Few clubs in world football have a better track record with young talent than Monaco. France legends Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Petit, Lilian Thuram and David Trezeguet all came through the academy ranks at Stade Louis II, while in more recent times, Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni and Benoit Badiashile have trodden the same path.
Eliesse Ben Seghir looks set to be the next superstar to come out of the Monaco ranks. Described as “fearless” by the club’s former sporting director Paul Mitchell, the 19-year-old has already emerged as a key figure in the first-team squad.
It has even been reported that Barcelona now hold an interest in Ben Seghir, who just so happens to idolise two of the most gifted players to ever grace the pitch for the La Liga giants. “Neymar is my example. I love his freedom and style of play,” the teenager said in an interview with Onze Mondial. “All young players see themselves in him. And of course, there’s [Lionel] Messi, whose ability to outplay an entire team is unbelievable.”
If he continues on his current trajectory, Ben Seghir may get the chance to emulate his role models at Camp Nou. But what exactly is it that makes the Monaco starlet such an exciting prospect? GOAL is on hand to bring you everything you need to know…