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Top 10 Under-21 players in the world

By Chiranjib Ghosh

PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 22: Kylian Mbappe of PSG celebrates after scoring his sides fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League group B match between Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic FC at Parc des Princes on November 22, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 22: Kylian Mbappe of PSG celebrates after scoring his sides fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League group B match between Paris Saint-Germain and Celtic FC at Parc des Princes on November 22, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 18: Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan celebrates during the serie A match between AC Milan and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 18, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
MILAN, ITALY – FEBRUARY 18: Gianluigi Donnarumma of AC Milan celebrates during the serie A match between AC Milan and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 18, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images) /

4. Gianluigi Donnarumma

Gianluigi Donnarumma is the crown-prince to the throne of the goalkeeping position in the Italian first-team, which has been held by his namesake for over 2 decades, the 40-year old Gianluigi Buffon. Donnarumma is the perfect definition of a teenage sensation.

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He became the second-youngest goalkeeper to play in the Serie A when he made his debut for AC Milan in 2015. He is also the youngest ‘keeper to play for Italy U-21 and the Italian national team. In three seasons, the 18-year old has amassed 95 appearances at Milan.

He made the transition from Diego López and Christian Abbiati smoother for Milan. Donnarumma has brilliant reflexes, and is very good at saving close-range shots. He is not very good with the ball at his feet, but so was Buffon.

Donnarumma has already taken the world of football by storm, and the hopes of a nation will rest on his shoulders in 2022 in Qatar, when Italy return to the World Cup.

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