Soccer veteran claims this wonderkid surpassed Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe as a teen sensation

The race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or has the football world buzzing, with Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal among the brightest contenders. Yamal, at just 18, is aiming to become the youngest-ever Golden Ball winner, potentially breaking the record set in 1997 when Brazil’s Ronaldo lifted the award at 21. Mbappe, already a World Cup champion and global superstar, remains one of the favourites to secure football’s most prestigious individual honour.

However, former England and Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard has entered the debate with a surprising claim — neither Yamal nor Mbappe were the greatest teenage sensation he’s ever seen. Instead, he believes that title belongs to his former teammate, Michael Owen.

Gerrard hails Michael Owen’s teenage brilliance

Owen’s rise to stardom in the late 1990s was meteoric. Bursting onto the Premier League scene with blistering pace and clinical finishing, he became England’s youngest goalscorer at a World Cup and one of the most feared strikers in the world before his 20th birthday. By the time he turned 20, Owen had scored 40 goals in 79 games — a record that still stands out in modern football.

Speaking to ESPN, Gerrard didn’t hesitate when asked to compare the current wonderkids to Owen.

“Well, the other two are chasing the Ballon d'Or and one's got one. So I think you'd have to respect the fact that Michael Owen has been voted the best player in the world,” Gerrard said.

“I played with him. He was an incredible teenager. So I'd have to say Michael Owen [as the best]. But what I would say is: Mbappe and Lamine Yamal, wow, they're two incredible players.”

The legacy vs. the present

Owen’s Ballon d’Or triumph in 1999, at just 22, was the result of consistent excellence during his teenage years and early 20s. For many, including Gerrard, his impact at such a young age remains unmatched.

While Kylian Mbappe has already won the FIFA World Cup and Lamine Yamal is rewriting La Liga’s history books, Gerrard’s point highlights how dominant Owen was during an era without the modern media hype that surrounds young players today.

With the Ballon d’Or announcement looming, football fans are left wondering if Lamine Yamal or Kylian Mbappe can match — or surpass — Owen’s legacy as a teenage prodigy. But in Gerrard’s eyes, the debate is already settled.