Nine many years back, Cristiano Ronaldo was a Actual Madrid superstar, just about midway through an illustrious job in La Liga next his six-calendar year stint at Manchester United.
It was then that the now Al-Nassr forward pipped these 5 kids for greatness in the footballing world.
In the eyes of Ronaldo, it was Eden Hazard, Neymar and Paul Pogba who were being between the 5 young stars to take the footballing world by storm.
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard and Dutch forward Memphis Depay completed his list.
With all five in crimson-sizzling type in 2015 for their respective golf equipment, listed here MailSport appears to be like at what transpired to the 5 youngsters tipped for good results.
Cristiano Ronaldo tipped five younger stars for footballing greatness in 2015
Ronaldo tipped Neymar Jr as one of the kids to arrive at footballing greatness
Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard also built the listing from his brief spell at Serious Madrid
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Eden Hazard
When Ronaldo tipped the Belgian star for greatness, Hazard was just 3 a long time into his seven-calendar year spell at Stamford Bridge, for the duration of which he turned 1 of the Leading League’s best at any time players.
On the other hand, his blockbuster move to True Madrid was not the Hollywood transfer he was seeking for. Owning long gone from a hero in Blue to a nightmare in white, Hazard’s time at Los Blancos was stuffed with accidents.
Tasked with filling the void remaining by Ronaldo’s departure a year before, as nicely as battling among Gareth Bale’s physical fitness problems and a younger Vinicius Jr, Hazard struggled with fat challenges in Madrid. Experiences instructed that Chelsea had to ban a burger van from offering quickly foods to their talismanic winger.
Hazard at some point declared his early retirement from soccer at the age of 32 in October 2023, but will be generating his substantially-predicted return to Stamford Bridge for Soccer Help 2024.
Paul Pogba
The World Cup successful-midfielder was in the midst of a effective occupation at Serie A aspect Juventus when Ronaldo pipped him for footballing greatness.
Following his file-breaking go to Previous Trafford in 2016, just two several years later on he won the World Cup with France with an enigmatic midfield display screen in the ultimate. At just 25, it felt as if he was a veteran with the very best of his profession lying in advance of him.
His return to Juventus in 2022 marked the begin of a demise in Pogba’s at the time really-adorned occupation. Pogba returned to the Italian best-flight to try out and get his vocation back again on track after his initially year again was wrecked by a succession of injuries.
Having said that, September 2023 saw him suspended just after a prescription drugs test in Italy, but items went from undesirable to worse when he was banned for four a long time for doping in February.
Hazard was one particular of the Premier League’s greatest gamers in the course of his seven-calendar year spell at Chelsea
Hazard struggled with pounds troubles during his time at Authentic Madrid, right before retiring last yr
Eden Hazard will return to Stamford Bridge on June 9 as part of Soccer Aid on the Globe XI
Pogba’s crowning minute arrived in 2018 when he gained the Environment Cup with France in Russia
The previous Juventus and Manchester United star has been banned for 4 many years for doping right after tests constructive for DHEA in August
Neymar Jr
As the nation’s all-time main goalscorer, the Brazilian forward loved a four calendar year stint at Barcelona ahead of shifting to be part of PSG’s star-studded attacking entrance, enjoying together with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
Even with selecting up five French league titles, the Samba star’s time in the French cash was overshadowed by his accidents, and most notably not aiding PSG acquire a Champions League.
Lacking more than 100 matches for PSG and racking up an damage tally of all around 20, while the Brazilian star remained one particular of best gamers in the club’s historical past, his move to Al-Hilal did not provide about any adjust in luck.
With a described transfer free of charge of £78million on a £130m-for every-period contract and earning 6 times as the volume at PSG, Neymar ruptured his ACL just two months into his go to the Middle East.
Neymar impressed the world on a quantity of the biggest phases in football at Barcelona and PSG
The Brazilian moved to Al-Hilal for a file transfer price of £78million
Successful a La Liga title in the 2022-23 time, Depay then moved to Atletico Madrid
Depay recently became his country’s 2nd leading-scorer driving Robin Van Persie with a tally of 43 aims
Memphis Depay
In 2015, it was Depay’s 22 ambitions which saw PSV Eindhoven crack Ajax’s four-12 months stranglehold on the Eredivisie title which gained him a spot on Ronaldo’s coveted record.
His go to Manchester United in the summer months of that yr by no means materialised into the achievements of previous PSV stars Jaap Stam, Park Ji-sung and Ruud van Nistelrooy – who each and every won a Premier League title throughout their time at Outdated Trafford.
Lyon and Barcelona ended up the future to snap up the Dutch forward, with the previous giving a lot more results for Depay. Winning a La Liga title in the 2022-23 year, Depay then transferred to his existing club, Atletico Madrid.
Depay not too long ago became his country’s 2nd top rated-scorer guiding Robin Van Persie with a tally of 43 plans.
Martin Odegaard signed for Authentic Madrid at just 16 several years of age but went on to make just 11 appearances
Norwegian Odegaard grew to become Genuine Madrid’s youngest at any time debutant at just 16 years and 157 times.
Martin Odegaard
Signed by Authentic Madrid in a deal worthy of £3m in 2015, the Norwegian became Real’s youngest at any time debutant at just 16 yrs and 157 days.
Unquestionably, Ronaldo noticed the expertise of his Serious teammate in their shorter tenure with each other, earning him a place as a single the five tipped for success.
Irrespective of just a brief stint at Los Blancos, participating in just 11 instances for True in concerning four financial loan spells, the Norway star averted risk right after signing for Arsenal in 2021. The Arsenal skipper’s route to the best demonstrates an similarly vital example to existing children tipped for achievements.
Odegaard turned his profession spherical just after heading to North London and is now one of the Premier League’s finest midfielders, spearheading a group of young and thrilling Gunners below Mikel Arteta.