The Guardian newspaper published a list of the best football talents around the world for the year 2024, consisting of 60 players, born in 2007, including two Arab players.
The newspaper chose the rising Saudi star Talal Haji, the striker of Al-Ittihad Club and the Saudi national team, who is only 17 years old, among the best 60 talents, stressing that the Al-Ittihad club player has all the necessary capabilities to prove himself in Saudi football.
Haji admired his former coach at Al-Ittihad, the Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo, who decided to give him the opportunity to participate in the Rushen League, two days after his sixteenth birthday. To become the youngest player to participate in the Saudi League throughout its history.
According to the Opta network, which specializes in sports numbers and statistics, Haji is the youngest player to score in the history of the professional league.
The newspaper also included the rising Tunisian talent Qusay Maachi, the right winger of the Tunisian youth national team and the Tunisian club Esperance.
Maasha has a strong build and excels at shooting from a long distance on goal. He was previously honored as the best player in the North African Championship for national teams, and was chosen in the ideal squad when Tunisia won the U-20 African Nations Championship in 2023.
The 17-year-old right winger joined the Esperance Academy several years ago, and progressed through the various age groups until he reached the first team in the summer of 2023, but he has not yet played any official match.
The list included the most prominent talents active in various leagues around the world, including Barcelona winger Lamine Jamal, and his teammates Pau Cobarsi and Mark Bernal, in addition to Willian Estévão, who will move to the ranks of Chelsea FC, and Argentine Franco Mastantuno, the River Plate player.
