An interesting new report has named a Newcastle United star as one of the ‘Top 100 teenagers in world football.’
In actual fact, Newcastle United’s Lewis Miley is in the top 10, not just the top 100.
As with all these type of things, it is very subjective.
With the report using their own formula to decide the placings of all these teenagers in world football.
The formula they have used: ‘The level of experience is calculated on the basis of last year’s official game minutes, weighted by the sporting level of matches played.’
This is how the top end of the report’s top 100 looks, with Lewis Miley in 10th spot:
Lewis Miley did an extraordinary job last season at the age of 17.
Circumstances often dictate how early a promising player gets his chance and the Geordie teenager certainly ended up with more than enough of them (chances!).
The ridiculous number of missing players meant Eddie Howe had no alternative but to ask Lewis Miley to step up and play week after week, usually every midweek as well, for months on end.
In arguably the most difficult and demanding position of all in central midfield, Miley was superb.
Out injured at the minute, he has a massive future ahead of him.
What made his performances even more impressive, is that at 6ft 2, Lewis Miley clearly has to still grow into his frame, in the years to come when he fills out and develops physically, the potential of what he can achieve is enormous.
CIES Football Observatory report – 11 September 2024:
‘The 471st CIES Football Observatory Weekly Post presents the top 100 of players worldwide who did not yet turn 20 in terms of their relative experience level*. Lamine Yamal tops the list with 2.75 times more experience than the average measured for players of the same age and position. The Spaniard outranks his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí (x2.42) and Real Madrid’s Endrick Felipe (x2.41).
Paris St-Germain’s Warren Zaïre-Emery is fourth, ahead of Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo. The three youngest players in the top 100 are KRC Genk’s Belgian Konstantinos Karetsas (16.8 years; 71st), LOSC Lille’s Frenchman Ayyoub Bouaddi (16.9 years; 54th) and River Plate’s Argentinian Franco Mastantuono (17.1 years; 22nd).
Outside the European big-5, the top three are Ecuador’s Kendry Páez (Independiente del Valle, on loan from Chelsea), Brazil’s Estêvão Willian (Palmeiras, also on loan from Chelsea) and Turkey’s Yasin Özcan (Kasimpaşa). In total, 38 leagues are represented in the top 100, with a maximum of 13 players for the English Premier League, followed by 10 for the French Ligue 1.
* The level of experience is calculated on the basis of last year’s official game minutes, weighted by the sporting level of matches played.’
