Lionel Messi surprised many by including Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos in his personal list of the most promising young soccer players in the world. The Chelsea player, who came through Vasco da Gama’s academy, was the only Brazilian featured among the ten names chosen by the Argentine star in a campaign with his sportswear sponsor. The list features both male and female players from different continents and age groups, and Messi’s choices also drew attention because of one notable omission — Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, winner of the Kopa Trophy and runner-up for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
The choice that put Andrey on the global radar
Messi was selective. That’s why every name on this list carries symbolic weight. In Andrey’s case, the recognition comes at a key point in his career. At 21, the Brazilian has already won the FIFA Club World Cup with Chelsea and earned a call-up to Brazil’s national team under Carlo Ancelotti. Among so many young talents in Europe, he stands out as a modern midfielder, strong, intelligent, tactically disciplined, and technically sharp, traits that are increasingly valued in today’s game.
Being the only Brazilian on the list highlights how far he’s come. Messi could have gone for players with higher visibility or closer ties to Europe’s media circuit, but he chose someone who’s already showing maturity and consistent performances.
Messi’s list includes Nico Paz (Como/Argentina), Kendry Páez (Strasbourg/Chelsea/Ecuador), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool/England), Mohamed Kader Meite (Rennes/France), Clara Serrajordi (Barcelona/Spain – women’s), Brajan Gruda (Brighton/Germany), Mika Godts (Ajax/Belgium), Andrey Santos (Chelsea/Brazil), Lily Yohannes (Lyon/United States – women’s), and Rodrigo Mora (Porto/Portugal). The interesting detail is that Nico Paz is the only one on the list who has actually shared the pitch with Messi, having trained with Argentina’s senior squad.
The weight of Messi’s recognition
Being mentioned by Lionel Messi goes beyond any award. When the Argentine names a player, there’s always an unspoken message about what he values in soccer. For Chelsea, the recognition also carries weight. The English club, often criticized for its heavy spending and inconsistent results, gets a rare positive spotlight by seeing one of its young players singled out by the greatest name in modern soccer.