Ranking the Top 10 Teenagers to Have Played for PSG Since 2000
Paris Saint-Germain are now just one trophy away from winning a domestic quadruple for the second year running. It has also been a successful campaign for their youth development, after reaching the final of UEFA Youth Cup.
Although beaten by Chelsea, it was a deserved nod towards their youth programme. The problem the club has always had is having players make that step from promising youngster to first-team member.
Plenty of players from Paris or the surrounding areas have gone on to achieve great things, but when tracking the best teenagers to play at PSG since 2000, there aren't as many options as the club would have hoped for.
Hervin Ongenda and Presnel Kimpembe from the current side miss out due to their lack of impact under Laurent Blanc, but there is also no space for the likes of Bartholomew Ogbeche, David N'Gog and Neeskens Kebano.
On judging the list, we are looking at not only their achievements with PSG's first team, but what the players have done since they moved on. Also, we are looking at the potential from the current players and what they could go on to accomplish.
Here are the top 10 teenagers to have played for PSG since 2000—let us know in the comments if we’ve missed anyone that should be on this list.
10. Bernard Mendy
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Swashbuckling defender Bernard Mendy could be seen as one of the first modern-day full-backs.
Known better for his attacking instincts than his ability to protect the goal, that is highlighted by the fact he scored the winning goal as PSG won the Coupe de France against RC Lens in 2008.
Mendy made his debut in 2000, just 15 days before his 19th birthday. He would start as the Parisians drew 1-1 against Stade Rennais and would make 15 starts in his debut season.
His success came after he played for France in the UEFA European Under-19 Championship triumph in 2000, and he would be part of the club for eight seasons, playing over 200 league games and lifting another Coupe de France and a Coupe de la Ligue trophy.
9. Jean-Kevin Augustin
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Still only 18 years old, highly regarded forward Jean-Kevin Augustin is not only a regular member of the first-team squad, but he played his part this term as PSG reached the final of this season's UEFA Youth Cup—scoring against Real Madrid in the 3-1 semi-final victory.
In Ligue 1, he has made 11 appearances and scored once for the senior side. He caught the imagination during PSG’s pre-season International Champions Cup performances.
Five goals in three games in pre-season made a case for Augustin to play more in the league, but in just four starts this campaign, he's had a mixed return. However, it’s hard to make an impact when you are only offered 10-15 minutes off the bench.
There is definitely much more to come from the teenager.
8. Jean-Christophe Bahebeck
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Jean-Christophe Bahebeck still hasn’t shown his best form for either PSG or any of the three Ligue 1 clubs he’s joined on loan.
Performances for France at both the Under-20 World Cup and the Toulon Tournament has given hope that the forward will deliver one day. However, that may not be at the Parc des Princes.
Since his debut in 2011 and his first goal in 2014—away at Toulouse—he has always just fallen short. Only 34 of his 96 appearances in the league have come at PSG.
Sadly, no matter how much potential he continues to promise, that may not come to fruition until he finds a permanent home where he can flourish.
7. Clement Chantome
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Another of PSG’s longest serving players on this list. Clement Chantome made his debut playing just nine minutes against Valenciennes in 2006, one month before his 19th birthday.
He would spend seven seasons at his boyhood club, before a loan spell at Toulouse sparked an eventual transfer to Bordeaux.
With eight goals in 232 appearances, the midfielder never quite hit the heights that was expected, but he did leave the capital with one league championship, a Coupe de la Ligue and two Coupe de France trophies.
6. Mikel Arteta
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It is often forgotten that Mikel Arteta played 31 Ligue 1 games for Paris Saint-Germain at the turn of the millennium.
The Spaniard joined on loan from Barcelona B, making his debut as an 18-year-old against Olympique de Marseille. He scored two goals in his time there, his first in the 2-2 draw with Lille.
""@afcstuff: Mauricio Pochettino on Arteta: "You know our history from PSG When he was 17, I was the captain." pic.twitter.com/5GrrNlobTG
— Ydhxl (@Ydhxl) April 19, 2016"
He started all 25 of his appearances in his second season, and he also played as PSG won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2001.
5. Alphonse Areola
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Everyone at the Parc des Princes hopes goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will eventually become the long-term No. 1 for club and country.
His minutes for PSG have been limited since he was first named on the bench as a 17-year-old for the away trip to Lorient. Three years later, against the same opposition, he would play his first game for the senior squad.
Loan spells at Lens, Bastia and now Villarreal have followed, before that, he was inspirational as France won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2013, with Areola saving penalties against Uruguay in the final.
4. Adrien Rabiot
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Now aged 21, it seems a long time ago that Adrien Rabiot featured in a pre-season fixture against Barcelona. Carlo Ancelotti would hand the youngster his league debut against Bordeaux as a 17-year-old.
His 13-game loan spell at Toulouse in 2013 gave the league more of an opportunity to see what he was capable of, and now the midfielder is putting pressure on Laurent Blanc to hand him a starting spot every week.
His two red cards this season highlights Rabiot still has room to grow and improve, but with 87 appearances under his belt already, the potential is clear for everyone to see.
The player will be hoping his minutes on the pitch grow against next season, but a big-money signing could push him back down the pecking order.
3. Mamadou Sakho
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As a 17-year-old centre-back, Mamadou Sakho made his first start against Valenciennes in 2007—recording his first clean sheet in the process.
He would go on to play over 150 league games for the club, became the youngest player to captain the club and lifted a handful of trophies before moving to Liverpool.
After his switch to the Premier League, he would return to Paris and score his first two goals for France at a vital time. Les Bleus were 2-0 down to Ukraine after the first leg of the 2014 World Cup play-off, but Sakho inspired France to a 3-2 aggregate win and qualification for the finals in Brazil.
2. Marquinhos
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Paris Saint-Germain will hope that Marquinhos’ best football in Paris is still ahead of him.
Signed from AS Roma in 2013, the 19-year-old made his debut in the huge Week 6 clash at home against AS Monaco. Now in his third season, he is putting pressure on fellow Brazilian David Luiz for a starting spot.
Depending on how long he has to play second fiddle to the former Chelsea man, there are always rumours linking him with a move away from the Parc des Princes.
Marquinhos has the potential to become one of the best defenders in the world. PSG need to hope that happens in the French capital.
1. Kingsley Coman
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Kingsley Coman turns 20 years old next month, and he could have a wonderful birthday if he helps Bayern Munich qualify for the Champions League final next week.
Either way, it has been a wonderful season for the teenager, and PSG fans must cringe whenever his name is mentioned.
Coman only played 41 minutes in the league for PSG, split over two seasons and just three games. Debuting against Sochaux as a 16-year-old, it was his 28 minutes in the final game of the 2013-14 season against Montpellier where he showed his quickness and ability on the ball.
After leaving for Juventus on a free transfer in July 2014, he is now excelling on loan for Bayern in the Bundesliga. He is also on the verge of securing a place in Didier Deschamps’ France squad for the 2016 UEFA European Championships.
Easily one of the best teenagers to come out of the Parisians' academy, it’s just a huge disappointment that he played such a small role at the club—the one that got away.
