In most walks of life, success doesn't come early—or easily. For many, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Take Samuel L. Jackson, who didn’t land a breakout role until age 43 in . Vera Wang didn’t enter the fashion world until she was 40. Colonel Sanders franchised KFC at 62. Bryan Cranston became a household name only after —in his 50s. Even Stan Lee didn’t publish his first major comic book hit until age 39.
Soccer, however, plays by different rules.
In this world, stars are often born, not made—and many break through before they can even vote. Some turn pro at 14 or 15, stepping onto the world stage with a ball at their feet and a whole career ahead of them.
Here, we rank the 10 youngest professional soccer players in history—and take a look at what’s become of them since their astonishing early debuts.
