Liberato Cacace (l), Ben Waine (C) and Elijah Just are three of New Zealand's best teenage players. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Liberato Cacace (l), Ben Waine (C) and Elijah Just are three of New Zealand's best teenage players. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
New Zealand football is currently undergoing a football renaissance with many of the country's top young players now playing professionally overseas.
So who is the next Sarpreet Singh? We break down the current top 10 male teenage footballers from New Zealand.
10. Willem Ebbinge, 18, (Harvard University, USA)
Willem Ebbinge (l) and Callan Elliot. Honduras v New Zealand, FIFA U20 World Cup, Lublin, Poland. Saturday 25 May 2019.
Left New Zealand in August to attend the prestigious Harvard University in the USA, Ebbinge may yet be lost to football as he pursues his academic endeavours as a "student-athlete".
A graduate of the Wellington Phoenix Academy and a member of the New Zealand under 20 side in Poland, Ebbinge only made one start and one sub appearance at the World Cup, but the striker is still eligible to participate in the next edition in Indonesia in 2021.
9. Sam Sutton, 18, (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand)
Wellington Phoenix Reserves' Sam Sutton in action during the ISPS Handa Premiership 2018/19 game between Team Wellington vs Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Yet to sign a professional contract after spending most of 2019 juggling school work at Wellington College and training full time at the Phoenix. Sutton earned a call up to the first team bench earlier this season.
A mature and hard-working midfielder, Sutton has captained the Wellington Phoenix reserves in the national league for the past two seasons. He's missed out on selection to any New Zealand age group teams to date, but expect the 18-year-old to play a big part in the next under 20 cycle and 2024 Olympic Games.
8. Matthew Garbett, 17, (Team Wellington, New Zealand)
Western Suburbs Matthew Garbett is challenged by Cashmere Technical's Tom Schwarz in 2018. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Rose to prominence in 2018 when he started for Western Suburbs in their loss to Birkenhead United in the Chatham Cup final at just 16-years-old. The attacker then added a 2019 Central League title with Wests and spent time trialling in Europe earlier this year.
Goals against Angola and Canada at the under 17 world cup further underlined his quality and is expected to make his debut in the national league with Team Wellington this season.
7. Alex Paulsen, 17, (Wellington Phoenix Academy, New Zealand)
New Zealand's Alex Paulsen. OFC U-16 Championship 2018, Final, Solomon Islands v New Zealand, Lawson Tama Stadium. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Paulsen captained New Zealand at the recent under 17 world cup in Brazil. The goalkeeper had a night to forget in the 0-3 defeat to the hosts, but bounced back to star in his side's 1-0 win over Canada, making a string of superb saves.
Another who is yet to sign a professional contract at the Wellington Phoenix, although his quality was identified earlier in the year when he travelled to Fiji for the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifiers as one of three custodians, making his under 23 debut against Samoa in the opening match.
6. George Stanger, 19, (Hamilton Academicals, Scotland currently on loan at East Kilbride, Scotland)
New Zealand U20 Junior All Whites player George Stanger. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The son of Scottish rugby legend Tony Stanger, the 1.9m centre back was not on New Zealand Football's radar at the start of 2019. But with a Kiwi mother and the under 20 World Cup looming, a staffer at his Scottish club Hamilton Academicals made sure that he was noticed.
His performances at the World Cup in Poland reportedly attracted the attention of legendary coach Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United in the English Championship. Now on loan at East Kilbride gaining valuable playing minutes in the lower leagues of Scotland.
5. Marko Stamenic, 17, (Team Wellington, New Zealand)
Marko Stamenic of New Zealand at the U-17 World Cup. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
While his teammates Garbett and Paulsen attracted most of the attention at the recently completed under 17 World Cup in Brazil, many big things are predicted from this elegant midfielder.
The talented 17-year-old recently made his national league debut with Team Wellington and is another to develop through the ranks at the Ole Academy. May well end up following the likes of Ole alumni Callum McCowatt and Ryan Thomas into professional football in the near future.
4. Max Mata, 19, (Grasshopper Club Zurich, Switzerland currently on loan at Nõmme Kalju, Estonia)
New Zealand's Max Mata is awarded the Golden Boot at OFC u-19 champs. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Mata made his All Whites debut as a second half substitute against Lithuania on the recent tour adding to previous appearances at U17 and U20 World Cups.
The powerful forward is following the footsteps of New Zealand football legend Wynton Rufer, in signing a two and a half year deal with Grasshopper Club Zurich of Switzerland. Mata spent most of 2019 on loan in Estonia where he racked up 9 goals in 18 appearances including matches in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds and UEFA Europa League.
3. Ben Waine, 18, (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand)
Ben Waine scored his first A-League goal earlier this season. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Fresh out of high school and it's near impossible to keep a smile from his face. Waine scored his first A-League goal earlier this season, but is yet to lock down a starting position. However, if the 18-year-old gets a regular chance, expect the goal-machine to shine.
Burst onto the scene in the under 20 opener in Poland after scoring twice in the 5-0 rout against Honduras, Waine continued his goal scoring exploits in Fiji helping the under 23 side to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics next year. An All Whites call up is surely just around the corner.
2. Elijah Just, 19, (FC Helsingor, Denmark)
New Zealand's Elijah Just playing for the All Whites against Ireland. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Another All Whites debutant on the European-tour, the diminutive forward is a work-horse who attracted plenty of attention following his performances for the under 20s in Poland.
Just is an Ole Academy product who spent time trialling in the Netherlands in 2018, before returning home to help drive Eastern Suburbs to their first national title since 1971.
Signed with Danish second division side FC Helsingor, but expect to see more of him over the next 12 months, with the ambitious club aiming to identify and nurture gifted young players before moving them on to Europe's elite.
1. Liberato Cacace, 19, (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand)
Liberato Cacace. Honduras v New Zealand, FIFA U20 World Cup, Lublin, Poland. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Grabbed headlines as a schoolboy footballer when he made his A-League debut for the Wellington Phoenix in February 2018 at age 17 and followed that up a few months later with an All Whites debut in India.
Defensively sound, with the pace to cope with most wingers, his positional sense and attacking play has improved, along with his passing and delivery. He looks set to make the left back position for the All Whites his own after solid performances for club and country.
Many onlookers believe he is the most likely player to follow Sarpreet Singh and sign with a top overseas club in the future. A lifelong Napoli fan with Italian heritage, the quietly spoken defender has made it no secret of the fact he dreams of making it as a professional in Italy.
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Here are a further five players who turned 20 in 2019, just missing the cut:
The Australian-raised midfielder moved to Wellington in search of opportunities with the Phoenix last season which helped his development and he was eventually rewarded with an A-League debut.
Athletic, robust in the tackle and crisp passer, Stensness has all the attributes to be a star, and scored a thunderbolt against Norway at the under 20 world cup in Poland that was a contender for goal of the tournament.
Now relishing consistent first-team football, the defensive midfielder has been a regular in the Central Coast Mariners midfield this season, keeping All White Michael McGlinchey on the bench and recently signed a two-year contract extension.
Nando Pijnaker (Torslanda SK, Sweden)
Has matured greatly since leaving the Ole Academy and it's no surprise this 20-year-old developed into one of the best young Kiwi defensive prospects, working under ex-All Whites centre-back Danny Hay at Eastern Suburbs last year.
Don't let his giant frame fool you, Pijnaker is more than a defender who just heads and clears the ball, the left-footer possesses a great first touch and has an eye for a pass.
Spent the second half of 2019 in Sweden, but has been previously linked with FC Porto and is currently on trial at Grasshopper Club Zurich in Switzerland.
Michael Woud (Willem II, Netherlands)
A veteran at 20, Woud debuted for the All Whites against India in 2018 and added a further cap against Lithuania on the recent tour to Europe.
The giant keeper made four appearances for Willem II last season in the Dutch Eredivisie and will be looking establish himself as the number one at the club.
Holds the record for the most matches by a New Zealander at age group world cups with 12 appearances in three tournaments, and was on track to enter cult hero status during the round of 16 penalty shootout at the under 20 world cup in Poland.
Woud saved Colombia's first two spot kicks to give New Zealand an advantage, his third save was ruled out after he was deemed to have left his line to make the save and the South Americans eventually won the shootout.
Callum McCowatt (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand)
After honing his skills at the Ole Academy, the hard working forward came to the fore after earning the Steve Sumner Medal for man of the match in the national league final two years running.
McCowatt made a name for himself at Auckland City netting nine times, including the winner in the 2018 national league final. After trialling in Europe he returned to New Zealand and moved across town to rivals Eastern Suburbs and followed up by scoring 21 times in 16 matches, including a hat-trick in this year's final.
Enduring a lean patch in front of goal since turning professional at the Wellington Phoenix, he did become the first All White to score on debut since 2012 when he scored in the 1-3 loss against Ireland.
Joe Bell (University of Virginia, USA)
Bell was the find of the recent All Whites tour to Europe with his assured performance on debut against Ireland and an injection of stability into the midfield against Lithuania. Was also outstanding at the under 20 world cup in Poland, where he captained the side.
He has one more year of his psychology studies at the University of Virginia and enjoys the academic life, but it seems only a matter of time before he turns professional and could be our best US College export since Ryan Nelsen.
Sarpreet Singh (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Signed for German super club Bayern Munich after an impressive season for the Wellington Phoenix and a solid under 20 world cup.
The breakout New Zealand star got a taste of club football royalty in a pre-season tour to the USA, making appearances off the bench against Arsenal, Real Madrid and AC Milan before backing it up with matches against Fenerbahce and Tottenham Hotspur.
Now turning out regularly for Bayern Munich's reserve team – who play in the third tier competition in Germany – the forward has also been named in the UEFA Champions League squad, and made his debut in the Bundesliga last week.
An attacking midfielder, Singh has a range of pass game and an eye for goal and will only get better the more time he spends at the German giants.
