From Luighi to Pedro
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The 2025 U20 World Cup starts this weekend and some of the most exciting young talents worldwide want to play into the international field of vision in Chile. Whether Erling Haaland, Sergio Aguero or Lionel Messi – quite a few of the most successful stars of the sport today took their first steps in world football at this tournament. Who are the most exciting players to keep an eye on in the next three weeks? The English colleagues from Transfermarkt.co.uk focused on the ten most valuable youngsters of the tournament.
The 10 most valuable players in the U20 World Championship
10. Luighi – Brazil
The striker Luighi of Palmeiras, who could prove to be an excellent scorer at this tournament, is beginning. The 19-year-old talent contributed 21 scorers in 32 games for the Alviverde offspring before he made the leap into the A-team. Since then he has contributed two goals and a template in 22 missions, mostly as a substitute. Luighi also scored two goals in five games for the Brazilian U17 team and wants to further increase his quota in the national jersey at this tournament.
9. Elías Montiel – Mexico
Although he is only 19 years old, Elía’s Montiel is already an old hand in the Mexican national team due to his previous successes. The defensive midfielder has already played more than 5,000 minutes in the first Mexican league for Pachuca and was associated with a move to Europe to Ajax and Braga in summer. Numerous European scouts will undoubtedly observe him at this tournament.
8. Deivid Washington – Brazil
There is a player in eighth place who should not be unknown to Premier League fans. Chelsea’s Deivid Washington was signed by Santos in 2023 for 16 million euros and at that time switched to the blues with a lot of potential in the luggage. After a short guest performance in the U21, where he contributed 15 scorers in 22 games, the striker was borrowed again to Santos, where he spent most of the year 2025. For him, the tournament in Chile is the perfect time to present his talent to an international audience.
7. OBED Vargas – Mexico
Obed Vargas, who was born and grew up in Alaska, but decided to play for Mexico, will be one of the most exciting young players in the MLS at the U20 World Championship. At the last update of the market values, the 20-year-old central midfielder was one of the biggest winners when he was able to raise his taxation to 8 million euros. Vargas has developed great at the Seattle Sunders and could become one of the shooting stars of the World Cup tournament.
6. Jon Martín – Spain
Jon Martín, who was presented in the Talent Calendar of the Transfer market in 2023, is still one of the most exciting defensive talent Spain. After working through Real Sociedad’s youth teams, the central defender made the leap into the first team of the Laliga team from Sergio Francisco this season. Now he is one of the most promising defenders to Chile.
5. Álvaro Montoro – Argentina
Argentina always shows good performances in young talent and a player who could make the breakthrough this year is none other than the offensive midfielder Álvaro Montoro. After he was active for his home club Vélez Sarsfield for two seasons, Montoro was bought this summer for EUR 7.9 million by the Brazilian top club Botafogo. But if he convinces for his country at the World Cup, this transfer fee could quickly prove to be a real bargain.
4. Julio Soler – Argentina
In contrast to Montoro, Julio Soler is an Argentine talent that most fans in Europe should be known. Soler was hired by Bournemouth from Lanús in January this year and is the youngest in a long series of young talents who lured the Cherries to the island. Sol has already played five times for the A national team and will undoubtedly be one of the most important leaders in Argentina in the tournament.
3. Gianluca Prestiani – Argentina
Another exciting talent from rows of the Albiceleste is Benfica winger Gianluca Prestiani. Since moving to Portugal for EUR 9 million last January, Prestiani has completed 24 missions and contributed four scorers. He also has an impressive record of three goals and two templates in eight games for the Argentine U20 national team, which he wants to further expand in the coming weeks.
2. Maher Carrizo – Argentina
Another young talent that started his career at Vélez Sarsfield is the right wing player Maher Carrizo. The 19-year-old is in impressive form and in 2025 it brought it to 10 goals and a template in 31 games. In the most recent market value update for the Torneo Clausura, he recorded an impressive plus of EUR 4 million. He is the second most valuable player in this year’s competition and undoubtedly one of the most talented.
1. Pedro – Brazil
The first place in the ranking of the most valuable players belongs to the Brazilian Pedro. Before moving to Zenit St. Petersburg for 9 million euros, the youngster made the breakthrough at Corinthians, where he quickly established himself as a dangerous winger. Since moving to Russia, the 19-year-old talent has contributed eight goals and nine templates in 66 missions, mostly as a substitute. Pedro’s record in the Brazilian U20 national team is even better: four goals and eight templates in 18 games. It can be assumed that he will further expand this balance at this tournament.