Opinion
The English Premier League is one of the most reputable and distinguished football leagues in the world. It takes its glory from its history and also from its present.
Yes, some of the past icons may shine over the majority of players nowadays, but the fact of the matter is the relevance of the up-and-coming players of our generation cannot be understated.
There are many young players under the age of 21 with the ability to appear in the headlines of newspapers globally. However, only a select few have the potential to truly shine and inspire our generation.
Mason Greenwood is an 18-year-old star with 14 goals to his name. In his 20 league games, he has been a regular substitute for Manchester United. However, before he turned 18, at the age of 17 years and 156 days, Greenwood became the youngest player to represent the club in the Champions League era.
Moments like these in football are what create such a fantastic atmosphere for young and aspiring players. If a 17-year-old is able to appear on televisions around the globe with his named printed across places he never thought were possible, it is sure to inspire kids to play and enjoy the beautiful game of football.
(Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images)
The influence of young players playing video games is a lot more beneficial than you think.
As a 16-year-old who plays video games like FIFA 20, I have the personal experience that watching professional footballers play football video games inspires me to play the real-life game of football.
Imagine we see Trent Alexander-Arnold on the left next to Rhian Brewster. They are competing in a match of the video game FIFA 20 against each other. Both Alexander-Arnold and Brewster are under the age of 21 and are Liverpool’s new and up-and-coming players. Alexander-Arnold also regularly appears in the starting XI. They are participating in e-sports on YouTube.
This video has millions of views. The vast majority of these views are from the new generation. As 81 per cent of 15 to 23-year-olds use YouTube, the majority of that demographic are able to watch people like Rhian Brewster play these football simulation games.
Every teen seeing a professional footballer doing something they love majorly increases their desire to participate in outdoor activities, specifically football. The effect of this on our generation is quite unbelievable. The spike in overall interest in football recently is quite profound.
Mason Mount, a 21-year-old English attacking midfielder, signed a five-year contract with the London club Chelsea for £75,000 ($150,000) a week.
Mount consistently appears in the starting XI for the club, with 29 league appearances. His glory and fame outshine his age and maturity. Chelsea’s inventory of players is generally quite young, with more than half of the players in Chelsea’s Premier League squad under the age of 25.
This said, Mason Mount’s environment is quite tranquil. It is a relaxed atmosphere playing with people his age. This does not affect his game whatsoever. In fact, he sets an example for all aspiring players that feel like their age is irrelevant to their game.
All around the world, ambitious young players are rejected from their dream jobs due to age. Mason Mount challenges and contests these exclusions without even knowing. Simply by performing at a high standard week in, week out, he is making a statement to all unfair and unjust clubs that reject potential superstars.
Football can completely change people’s lives, especially those who have come from an unfortunate background.
Take the player Gabriel Jesus, a 22-year-old Brazilian striker.
(Oli Scarff / AFP)
Gabriel Jesus came from the Brazilian slums, street painting for only minimum wage. He now plays for his dream team Manchester City, being signed at age 19. For him and many others in a similar situation, participating in the Premier League for a team such as Manchester City is reward in itself.
Winning both 2017 and 2018 Premier League titles, he made a significant impact on the club. He only offers positivity and inspiration for anybody aspiring to a position such as his.
This truly depicts the value of football from a global perspective and what it can offer for anyone, regardless of their initial situation.
The Premier League, and almost all football leagues around the world, contain many young and aspiring footballers. These young players should be better rewarded and must be ones to watch and not ignored.
These footballing prospects all provide excellent teachings for many kids and young adults around the globe.
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