serbian attacking midfielder attracted lots of attention during his time at Red Star Belgrade and even made headlines when he claimed that he was a “better player than Lamine Yamal”. Whether that claim is true remains to be seen, but there’s no question that he’s an extremely talented player in his own right. He was often compared to Lionel Messi during his childhood and broke several age-related records at Red Star before making the move to RB Leipzig in 2025, including becoming the youngest player to score in the Eternal Derby against Partizan. At 19, he still has plenty of time to establish himself at one of Germany's biggest clubs, and his attacking style and creative ability make him a player worth investing in for collectors!
It’s not every day you have Europe's top clubs lining up to sign you while playing in the second tier of German soccer, but that’s exactly what makes Kennet Eichhorn so remarkable! As the youngest player to ever appear in 2. Bundesliga, Eichhorn has already made a name for himself despite being just 16 years old. He’s the youngest goalscorer in Hertha Berlin's history after scoring during his breakthrough season against Greuther Fürth. He also broke Jude Bellingham's record as the youngest player to score in the DFB-Pokal. Eichhorn's calm demeanor and passing ability have led to comparisons with the legendary Toni Kroos. His performances also attracted interest from several of Europe's biggest clubs, but his future is now officially at Bayer Leverkusen. For collectors, Kennet Eichhorn is the kind of player you would want to start collecting immediately to get ahead of his big breakout which is sure to come very soon!
Next up on our list of top young soccer players is Ethan Nwaneri! He’s already accomplished something most young players can only dream of as someone who became a Premier League regular before turning 18. Coming from Arsenal youth academy, Nwaneri scored eight Premier League goals before his 18th birthday, putting him behind only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen in the competition's history. Nwaneri made his Premier League debut at just 15 years old in 2022, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in the competition. He then went on to prove himself as a valuable part of Arsenal's first-team squad. But he hit a bit of a speed bump last season after being sent on loan to Marseille. Despite everything not going exactly as planned, Nwaneri is still one of the most highly regarded young talents right now. He’s already proven himself at senior level, but his career is still waiting for that big breakthrough!
Another young player who shows so much promise is one who has already made history at just 16 years old, Max Dowman! He’s widely regarded as the most talented player to have emerged in England for a generation with his performance on March 14th, 2026. Dowman made history against Everton, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history after scoring a goal to win a 2-0 victory for Arsenal. That moment was just the most recent in a long list of accomplishments for Dowman. He’s also become Arsenal's youngest starter and the youngest player to score in the UEFA Youth League when he was only 14, while his amazing rise through the Arsenal academy has led to comparisons with the legendary Bukayo Saka and Lionel Messi. His ability to play with the confidence of a much older player is a huge part of what has made him such an exciting player to follow. Mikel Arteta was quoted saying “It’s just not normal” following Dowman's breakthrough after the Everton match. After making history in his first season of senior football, Dowman is already one of the most exciting young names in the game and potentially one of the most interesting players for collectors to get in on early!
Pau Cubarsí has gone from promising Barcelona academy graduate to one of the most exciting young defenders in the world of soccer! His breakthrough was already impressive enough to earn a place among Spain's senior players as a teenager, but his performances since then have taken his reputation to another level. His performance against Paris Saint-Germain in the 2024 Champions League quarterfinals was one of the moments that put him on everyone's radar, as he showed he could take on some of the world's best players despite being just 17 years old. His recent performance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup only sealed his status as one of the most exciting new players. Spain went on to win the tournament, with Cubarsí playing all eight matches and earning the FIFA Best Young Player award. He was unmatched in the final, helping Spain secure a 1-0 victory over Argentina while completing 96% of his passes! For collectors, Cubarsí could be the most promising name on this list because he has already reached a level that many young players take years to achieve. From being compared with Barcelona legend Gerard Piqué, to a World Cup title at just 19, Cubarsí's legendary career is just beginning!
When it comes to investing in young soccer players, the key is doing it before the rest of the world catches up! None of these players are guaranteed to become the next Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but each one has already shown their potential to have a major impact on the game. Check out our wide selection of soccer trading cards and stickers at SoccerCards.ca and start collecting your favourite young stars now!
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