Football stars set to shine in 2022

By Jonny Bray

One of the most exciting aspects of following the fantastic football played across Europe in 2021 was seeing the sport’s next big things begin to emerge.

Now the calendars have been flipped, 2022 will provide a fresh opportunity for a host of young players to make an impact in European football.

Several players had breakout years last time out and if you can be sure of one thing in 2022, it’s that once again there is an abundance of young talent ready to burst onto the scene.

But which stars will shine brightest this year?

Armando Broja

Few players have made as surprising an impact in the Premier League this season as Southampton’s on-loan Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

Little was known about the Albanian at the start of 2021 but he’s been making a lot of noise on the south coast since September.

The youngster is deceptively quick, has superb dribbling skills and, most importantly, can score a wide array of goals from different areas of the pitch.

Nowhere was this clearer than at Selhurst Park in December 2021, where Broja outshone fellow Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher in a 2-2 draw.

He scored from long distance in that game and immediately let the home fans know about it.

At 20-years-old, Broja has plenty of time to develop into a top striker and it feels like 2022 could be the year where he steps into centre stage.

Jacob Ramsey

Aston Villa look like a completely different animal under new manager Steven Gerrard but one player who has looked the absolute business all year has been young midfielder Jacob Ramsey.

Like Broja, Ramsey is a 20-year-old playing for a great club in the Premier League, but the Birmingham-born England U21 international is a totally different player with a contrasting set of skills.

He has found the back of the net twice this season – including a sublime solo effort against Norwich – and has established himself as part of a hard-working and creative Villa midfield.

Jamal Musiala

Letting Jamal Musiala slip through their fingers may well turn out to be one of the English national team’s biggest regrets in the years to come.

With three goals in 16 Bundesliga appearances during the 2021/22 season, the 18-year-old attacking midfielder is ready to make a big splash in European football this year.

He is now committed to playing for Germany, having made nine appearances for the country of his birth,

He may still be young and he certainly lacks experience but the buzz around this kid has been unbelievable for years.

And he’s already shown that, when given the chance, he can perform at the highest level.

Antony

Ajax have found another gem in Antony, who has already scored six goals in 14 league appearances so far this season.

With his side through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, it feels like the Dutch icons have already rebuilt from their last mass exodus of players two-and-a-half years ago.

One of the players they brought in as part of that rebuild was Brazilian winger Antony and he’s since become a crucial part of the team.

With Ajax flying both domestically and in Europe at the moment, it’s no surprise that many are touting him as a potential big star in 2022.

Photo Credit: Getty Images