Best Young Athletes Under 25

Victor Wembanyama

A 7'4" unicorn who moves like a guard and blocks shots like a skyscraper, Wembanyama turned his hyped arrival into an immediate NBA Rookie of the Year campaign. San Antonio built its entire future around him within one season, and scouts already whisper about him rewriting positi

Sport: BasketballAge: 21 yrsSignature Achievement: 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year, drafted #1 in 2023Major Titles/Awards: 1Impact Rating: 9.5/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsVictor Wembanyama

Lamine Yamal

Still a teenager, Yamal became Barcelona's youngest ever goalscorer before lighting up Euro 2024 with a wonder-strike against France at just 16. His combination of composure and flair has drawn Messi comparisons that, remarkably, don't feel absurd.

Sport: SoccerAge: 17 yrsSignature Achievement: Youngest Euro 2024 goalscorer, Spain championMajor Titles/Awards: 1Impact Rating: 9/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsLamine Yamal

Jude Bellingham

Bellingham left Birmingham City as a teenager and within a few years was scoring the winner in a Madrid derby and driving Real Madrid to a Champions League and La Liga double in his debut season. His arrival at the Bernabéu felt less like a transfer and more like a coronation.

Sport: SoccerAge: 21 yrsSignature Achievement: Champions League & La Liga winner in debut Real Madrid seasonMajor Titles/Awards: 3Impact Rating: 9.3/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsJude Bellingham

Erling Haaland

Haaland's scoring rate borders on absurd — he reached 100 Premier League goals faster than anyone in history and led Manchester City's historic treble in 2023. Every defense knows what's coming and still can't stop it.

Sport: SoccerAge: 24 yrsSignature Achievement: Treble winner, fastest player to 100 Premier League goalsMajor Titles/Awards: 5Impact Rating: 9.2/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsErling Haaland

Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz became the youngest world No.1 in men's tennis history at 19, then backed it up with Wimbledon and French Open titles that showcased a game with no weaknesses. His epic 2023 Wimbledon final against Djokovic is already tennis folklore.

Sport: TennisAge: 21 yrsSignature Achievement: Youngest men's world No.1 ever, 4 Grand Slam titlesMajor Titles/Awards: 4Impact Rating: 9.4/10

added by IJRin 2 rankings

Armand Duplantis

Duplantis doesn't just win pole vault competitions, he keeps breaking his own world record one centimeter at a time, a spectacle he's repeated over a dozen times. His Paris 2024 Olympic gold, cleared in front of a roaring home-continent crowd, cemented him as track and field's mo

Sport: Athletics (Pole Vault)Age: 24 yrsSignature Achievement: Multiple pole vault world records, 2024 Olympic goldMajor Titles/Awards: 4Impact Rating: 9.6/10

added by IJRArmand Duplantis

Léon Marchand

Marchand turned Paris 2024 into his personal coronation, winning four individual golds in the pool while a home crowd chanted his name nightly. Coached by Bob Bowman, the same man who guided Michael Phelps, the comparisons write themselves.

Sport: SwimmingAge: 22 yrsSignature Achievement: 4 individual golds at Paris 2024, 400m IM world recordMajor Titles/Awards: 4Impact Rating: 9.3/10

added by IJRLéon Marchand

Coco Gauff

Gauff burst onto the scene at 15 by upsetting Venus Williams at Wimbledon, then matured into a Grand Slam champion, beating Aryna Sabalenka to win the 2023 US Open on home soil. She's the first American teenager to win a major since Serena Williams.

Sport: TennisAge: 20 yrsSignature Achievement: 2023 US Open championMajor Titles/Awards: 1Impact Rating: 8.8/10

added by IJRCoco Gauff

Caitlin Clark

Clark shattered the NCAA all-time scoring record — men's or women's — and single-handedly turned women's college basketball into must-watch TV, filling arenas wherever she played. Her rookie WNBA season with the Fever proved the hype was real.

Sport: BasketballAge: 22 yrsSignature Achievement: NCAA all-time leading scorer, 2024 WNBA Rookie of the YearMajor Titles/Awards: 1Impact Rating: 8.7/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsCaitlin Clark

Iga Swiatek

Swiatek has made Roland Garros her personal fiefdom, winning the French Open four times while spending over a hundred weeks as world No.1. Her relentless topspin game has made her the most dominant force in women's tennis this decade.

Sport: TennisAge: 23 yrsSignature Achievement: 5 Grand Slam titles, 100+ weeks at world No.1Major Titles/Awards: 5Impact Rating: 9.1/10

added by IJR

Anthony Edwards

Edwards evolved from a highlight-reel dunker into a legitimate two-way superstar, dragging the Minnesota Timberwolves to the 2024 Western Conference Finals with jaw-dropping performances. His fearless, trash-talking swagger has made him the NBA's most electrifying young closer.

Sport: BasketballAge: 22 yrsSignature Achievement: Led Timberwolves to 2024 Western Conference FinalsMajor Titles/Awards: 0Impact Rating: 8.5/10

added by IJRin 2 rankings

Vinicius Jr

Once mocked by rival fans for missed chances, Vinicius answered by scoring the winning goal in the 2022 Champions League final and becoming Real Madrid's most feared attacker. He finished runner-up for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, a testament to how far he's come.

Sport: SoccerAge: 24 yrsSignature Achievement: Champions League final winning goal, 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-upMajor Titles/Awards: 4Impact Rating: 9/10

added by IJR

Sha'Carri Richardson

After a heartbreaking suspension cost her a shot at the 2021 Olympics, Richardson roared back to claim the 100m world title at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Her fluorescent hair and blistering starts have made her track's most magnetic personality.

Sport: Athletics (Sprint)Age: 24 yrsSignature Achievement: 2023 World Championship 100m gold medalistMajor Titles/Awards: 1Impact Rating: 8.6/10

added by IJRSha'Carri Richardson

Bukayo Saka

Saka's missed penalty in the Euro 2020 final could have broken a lesser player, but he turned that heartbreak into fuel, becoming Arsenal's talismanic wide forward and an England mainstay. His consistency and maturity belie his age.

Sport: SoccerAge: 22 yrsSignature Achievement: Arsenal talisman, England Euro finalistMajor Titles/Awards: 0Impact Rating: 8.4/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsBukayo Saka

Paolo Banchero

Banchero walked into a rebuilding Orlando Magic roster and immediately became its franchise centerpiece, capturing the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year award with a smooth scoring arsenal. He's since led the Magic back into playoff relevance.

Sport: BasketballAge: 21 yrsSignature Achievement: 2023 NBA Rookie of the YearMajor Titles/Awards: 1Impact Rating: 8.3/10

added by IJRPaolo Banchero

Summer McIntosh

McIntosh became Canada's biggest swimming star ever, winning three individual golds at Paris 2024 while still a teenager and setting world records across multiple strokes. Her versatility across medley, butterfly, and freestyle is almost unprecedented for someone so young.

Sport: SwimmingAge: 17 yrsSignature Achievement: 3 individual golds at Paris 2024Major Titles/Awards: 3Impact Rating: 8.9/10

added by IJRSummer McIntosh

Zion Williamson

Few players have entered the NBA with more explosive hype than Zion, whose gravity-defying dunks made him a viral sensation before he ever played a pro game. Injuries have repeatedly interrupted his ascent, but on the floor he remains one of basketball's most unstoppable forces.

Sport: BasketballAge: 24 yrsSignature Achievement: Explosive scorer, multiple All-Star caliber stretches despite injuriesMajor Titles/Awards: 0Impact Rating: 7.8/10

added by IJRin 2 rankingsZion Williamson

Alphonso Davies

Davies went from a refugee camp in Ghana to becoming Bayern Munich's blistering left-back, terrorizing wingers with his sprinter's speed on both ends of the pitch. A serious ACL injury in 2024 slowed his momentum, but his talent and story remain among the sport's most inspiring.

Sport: SoccerAge: 23 yrsSignature Achievement: Bayern Munich starter, multiple Bundesliga titlesMajor Titles/Awards: 5Impact Rating: 8.2/10

added by IJRAlphonso Davies