5 Football ‘Wonderkids’ That Never Reached Their Potential

Every footballing year, there is a latest hotshot who is claimed to be the next superstar to take over the footballing world. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. We often see young players breaking into their respective first teams, and the media tipping them to be the face of the club for the next five or 10 years. For those who do succeed, it makes for a brilliant and mesmerising story. As for those it does not work out for, it leaves a question of what if?

Footballers get a monumental amount of pressure loaded onto their shoulders at a young age, which often is a contributing factor to football ‘wonderkids’ failing to live up to their expectations. Some fans were certain that these ‘wonderkids’ would make it to the top, with BoyleSports football betting odds reflecting the high expectations. For many, they still find themselves playing professional football, albeit not to the standard they were tipped for, but for some others, an early retirement dampens the footballing world.

Ravel Morrison

Ravel Morrison was considered the most naturally gifted player to come through Manchester United’s academy, and he was compared to Wayne Rooney by none other than Sir Alex Ferguson. Although having all the talent needed to succeed at the pinnacle of football, Ravel struggled off the field. His disciplinary issues were well-represented and have ultimately put a damper on Ravel Morrison’s career. Morrison came through the Manchester United youth academy and played three games for the English giants in the League Cup. After Sir Alex Ferguson let go of the talented attacking midfielder, his career would never reach the heights of a club with a reputation close to that of Manchester United again, with 14 clubs in 12 years after leaving. Ravel Morrison currently plays for Precision FC in Dubai.

Bojan Krkic

If the expectations for Morrison weren’t high enough, how about being labelled the next Messi? The Spanish attacking midfielder was tipped to follow in Messi’s footsteps at Barcelona. With similar playstyles, hairstyles, and rumours of a potential relation, the comparisons were inevitable. Bojan was coming through La Masia while Messi was lighting up the footballing world on the main stage. Bojan Krkic made his debut in 2007, aged just 17, breaking the record for the youngest Barcelona player set by Lionel Messi. During his time at Barcelona, he played over 100 games, scoring more than 20 goals. Despite being impressive in its own right, Bojan did not live up to expectations. After leaving Barcelona in search of regular game time, Bojan had brief spells at Italian giants Roma and AC Milan before surprisingly ending up at Stoke City. Bojan Krkic retired from football at Vissel Kobe at the age of 32.

Alexandre Pato

Pato made his professional debut for Internacional as a 16-year-old and was highly regarded as one of the brightest talents in world football. Pato had gained attraction from some of the biggest clubs in Europe, and it was AC Milan who signed the Brazilian forward aged 17. Pato started his AC Milan career well and quickly became an important player for the Italian giants. He was crowned the 2009 Golden Boy and was a key part of the 2010/11 Scudetto-winning team before encountering recurring injuries that negatively impacted his playing career. In 2013, Alexandre Pato returned to Brazil and joined Corinthians in a transfer deal worth 15 million euro, which was seen as a step down for a player of his age. After leaving Milan, Pato would struggle to find consistency in his game. Alexandre Pato retired from football in 2025, aged 35.

Freddy Adu

Freddy Adu is perhaps the most well-known ‘wonderkid’ story that did not live up to expectations. Aged just 14, he signed for D.C United in the MLS, making him the youngest professional athlete in U.S. sports. Adu made his debut for the USMNT aged 16 and was dubbed the next Pelé by some. The hype around Freddy Adu was huge; however, he did not live up to the expectations in professional football. Adu scored 11 goals in 87 matches for D.C United before becoming a journeyman, playing for 15 different teams around the world.

Hachim Mastour

As a teenager, Hachim Mastour captured the attention of many European giants. He joined AC Milan, aged 14, for half a million euros, and shortly after signed a deal with Nike. Despite spending time in the academy of AC Milan, he never made a professional appearance for the club. He was sent on many loan spells around Europe, which were unsuccessful. Hachim Mastour struggled to translate his skills into professional football and was released by AC Milan. After being released, Hachim Mastour was on a downward spiral and never returned to an elite-level club. Today, Hachim Mastour is 27, playing football in Serie C.