From Paul Pogba to Lionel Messi, where are the Under-20 World Cup Golden Ball winners now?
The Under-20 World Cup gives football’s brightest young stars the chance to impress in front of a global audience.England, the current holders following their 2017 heroics in South Korea, won’t be there to defend their crown in Poland after failing to qualify.England won’t be defending their crown when the tournament begins todayGetty images - getty8
England won’t be defending their crown when the tournament begins today
However, the tournament is certainly worth keeping an eye on, especially given where the previous Golden Ball winners have ended up.The biennial event has seen some of the top players in world football rise to prominence, with historical winners, including the great Diego Maradona.talkSPORT.com takes a look at the most recent Golden Ball winners at the U20 World Cup and where they are now.

Dominic Solanke – Bournemouth

Solanke joined Bournemouth from Liverpool in JanuaryGETTY IMAGES - GETTY8
Solanke joined Bournemouth from Liverpool in January
It feels like Dominic Solanke has been around forever, but he’s only 21.He was one of many young England stars who shone during the 2017 U20 World Cup triumph and subsequently won the Golden Ball.Despite incredible success in youth football, at both domestic level with Chelsea and on the international stage with England, the striker’s senior career has barely got going.He left Chelsea without making a single Premier League appearance, and his two-year spell at Liverpool ended with just one league goal.Solanke now plies his trade at Bournemouth, where he will hope to get his big break next season.

Adama Traore – Monaco

Adama Traore was the star of the 2015 U20 World CupWikimedia Commons8
Adama Traore was the star of the 2015 U20 World Cup
Adama Traore (no, not the one who plays for Wolves) helped guide Mali to a historic bronze medal at the 2015 U20 World Cup.But since then, the 23-year-old’s career has stalled.Traore four goals and three assists at the U20 World Cup helped earn him a move to Monaco, but four years on, he is yet to break into the first team, spending two seasons out on loan at Rio Ave and Cercle Brugge with little success.

Paul Pogba – Manchester United

Paul Pogba got 13 goals and nine assists in the Premier League this seasonGETTY8
Paul Pogba got 13 goals and nine assists in the Premier League this season
Paul Pogba’s success since winning the Golden Ball at the U20 World Cup in 2013 depends largely on who you ask.But opinions aside, the Manchester United midfielder has lifted the World Cup, the Europa League and Serie A four times – that’s not bad, right?The 26-year-old also has an uncanny habit of scoring in finals, which began at the U20 World Cup when he netted in the penalty shootout victory over Uruguay.

Henrique Almeida – Gremio

Big things were expected of Henrique Almeida@henriqueh91 on instagram8
Big things were expected of Henrique Almeida
Remember Henrique Almeida? No?Not all U20 World Cup Golden Ball winners go onto super stardom.Almeida, the 27-year-old Brazilian striker, was the star of the 2011 tournament which featured James Rodriguez, Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho.However, he has never earned a senior cap for his country and currently plies his trade at Portuguese club Belenenses, on loan from Brazilian team Grenio.

Dominic Adiyiah – Sisaket

Dominic Adiyiah’s U20 World Cup heroics earned him a move to AC MilanGetty images - getty8
Dominic Adiyiah’s U20 World Cup heroics earned him a move to AC Milan
Admittedly, this list hits a bit of a bump in the middle. It gets better, I promise.Dominic Adiyiah somehow manages to top Almeida as the most disappointing U20 World Cup Golden Ball winner.After scoring eight goals in seven games as Ghana won the tournament for the first time in 2009, European giants AC Milan gambled on him.But during a two year spell, he never got on the pitch, and he has since played in Ukraine and Kazakhstan before settling in Thailand.After three years at Nakhon Ratchasima, he recently joined fellow Thai club Sisaket.

Sergio Aguero – Manchester City

Sergio Aguero remains one of the best strikers in world footballGetty Images - Getty8
Sergio Aguero remains one of the best strikers in world football
I did tell you it would get better.Sergio Aguero has become one of the greatest Premier League strikers in history.The prolific Argentine forward netted six times at the 2007 U20 World Cup as Argentina won the tournament for a record sixth time.Twelve years on, he’s just won a historic domestic treble with Manchester City, for whom he’s the all-time leading goalscorer.

Lionel Messi – Barcelona

Lionel Messi’s done alright, hasn’t he?Getty8
Lionel Messi’s done alright, hasn’t he?
Well, here we have arguably the greatest player in history.A 17-year-old Messi took the U20 World Cup by storm in 2005 and the rest, as they say, is history.

The current award was introduced in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, sponsored by Adidas and France Football, though fifa.com also lists in their player articles as "golden ball winners" Kempes, Cruyff, Pelé, Bobby Charlton, Garrincha and Didi for 1978, 1974, 1970, 1966, 1962 and 1958 respectively.
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From Paul Pogba to Lionel Messi, where are the Under-20 World Cup Golden Ball winners now? The Under-20 World Cup gives football's brightest young stars the chance to impress in front of a global audience. England, the current holders following their talkSPORT 6 days ago
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