In 2015, Lionel Messi, widely recognized as one of football’s all-time greats with a trophy haul that includes ten La Liga titles, four Champions League victories, a World Cup, and a Copa America, showcased his talent-spotting abilities.
With a remarkable eight Ballon d’Or awards to his name — three more than his legendary contemporary Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi took part in Adidas’ ‘Backed by Messi’ campaign.
- Jose Mourinho names team he turned down twice
- Man Utd to use Mason Greenwood in player plus cash deal with European giant
- Lionel Messi & Ronaldo name toughest opponents of their careers with surprise player included
During this campaign, the celebrated Barcelona forward selected ten promising young footballers he believed were on the path to global acclaim.
Now, years later, the question arises: What became of these ten budding talents? Have they reached the heights foreseen by Messi?.
Jeremie Boga
Jeremie Boga’s journey to prominence began at Chelsea, where he caught Lionel Messi’s eye.
After several loan stints, Boga bid farewell to Chelsea in 2018 and made a name for himself in Italy with Sassuolo.
His impressive performances led to a loan transfer to Atalanta in January 2022, which subsequently became a permanent deal in July.
Despite a modest tally of two goals and five assists in his debut season with Atalanta, the Ivory Coast international transitioned to Nice in France. This season, the 27-year-old Boga has contributed four goals and two assists in Ligue 1.
Accursio Bentivegn
Accursio Bentivegna, once a promising talent at Palermo with Paulo Dybala, had an auspicious start in professional football. Despite high expectations, his career trajectory didn’t soar as anticipated.
After a loan period, he transferred to Carrarese in 2018 and, at 27, he’s currently playing for Novara FC in Serie C Group A, on loan from Juve Stabia.
Kenedy
Kenedy’s journey from Fluminense to Chelsea in 2015 was marked with potential, yet he didn’t quite evolve into the star Messi foresaw.
With 30 appearances for Chelsea and several loans, including stints at Newcastle and Getafe, he moved to Real Valladolid in 2022.
Following the team’s relegation and a modest record of no goals in 12 appearances, he’s now made 26 appearances in Spain’s second division, scoring twice.
Maxwel Cornet
Maxwel Cornet drew attention at Lyon with impressive stats, leading to a move to Burnley in 2021. Despite a relegation, his performance caught West Ham’s eye, who signed him for £17.5 million.
However, his first season saw limited action with no goals in 14 Premier League appearances, and injuries have further limited him to five appearances this term.
Aleksei Miranchu
Aleksei Miranchuk, recognized by Messi at Lokomotiv Moscow, moved to Atalanta in 2020 after contributing significantly to his former club.
His time at Atalanta has been challenging, but a loan to Torino showcased his potential with four goals and five assists. Now back at Atalanta, he has made 19 league appearances this season.
Timo Werner
Timo Werner, perhaps the most successful of Messi’s picks, lifted the Champions League with Chelsea after a transfer from Stuttgart.
Despite a prolific record at RB Leipzig, his Chelsea tenure saw 23 goals in 89 appearances. Currently on loan at Tottenham from Leipzig, he has scored twice in eight appearances.
Rony Lopes
Rony Lopes, identified while at Manchester City, moved to Monaco in 2015 after limited playtime. A standout 2017/18 season led to a transfer to Sevilla, followed by various loans.
Now at Braga, he has one goal in 15 league appearances this season.
James Wilson
James Wilson, once a Manchester United hopeful with a memorable debut, saw his prospects diminish under Louis van Gaal.
Post-Manchester, he joined Aberdeen and later Salford City. This season, he’s scored three times in 26 League One appearances for Port Vale.
Gyasi Zardes
Gyasi Zardes, an MLS Cup winner with LA Galaxy, faced setbacks due to injuries.
His move to Columbus Crew in 2018 resulted in the MLS Comeback Player of the Year award. Currently at Austin, he’s striving to find his scoring form this season.
Khiry Shelton
Khiry Shelton’s professional trajectory began with high expectations when New York City FC chose him as the second overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.
Despite the promising start, Shelton’s career didn’t ascend as projected. He transitioned from New York to Sporting Kansas City in 2017 and later joined SC Paderborn in Germany.
Now at 30, Shelton has returned to Sporting Kansas City, where he continues his career since 2020.
