The CIES Football Observatory has released its annual ranking of rising stars, highlighting what they call future champions to watch. The list offers an insight into a cohort of talents expected to shape the game in the coming years and reflects broader trends in player development across leagues and regions. This year, the evaluation covers a cohort of players born in 2003 or later, showcasing a diverse mix of nationalities and club affiliations and indicating which clubs and national systems are producing young players with high potential [CIES Football Observatory].
Across the evaluated group, a total of 270 players born in 2003 and younger participated in the assessment. The roster includes several Russian prospects such as Viktor Melekhin and Andrey Langovich of Rostov, Nikita Saltykov from Samara Krylya Sovetov, Arsen Zakharyan of Real Sociedad, Yaroslav Mikhailov with Zenit St. Petersburg, and Sergey Pinyaev from Lokomotiv Moscow. Their inclusion underscores Russia’s continuing output of technical players who can compete at higher levels, despite the broader competitive environment for Russian football at senior levels [CIES Football Observatory].
The list also notes two foreign players plying their trade in the Russian Premier League RPL: Emircan Gürlük, a Turkish forward with Orenburg, and Mario Mitai, an Albanian defender at Lokomotiv Moscow. Their presence signals how the RPL has continued to attract and integrate international youth talent, contributing to a broader mix of playing styles and training philosophies within the league [CIES Football Observatory].
Contextualizing these findings requires recalling how the global football calendar has evolved. In spring 2022, major governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA, suspended Russia’s national team and all Russian clubs from competitions under their auspices. This disruption has influenced talent development pathways, scouting networks, and international exposure for young Russian players, while prompting clubs and federations to adapt their youth development and competitive integration strategies [CIES Football Observatory].
Looking ahead, analysts emphasize the importance of structured youth pathways, quality coaching, and competition level as indicators of future success for these players. Observers also point to the role of transfer markets, loan spells, and national league dynamics in shaping which talents break through to senior professional status and reach top European leagues. The ongoing evolution of player development systems means this list will likely serve as a benchmark for clubs seeking to identify prospective stars and for fans tracking the next generation of football talent across Europe and beyond [CIES Football Observatory].
In related news, a separate annual assessment highlighted the best team of 2023, reflecting assessments of performance, development, and consistency across clubs and national teams. While the exact criteria may vary, the focus remains on how young players contribute to teams and how those contributions translate into long-term potential and success [CIES Football Observatory].