2021 has been a wild and unpredictable year for football. From shock title-winners in Europe’s big leagues to England making it to the final of a major tournament to Newcastle becoming the richest sports team on the planet, the past 12 months have not been short of stories.
As well as collective achievements, there have been many players who have exploded this year to become household names across Europe and some of football’s most prized assets.
Jude Bellingham went from Borussia Dortmund squad player to an England starter, Edouard Mendy went from ‘just being better than Kepa’ to arguably the best goalkeeper in Europe, and Karim Adeyemi in six months has every big club under the sun chasing him.
Indeed, these names are just but a few who have broken through in 2021. But who are the three who have really made the year their own and will likely leave their mark on football for many seasons to come?
Pedri
Pedri might have established himself as a starter for Barcelona at the end of 2020, but it was 2021 where the teenager really established himself as a player to keep an eye on for both club and country.
A star at Euro 2020 for Spain and an outfielder who has played more in a calendar year than most players achieve in the course of three seasons, Pedri was relentless in 2021, with the youngster winning the acclaimed Golden Boy award this month to round off the year.
With Barcelona handing the 19-year-old a contract with a staggering €1bn release clause, the Catalan giants will no doubt build their squad around Pedri, who in the past 12 months has catapulted himself to one of the most exciting talents in the game.
Emile Smith Rowe
Many youngsters established themselves as key players for big clubs, yet none can hold a candle to what Emile Smith achieved for Arsenal in 2021.
The 21-year-old playmaker made his first start of the season on Boxing Day 2020, and since then, the winger has had an astronomical rise with the Gunners.
From establishing himself as a key man under Mikel Arteta to inheriting the famed #10 shirt from Mesut Ozil along with a new long-term contract with the north London side, Smith Rowe has had one hell of a 12 months.
The Hale End academy graduate is currently the Gunners top scorer this season in the Premier League, and with Smith Rowe making his senior England debut as well as bagging his first goal for the Three Lions, the Croydon-born talent is set for a big 2022 after an incredible 2021.
Dusan Vlahovic
One player who will no doubt be on the move in 2022 is Dusan Vlahovic, who has enjoyed a record-breaking year with ACF Fiorentina in Serie A.
The Serbian striker equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s goalscoring record of 33 goals in a calendar year in the Italian top-flight, and clubs are lining up for the 21-year-old.
The imposing attacker is on the radar for some of Europe’s biggest sides, with Juventus and Tottenham often linked with Vlahovic. And if the forward can continue his form this year into 2022, the youngster could command a ridiculous fee.
Indeed, the forward has been the breakout striker of 2021, with only Robert Lewandowski having a better goalscoring record over the past 12 months than Vlahovic.
And with the striker showing no signs of slowing time, the Serbian could reach levels of quality that could make Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe shudder.
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