Sports
What Happened to 10 Wonderkids Lionel Messi Tipped for Stardom in 2015
Summary
- In 2015, Lionel Messi picked ten players who he thought would be football’s next biggest stars.
- The majority of the players failed to hit the heights, with James Wilson and Accursio Bentivegna not playing top flight football.
- Jeremie Boga went on to win international honours and Timo Werner won the Champions League.
Lionel Messi may be the greatest player to have ever set foot on a football pitch, but that doesn’t mean he is necessarily the best judge of talent. The Argentinian has done all there is to do in the beautiful game, including winning multiple Champions Leagues, the World Cup and a record eight Ballon d’Ors.
Despite that, though, one thing that the 38-year-old has proven is that he cannot predict the future. In 2015, the forward partnered with Adidas for the launch of the ‘Backed by Messi‘ campaign. As Cristiano Ronaldo also found out with some of his picks for football’s next stars, it is incredibly difficult to guarantee success for anyone in football, no matter how certain it may seem. Messi chose 10 names that he thought would be at the top of the game in years to come, but here is what happened to all of them.
Jeremie Boga
2015 club: Rennes (on loan from Chelsea)
Back in 2015, Jeremie Boga was one of many young Chelsea players who were touted for success. In the same year that the likes of Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount were leading the Blues to the FA Youth Cup, Boga was on loan in France at Rennes. Other temporary spells at Granada and Birmingham City followed, before a permanent move to Serie A side Sassuolo.
After a four-year spell at Neroverdi, he moved to Atalanta and then OGC Nice a year later. At international level, Boga has made 24 appearances for the Ivory Coast, and was part of the squad that dramatically won the African Cup of Nations in 2024. So, while he never followed in the footsteps of Messi or reached the ceiling he was expected to, not all love was lost in Boga’s career.
|
Jeremie Boga – Career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2015-2018 |
Chelsea |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2015-2016 (loan) |
Rennes |
31 |
3 |
0 |
|
2016-2017 (loan) |
Granada |
27 |
2 |
1 |
|
2017-2018 (loan) |
Birmingham |
34 |
2 |
3 |
|
2018-2022 |
Sassuolo |
102 |
18 |
8 |
|
2022 (loan), 2022-2023 |
Atalanta |
47 |
4 |
6 |
|
2023-present |
Nice |
72 |
11 |
9 |
|
2017-present |
Ivory Coast |
24 |
1 |
0 |
Accursio Bentivegna
2015 club: Palermo
In 2015, there was one soon-to-be superstar bursting through the ranks at Palermo. However, Messi opted not to choose future World Cup-winning teammate Paulo Dybala. Instead, he opted for the lesser-known Accursio Bentivegna. This, without doubt, was a mistake on his part.
The Italian winger had little success in Italy’s top flight, playing just seven games in Serie A. He has managed to gain more experience in the country’s lower levels at clubs like Juve Stabia and Carrarese Calcio. In the summer 2024 transfer window, the 29-year-old completed a move to Delfino Pescara 1936, who play in Serie C, before making a sideways move to Casertana. It’s hardly been the rise Messi thought he would have had.
|
Accursio Bentivegna – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2014-2018 |
Palermo |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
2015 (loan) |
Como |
15 |
1 |
0 |
|
2017 (loan) |
Ascoli |
11 |
0 |
3 |
|
2017-2018 (loan), 2018-2020 |
Carrarese |
68 |
7 |
8 |
|
2020-2024 |
Juve Stabia |
79 |
11 |
7 |
|
2021 (loan) |
Imolese |
19 |
3 |
0 |
|
2024 (loan) |
Novara |
18 |
5 |
4 |
|
2024-2025 |
Pescara |
38 |
8 |
1 |
|
2025-present |
Casertana |
14 |
5 |
1 |
Kenedy
2015 club: Chelsea
Kenedy made the move to west London from Fluminense in the summer of 2015, but he would never develop into the player that many, including Messi, thought he would become. During his time at Stamford Bridge, the Brazilian would only make 30 appearances and would spend time out on loan at multiple clubs, including Newcastle and Getafe.
The attacker only departed the club in September 2022, ending his seven-year stay with Chelsea by signing for Real Valladolid on a permanent deal. It did not prove to be the restart that Kenedy might have hoped for though. The Brazilian scored just twice in 44 appearances and, shortly after suffering relegation with the club at the end of the 2024/25 season, he was shipped out on loan to Mexican side Pachuca.
|
Kenedy – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2013-2015 |
Fluminense |
42 |
5 |
5 |
|
2015-2022 |
Chelsea |
30 |
3 |
4 |
|
2016 (loan) |
Watford |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2018-2019 (loan) |
Newcastle United |
41 |
3 |
3 |
|
2019-2020 (loan) |
Getafe |
27 |
3 |
5 |
|
2020-2021 (loan) |
Granada |
44 |
8 |
6 |
|
2021-2022 (loan) |
Flamengo |
17 |
1 |
1 |
|
2022-present |
Valladolid |
44 |
2 |
1 |
|
2025-present (loan) |
Pachuca |
18 |
2 |
1 |
Maxwel Cornet
2015 club: Lyon
A young Maxwel Cornet caught the eye of Messi while at Lyon, with the attacker scoring 51 times while at the French club and creating a further 29 goals too. There was talk of a big Premier League move, but he could only gain a move to Burnley in 2021. The Ivorian was a bright spark that year, but couldn’t prevent relegation.
His efforts at Turf Moor persuaded West Ham to take a chance on him, and he would move to east London for a reported fee of £17.5 million. Cornet would endure a tough first campaign, though, managing just 14 appearances for the Hammers in the Premier League and not scoring any goals at all. He did, however, make five outings in the Europa Conference League as West Ham lifted the trophy. He has still only managed to score one goal for the Hammers and, with players ahead of him in the pecking order, he was loaned out to Southampton. After an unsuccessful spell at the Saints, he joined Genoa on a temporary basis in January.
|
Maxwel Cornet – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2012-2015 |
Metz |
27 |
1 |
0 |
|
2015-2021 |
Lyon |
252 |
51 |
29 |
|
2021-2022 |
Burnley |
28 |
9 |
2 |
|
2022-present |
West Ham United |
37 |
1 |
7 |
|
2024-2025 (loan) |
Southampton |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
2025-present (loan) |
Genoa |
10 |
2 |
1 |
|
2017-present |
Ivory Coast |
31 |
6 |
1 |
Aleksei Miranchuk
2015 club: Lokomotiv Moscow
Aleksei Miranchuk impressed while at Moscow, and in 228 games for the club, managed to score 43 times and created an additional 46 goals, too. After a seven-year spell at the Russian club, he was rewarded with a move to one of Europe’s top five leagues as Italian side Atalanta brought him in.
Ninety-eight games, 13 goals and 19 assists later, the Russian international put in some modest performances and, while not reaching the heights Messi expected, has still had a career to be proud of. The highlight of which was ending Bayer Leverkusen’s record-breaking unbeaten run to win the Europa League in 2024, before then electing to make the move over to MLS club – with a similar sounding name – Atlanta United.
|
Aleksei Miranchuk – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2013-2020 |
Lokomotiv Moscow |
228 |
43 |
46 |
|
2020-2024 |
Atalanta |
98 |
13 |
19 |
|
2022-2023 (loan) |
Torino |
31 |
4 |
6 |
|
2024-present |
Atlanta United |
50 |
11 |
7 |
|
2015-present |
Russia |
50 |
10 |
9 |
Timo Werner
2015 club: VFB Stuttgart
Out of everyone on this list, Timo Werner is perhaps the one who can say he has had the most successful career of the bunch, even if he has faced some stiff criticism throughout his career. The German striker lifted the Champions League after moving to Chelsea in 2020, but returned to the Bundesliga after the Blues sold him in the summer of 2022.
After recapturing the form that brought him to London in the first place, Werner returned to the area, this time in north London, as he signed for Tottenham in a two-year loan deal. The move was not successful, though, and Spurs made the decision not to sign him on a permanent basis.
|
Timo Werner – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2013-2016 |
Stuttgart |
103 |
14 |
11 |
|
2016-2020 2022-present |
RB Leipzig |
214 |
113 |
47 |
|
2020-2022 |
Chelsea |
89 |
23 |
21 |
|
2023-2025 (loan) |
Tottenham |
41 |
3 |
7 |
|
2017-present |
Germany |
57 |
24 |
6 |
Rony Lopes
2015 club: Manchester City
Snapped up by Manchester City from Benfica as a teen, Rony Lopes would only go on to make five outings for the Premier League side. In 2015, he would make a permanent move to Monaco, and would seemingly start to find his feet, scoring 15 league goals for the French side in the 2017/18 season.
He was sold to Sevilla in 2019, with Wissam Ben Yedder going the other way, but a series of loans followed to Nice, Olympiacos and Troyes. He was then let go by the Spanish giants and secured a move back to his homeland with SC Braga for another brief stint. He now plays for Tondela.
|
Rony Lopes – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2013-2015 |
Manchester City |
5 |
1 |
2 |
|
2014-2015 (loan), 2016-2017 (loan) |
Lille |
72 |
12 |
9 |
|
2015-2019 |
Monaco |
82 |
21 |
14 |
|
2019-2023 |
Sevilla |
14 |
0 |
1 |
|
2020-2021 (loan) |
Nice |
33 |
5 |
2 |
|
2021-2022 (loan) |
Olympiacos |
27 |
4 |
4 |
|
2022-2023 (loan) |
Troyes |
32 |
7 |
5 |
|
2023-2024 |
Braga |
32 |
4 |
1 |
|
2024-2025 |
Alanyaspor |
18 |
1 |
1 |
|
2025 (loan) |
Farense |
14 |
1 |
0 |
|
2025-present |
Tondela |
7 |
1 |
2 |
|
2017-2018 |
Portugal |
2 |
0 |
0 |
James Wilson
2015 club: Manchester United
Another promising talent in Manchester when Messi caught wind of him, United fans thought James Wilson was destined for greatness when he emerged at the end of the 2013/14 season and bagged a brace on his debut against Hull.
That and his record at youth level had many people believing that he would emerge as United’s next big academy star, but he fizzled out slowly under Louis van Gaal and trickled down the football pyramid after failed loan spells and his 2019 departure to Scottish side Aberdeen.
He spent time at Salford City and then joined Port Vale in 2021, but the 29-year-old now finds himself without a club after a brief spell at Northampton Town, the former home of strongman Adebayo Akinfenwa.
|
James Wilson – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2014-2019 |
Manchester United |
20 |
4 |
0 |
|
2015-2016 (loan) |
Brighton & Hove Albion |
27 |
5 |
2 |
|
2016 (loan) |
Derby County |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
2018 (loan) |
Sheffield United |
9 |
1 |
0 |
|
2018-2019 (loan), 2019-2020 |
Aberdeen |
48 |
4 |
6 |
|
2020-2021 |
Salford City |
35 |
10 |
2 |
|
2021-2024 |
Port Vale |
105 |
21 |
5 |
|
2024-2025 |
Northampton Town |
12 |
0 |
1 |
Gyasi Zardes
2015 club: LA Galaxy
Long before Messi had made his move to the MLS, he was keeping an eye on some of the most exciting prospects coming out of the United States. Ripping it up as a prolific striker in the youth ranks of football in the country, Gyasi Zardes scored 16 goals as LA Galaxy won the MLS Cup in 2014 and became the first homegrown player to score in the cup’s final that season.
An incredibly bright start to his career burned out in the years following, and interest in Zardes faded away as injuries began to stack up. He moved to Columbus Crew in 2018 and would go on to win the 2018 MLS Comeback Player of the Year award for his rebound. Now 34, he is currently a free agent after stints with Colorado Rapids and Austin FC. The last of his 68 United States caps came back in 2022.
|
Gyasi Zardes – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2013-2017 |
La Galaxy |
154 |
40 |
22 |
|
2018-2022 |
Colombus Crew |
122 |
61 |
9 |
|
2022 |
Colorado Rapids |
26 |
9 |
2 |
|
2023-2024 |
Austin FC |
67 |
10 |
4 |
|
2015-2022 |
United States |
68 |
14 |
9 |
Khiry Shelton
2015 club: New York City FC
Khiry Shelton was selected as the second overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft by New York City FC in 2015 and was described as the ‘top guy’, despite still being so young, by then head coach Jason Kreis. It didn’t work out, though, and he left for Sporting Kansas City in 2017. He earned a chance to impress in European football in 2019 with SC Paderborn in Germany, but the winger couldn’t make it stick.
A year after his move abroad, Shelton was back at Sporting Kansas, where he has remained ever since. He has played 191 times for the club, but has failed to do enough to earn a senior cap for the United States for now.
|
Khiry Shelton – career statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Years |
Club |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2015-2017 |
New York City |
57 |
6 |
7 |
|
2018, 2020-present |
Sporting Kansas City |
191 |
15 |
18 |
|
2018 (loan) |
Swope Park Rangers |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
2019 |
SC Paderborn |
6 |
0 |
0 |
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – accurate as of 21/11/2025
Sports
Tottenham Chiefs Really Want to Sign Adam Wharton
Tottenham are still said to be firmly in the race for one of the most in-demand Premier League players this summer. Spurs have already made a solid start to their summer business, with Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson snapped up, and attention is now firmly on continuing to strengthen with further signings.
Spurs and Roberto De Zerbi are hoping to compete for European football next season, and while there is existing talent in the squad, it’s no easy task to go from back-to-back bottom half finishes to a top seven finish. Heavy recruitment is going to be required, and it looks as though that is what the Tottenham board intend to deliver.
Spurs still in Wharton race
One of the most intriguing Premier League transfer narratives this summer is where Crystal Palace and England midfielder Adam Wharton is going to end up. The midfielder is expected to be on the move for big money having consistently impressed with the Eagles, and we are beginning to get a clearer picture of where he could end up.
According to FlashScore, both Tottenham and Liverpool remain firmly interested in Wharton this summer. In fact, it’s claimed Spurs view Wharton as one of their primary targets this summer. That’s despite ongoing talks over the potential permanent transfer of Joao Palhinha.
The North London club lose Yves Bissouma this summer, so it’s logical they will try to sign another midfielder or two, and there are also links with Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, who would likely be a Wharton alternative. Spurs are said to have been tracking Wharton for at least a year, remaining patient in timing their move.
Liverpool are also said to be keen, though, and they are said to view Wharton and AFC Bournemouth’s Alex Scott as their main targets for the midfield, although it will be one or the other. The Reds seek a midfielder capable of controlling the midfield.
‘Exceptional’ Wharton’s price and attraction
Wharton is likely to cost a huge fee this summer, with £100million floated as a reported Palace asking price. Though Premier League clubs might be confident of reducing that fee to around £80million despite the midfielder having three years remaining on his current deal.
Eberechi Eze joined Arsenal for £67.5million in a club-record sale for Palace, and so £80million would be a fresh record, and Wharton could push for an exit if the right club comes in this summer, which would weaken Palace’s leverage at the negotiations table.
But Wharton is always going to command a giant fee given his Premier League experience and his proven ability to thrive in huge games for club and country, while he is still only 22 years of age. Micah Richards dubbed Wharton ‘exceptional’ last year, and most connected to Palace and the Premier League would agree.
Tottenham Want to Sign ‘Incredible’ Premier League Star in the Summer
Spurs could be looking to add another talented youngster to their squad in 2025.
Sports
New York Knicks Will Visit Donald Trump at White House After NBA Finals Win
The New York Knicks are currently enduring the greatest moment in their modern era after ending a 53-year wait to secure a third NBA Championship.
The team secured the title last Saturday night, taking down the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 on the road to clinch a 4-1 NBA Finals triumph.
Celebrations have been taking place non-stop since the Game 5 victory and fans of the franchise will get to witness the stars of the 2026-winning roster when the championship parade is held on Thursday, the 18th of June.
An American tradition that typically follows for a team winning a championship or a triumphant US national team in international competition is to get an invitation from the President to attend the White House. This often sees the winning players greet the sitting President in person and pose for pictures together.
However, this has become more of a conflicting decision for teams to make in the last decade, since the 45th and 47th President, Donald Trump, has been in office due to many players being against his administration’s policies and stances. Trump’s first stint in office was from 2017-2021 while his second and current one started in 2025.
NBA Champions Haven’t Attended White House Under Donald Trump Presidency
An NBA championship-winning team is yet to visit the White House since Trump’s first election into the Oval Office, with the Golden State Warriors being the first to make their stance clear after NBA Finals victories in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
The Toronto Raptors (2019) and Los Angeles Lakers (2020) also did not visit the White House in the remaining years of Trump’s first stint.
The 2025 NBA champions, Oklahoma City Thunder, did not make the trip to Washington either after being the first champions of Trump’s second spell as President.
Donald Trump Reacts to Heavy Boos He Received During New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs
When he appeared on the big screen, the POTUS was heavily booed by the fans inside Madison Square Garden.
Trump made an appearance at the 2026 NBA Finals, sitting in a suite alongside Knicks owner James Dolan for Game 3 of the series at Madison Square Garden.
The 47th President’s decision to attend the game was widely unpopular among the Knicks faithful, as it meant that fans were not permitted to gather for watch parties around the Knicks’ home venue, and fans with tickets had to go through extra rounds of security checks upon entering the third contest.
The President was booed when shown on the jumbotron at the game and some Knicks fans blamed his appearance at the game as the reason why their team was unable to secure a victory on that occasion, as the Spurs pulled the series back to 2-1 following that contest.
New York Knicks Made White House Decision
However, despite the Knicks fans’ opposition to Trump, it appears that the franchise itself is actually on good terms with the President, as the team is set to visit the White House following their Finals success.
Dolan, a long-time friend of Trump, confirmed the decision during an interview with WFAN New York on Wednesday after being asked whether he was looking forward to a potential celebratory trip to the White House.
The Knicks owner stated: “We did receive an invitation from (the) White House, which we accepted. We still have to figure out the details, but yes, of course, (we’re looking forward to it).
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The President has had his say on the historic victory…
“I invited the President to come down for the game, right? He is a friend. I’ve known him for 30 years, and I’m very proud to bring the team to the White House,” the 71-year-old businessman added.
While Dolan will be pleased to make the White House visit and celebrate his team’s triumph with his close friend, it remains to be seen whether the Knicks players and staff display the same glee when greeting Trump and if they choose to pose for pictures with the current President.
Sports
Arsenal Told Not To Make £100m Move For Dream Transfer Target
Arsenal are just starting to make moves in the summer transfer window as manager Mikel Arteta assesses his options ahead of the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
After winning the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years, the rumour mill was slow to get into gear for the Gunners, but we are just starting to hear a few more noises around players potentially arriving at the Emirates Stadium now.
Christos Tzolis and Manu Kone are the names starting to make headlines in connection with Arsenal, but there is a big-money move that the club may well be working on over the next couple of weeks.
Arsenal are serious about signing Morgan Rogers
GIVEMESPORT understands that the Gunners are “serious contenders” to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa this summer and GMS senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs has said that he would be the dream signing for Arsenal.
Rogers is likely to leave Villa Park this summer, as Villa look to ensure they continue to comply with Financial Fair Play and adhere to the Premier League’s new Squad Cost Rules, coming in for the start of the 2026/27 campaign. There are also UEFA Squad Cost Rules to comply with given they are in the Champions League next season.
A number of clubs will be linked with signing Rogers and with Arsenal in the market for a left-sided forward, he is high on their list of transfer priorities.
Jacobs said: “Offers in excess of £80million will be engaged with. Interested clubs feel around £80million whereas Villa sources I speak to feel like they get in a room at £80million, but maybe £90million and even £100million might be the number because we’re in an inflated market.”
Rogers wants Arsenal move
Arsenal may have the advantage when it comes to signing the 23-year-old, with Gunners insider HandofArsenal saying on social media that Rogers has outlined his preference to sign for Arsenal over the likes of Chelsea this summer.
One former Arsenal star does not think it would be the right move, however.
Speaking in a blog for Betway, Gunners legend David Seaman warned Arteta against spending £100million on the England international.
He said: “As a player, he’s fantastic, but in terms of fitting into the squad, is he in the same mould as [Eberechi] Eze? He is, really. So what do you do with that?
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“It’s Eze’s first season at the club, you’ve got to give him a chance to really settle in, and it looks like he’s settled in already. It always takes a while to get used to team-mates and play at the Arsenal level where you’re contending for big trophies.
“I would feel like we need more of a playmaker, and Rogers is more of a No. 10, an Eze-type player. It’s tough, but that’s why I’m not the manager!”
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