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Failed wonderkids: A list of 20 of the most talented kids who failed to live up to the expectations
Kenneth Mwenda
March 19, 2024 at 11:39 AM
In this article:
The term "failed wonderkids" brings up thoughts on unfulfilled potential in football. These players showed great promise when young but did not achieve expected greatness for various reasons. Their journeys remind us sports careers are unpredictable with intense pressure.
Source: Getty Images
Table of Сontents:
Injuries, personal issues, poor choices, and bad luck are among the factors behind the unfulfilled potentials of football's promising talents. To share these players' stories and careers, we used various sources, interviews, expert analysis, stats, and firsthand accounts for a thorough perspective on their paths.
Top 20 failed wonderkids in football
Rank | Player name | Notable teams played for |
20 | Gael Kakuta | Chelsea, Amiens |
19 | Giovani Dos Santos | Barcelona, Tottenham, Ipswich, Galatasaray, Santander |
18 | Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira | Manchester United |
17 | Anthony Le Tallec | Sunderland, Liverpool |
16 | Carlos Fierro | Chivas, San Jose Earthquakes |
15 | Giuseppe Rossi | Manchester United, Villarreal |
14 | Keirrison de Souza Carneiro | Barcelona, Benfica, Fiorentina, Cruzeiro, Coritiba |
13 | Adnan Januzaj | Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland, Real Sociedad |
12 | Alexandre Pato | Internacional, AC Milan |
11 | Federico Macheda | Manchester United, Panathinaikos |
10 | Guti | Real Madrid |
9 | Fran Merida | Barcelona, Arsenal |
8 | Robinho | Santos, Real Madrid, Milan, Manchester City |
7 | Bojan Krkic | Barcelona, Roma, AC Milan, Ajax, Stoke |
6 | Paulo Henrique Ganso | Santos, Sevilla |
5 | Ravel Morrison | Manchester United |
4 | Dele Alli | Tottenham |
3 | Hachim Mastour | AC Milan, Lamia, Regina, Carpi, Renaissance Zemamra |
2 | Mario Götze | Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich |
1 | Freddy Adu | D.C. United |
Here is a close look at tales filled with early brilliance but ultimately unmet potential. The list outlines those whose careers started promisingly yet did not meet many hopes.
20. Gael Kakuta
- Full name: Gaël Romeo Kakuta Mambenga
- Born: 21 June 1991
- Birthplace: Lille, France
- Nationality: French-Congolese
- Position: Winger
- Current club: Amiens SC (France)
Source: Getty Images
Kakuta is one of the failed wonder kids ever to play for Chelsea. He came from the club's academy and shined as a youth star. In 2008, he earned "scholar of the year" from staff, but only played six games in the Premier League. GiveMeSport highlighted Kakuta's career journey that spanned fourteen clubs before joining Amiens.
19. Giovani Dos Santos
- Full name: Giovani dos Santos Ramírez
- Born: 11 May 1989
- Birthplace: Monterrey, Mexico
- Nationality: Mexican
- Positions: Attacking midfielder, winger, striker
- Current club: Retired
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Source: Getty Images
Dos Santos' football path had ups and downs, controversies, and disputes. A versatile attacker, playing midfield, wing, or striker, he showed early brilliance. Dos Santos rose through the ranks in Barca's academy, where he joined at 13, as reported by Goal.
The Mexican shined for Barcelona's youth teams before first-team debut at 18. Despite being a huge prospect, he left in 2008 for regular action. Dos Santos went to Spurs but did not settle, going on loan to Ipswich, Galatasaray, and Santander.
18. Anderson
- Full name: Anderson Luís de Abreu Oliveira
- Born: 13 April 1988
- Birthplace: Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Position: Midfielder
- Current club: Retired
Source: Getty Images
As Marca reported, Anderson Luis de Abreu Oliveira won the 2008 Golden Boy award. He played with Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Ferdinand, Nani and other top stars under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.
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The promising start to Anderson's career did not translate into sustained success, hence being among the top failed wonderkids. He retired at 32.
17. Anthony Le Tallec
- Full name: Anthony Le Tallec
- Born: 3 October 1984
- Birthplace: Hennebont, France
- Nationality: French
- Position: Forward
- Current club: Retired
Source: Getty Images
Le Tallec earned fame as a rising talent. He claimed silver boot honours at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, securing an immediate deal. Roker Report revealed his cousin, Florent Sinama-Pongolle, also won the Under-17 World Cup Golden Boot.
Le Tallec's exceptional youth success garnered him the "next Zidane" label from French media. However, he is one of Liverpool's most notable failed wonderkids today.
16. Carlos Fierro
- Full name: Carlos Eduardo Fierro Guerrero
- Born: 24 July 1994
- Birthplace: Ahome, Mexico
- Nationality: Mexican
- Positions: Winger, striker
- Current club: Leones Negros (Mexico)
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In 2012, experts believed this talented Mexican striker would one day win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award. Unfortunately, his dream of playing in Europe never came true, mainly playing in Liga MX. The only club he played for outside Mexico was America's San Jose Earthquakes in 2018.
15. Giuseppe Rossi
- Full name: Giuseppe Rossi
- Born: 1 February 1987
- Birthplace: Teaneck, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality: Italian
- Position: Forward
- Current club: Retired
Source: Getty Images
Giuseppe Rossi was one of Italy's rising talents. He was part of Manchester United's youth setup, but injuries stopped his progress. Goal reported he played 14 times in all competitions under Sir Alex Ferguson from 2004 to 2007. He left United for Villarreal to get regular playing time.
14. Keirrison de Souza Carneiro
- Full name: Keirrison de Souza Carneiro
- Born: 3 December 1988
- Birthplace: Dourados, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Position: Forward
- Current club: Palm Beach (United States)
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Keirrison emerged as a promising player at Coritiba before briefly joining Palmeiras for a season. Barcelona saw Keirrison as the ideal future strike partner for Messi and acquired him.
However, over the next five years, Keirrison struggled to make an impact at Barcelona, as reported by the Athletic. He endured a series of unsuccessful loan spells to Benfica, Fiorentina, and Cruzeiro and eventually returned to Coritiba after Barcelona terminated his contract.
13. Adnan Januzaj
- Full name: Adnan Januzaj
- Born: 5 February 1995
- Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
- Nationality: Belgian
- Position: Winger
- Current club: Sevilla (Spain)
Source: Getty Images
Adnan Januzaj is a gifted Belgian footballer who joined United's youth team in 2011 after being acquired from Anderlecht. Rising through the ranks, he made his senior debut in the 2013/14 Community Shield. He broke into United's first team during the 2013-14 season under David Moyes' management.
However, with Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho at the helm, Januzaj's playing time diminished. He was loaned to Borussia Dortmund and Sunderland before permanently transferring to Real Sociedad in July 2017. Januzaj experienced a rollercoaster journey at United, from promising beginnings to limited opportunities.
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12. Alexandre Pato
- Full name: Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva
- Born: 2 September 1989
- Birthplace: Pato Branco
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Position: Striker
- Current club: Free agent
Source: Getty Images
Pato's time with Internacional was short but meaningful. AC Milan signed him from the Brazilian club. In Italy, he started strongly but struggled to keep up with the game due to injuries.
11. Federico Macheda
- Full name: Federico Macheda
- Born: 22 August 1991
- Birthplace: Rome, Italy
- Nationality: Italian
- Position: Striker
- Current club: Ankaragücü (Turkey)
Source: Getty Images
Macheda scoreds an outstanding winner for Man United against Aston Villa in his debut in 2009 at 17. Unfortunately, according to the Sun, the former Manchester United star failed to reach his potential. The Italian went on loans from 2011 to 2014 before settling at Panathinaikos in Greece. He is among Manchester United's failed wonderkids.
10. Guti
- Full name: José María Gutiérrez Hernández
- Born: 31 October 1976
- Birthplace: Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Current club: Retired
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Source: Getty Images
The legendary Spanish footballer headlines the top 10 failed wonderkids. Guti represented Real Madrid and showed loyalty to Los Blancos.
Guti rose through the C and B teams, and in 1995, he debuted for the first team. He won many domestic and European titles until 2010, but Guti was mainly a rotation player.
9. Fran Merida
- Full name: Francisco Mérida Pérez
- Born: 4 March 1990
- Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Position: Central midfielder
- Current club: CD Lugo (Spain)
Source: Getty Images
The Spanish playmaker caught attention from his early days at Barcelona's youth academy. In 2005, he emulated Cesc Fabregas by joining Arsenal, as reported by the Sun. Arsene Wenger lauded him as "absolutely amazing." However, Merida failed to meet expectations, becoming one of the failed wonderkids to ever play for Arsenal.
8. Robinho
- Full name: Robson de Souza
- Born: 25 January 1984
- Birthplace: São Vicente, State of São Paulo, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Position: Forward
- Current club: Retired
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Source: Getty Images
Robinho won two La Liga titles and one Serie A title and played over a hundred games for Brazil. Despite his considerable achievements, some might question his presence on such a list. Robinho played for Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Manchester City and returned on loan to Santos in 2010.
According to Foot Champion, he was a fantastic player at Santos and was compared to Pelé. The legendary Brazilian footballer acknowledged Robinho's talent.
"We have to thank God that another Pelé has landed at Santos."
7. Bojan Krkic
- Full name: Bojan Krkić Pérez
- Born: 28 August 1990
- Birthplace: Linyola, Spain
- Nationality: Spanish
- Position: Winger
- Current club: Retired
Source: Getty Images
Krkic had many skills from La Masia, including dribbling, speed and scoring goals. He was the joint-top scorer at the 2006 Under-17 European Championships at 15. Bojan later scored the winning goal for Spain in that tournament's final.
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The Spaniard broke Messi's record as the youngest La Liga scorer for Barcelona by over 8 months. He was also the first 1990s-born player in the Champions League. Despite this early success, Krkic struggled to be a regular Barcelona starter.
He tried his luck in Roma, AC Milan and Ajax before moving to Stoke. Krkic eventually retired at 32 and is one of Barcelona's failed wonderkids.
6. Paulo Henrique Ganso
- Full name: Paulo Henrique Chagas de Lima
- Born: 12 October 1989
- Birthplace: Ananindeua, State of Pará, Brazil
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Current club: Fluminense (Brazil)
Source: Getty Images
Paulo Henrique Ganso was a big talent from Santos who grew up with Neymar, as reported by Bleacher Report. People thought he would be like Zinedine Zidane, even Neymar did. But today, no one mentions him in Brazil sports debates. Ganso did not make it in Europe and only played eight games for Brazil's national team.
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5. Ravel Morrison
- Full name: Ravel Ryan Morrison
- Born: 2 February 1993
- Birthplace: Wythenshawe, United Kingdom
- Nationality: English, Jamaican
- Position: Midfielder
- Current club: Free agent
Source: Getty Images
Rio Ferdinand said that Sir Alex Ferguson called young Ravel Morrison the finest 14-year-old he had witnessed. Scout Phil Brogan discovered Morrison at only 8 years old, according to the Manchester United website.
Morrison drew quick parallels with Man United legends Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes due to his talent. However, he did not have the hard work, restraint, and consistency needed to etch his name in the legends' list.
4. Dele Alli
- Full name: Bamidele Jermaine Alli
- Born: 11 April 1996
- Birthplace: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Nationality: English
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Current club: Everton
Source: Getty Images
Dele Alli emerged as a promising English attacking midfielder after a fantastic 2015/16 season. His first year with Tottenham saw him excel, netting sixteen goals in thirty-nine league matches. He won Young Player of the Year at the Football League Awards.
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After a standout debut, top clubs like Barcelona and Madrid eyed Alli. However, his bright start dimmed, and his career declined, as reported by World in Sport.
3. Hachim Mastour
- Full name: Hachim Mastou
- Born: 15 June 1998
- Birthplace: Reggio Emilia, Italy
- Nationality: Italian-Moroccan
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Current club: Union Touarga (Morocco)
Source: Getty Images
Milan signed Mastour, just 14 years old, from Reggiana in 2012, beating competition from Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City.
Despite becoming Morocco's youngest national team player in 2015, he never appeared for Milan's first team. His Milan contract expired in 2018, and he moved to the Greek Superleague team Lamia. He then returned to Italy, signing a three-year contract with Serie C club Regina, which was later mutually terminated.
According to Sports Bible, Mastour had a loan spell at Carpi during the second half of the 2020/21 season, making ten appearances and scoring his first professional goal. In 2022, he signed with the Moroccan second-division club, Renaissance Zemamra.
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2. Mario Götze
- Full name: Mario Götze
- Born: 3 June 1992
- Birthdate: Memmingen, Germany
- Nationality: German
- Position: Forward
- Current club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Source: Getty Images
Mario Götze was the man who scored Germany's winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final. He played a significant role for Borussia Dortmund, ranking among the best young players in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga.
Due to his brilliant performances, some nicknamed Götze the "German Messi." But his rise slowed after joining Bayern Munich under coach Pep Guardiola. Injuries and illnesses plagued him in Munich.
1. Freddy Adu
- Full name: Fredua Koranteng Adu
- Born: 2 June, 1989
- Birthplace: Tema, Ghana
- Nationality: Ghanaian-American
- Position: Forward
- Current club: Retired
Source: Getty Images
At just 14, Freddy Adu was seen as America's soccer messiah. He was compared to Pele, according to GiveMeSports. Adu broke records by going pro and scoring super young in MLS. But his journey across 15 teams and nine nations (from Brazil to Finland) did not live up to that crazy hype from his childhood days.
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Trivia
Who is the most failed wonderkids of all time?
Freddy Adu ranks as the most failed wunderkind of all time. He was heralded as the next Pelé when he turned professional at 14 and signed with D.C. United in Major League Soccer.
Who is Real Madrid's most failed wonderkid?
Former Spanish footballer Guti represented Real Madrid's spirit and showed loyalty to Los Blancos, but his potential never came to light.
Who is the most failed wonderkid in the Premier League of all time?
Dele Alli is one of the most failed wonderkid in the league. He had a promising career in his early days, netting sixteen goals in thirty-nine league matches, but it didn't go as planned.
Final word
Failed wonderkids helps us know how football is unpredictable and how challenges test young players in many ways. Their stories make us feel empathy. They also show us how resilience, adaptability, and perseverance are key to excellence in sports.
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