CIES is an educational entity based in Switzerland that constantly publishes various studies and reports about the football world, applying big data and statistics. Recently, this source published a series of rankings ranking some of the most exciting under-21 talents to follow in the upcoming years, and, of course, many Brazilian gems made the cut.
Endrick, Vitor Roque, and Marcos Leonardo stand out in the list of most promising forwards aged 21 or younger. In these kinds of lists, the CIES Football Observatory orders these footballers with an index based on minutes played and the quality of those minutes (important matches, contributions in those games), comparing them with the data of other players of the same age and position.
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The higher the number, the greater their projection and, consequently, their possible level in the elite of football. Endrick Felipe, who will join Real Madrid from Palmeiras in July, appears at the top of the ranking with an x2.29 score.
Vitor Roque, who left Athletico Paranaense for Barcelona in winter, is second on the list. Tigrinho boasts an index of x2.17 in this list, ranking above Brighton sensation Evan Ferguson. The top 10 is completed by the current winner of the Samba Gold Sub-20, Marcos Leonardo. The Santos product who now shines for Benfica stands out with an index of x1.79.
The top 10
- Endrick Felipe (Palmeiras – BRA): x2.29
- Vitor Roque (FC Barcelona – ESP): x2.17
- Evan Ferguson (Brighton – ENG): x2.16
- Damián Pizarro (Colo-Colo – CHI): x2.09
- Jerónimo Domina (CA Unión – ARG): x2.07
- Milos Lukovic (FK IMT – SRB): x1.92
- George Ilenikhena (Royal Antwerp – BEL): x1.88
- Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig – GER): x1.86
- Santiago Castro (Bologna – ITA): x1.80
- Marcos Leonardo (Benfica – POR): x1.79
