The life of a Premier League footballer is one lived in the full glare of the spotlight, where their faces are instantly recognised by millions of fans across the globe.
But long before the fame, fortune, and packed stadiums, these stars were just young hopefuls in oversized kits, training hard in their local academies with dreams of making it to the top.
While we can all easily spot these footballing giants today, looking back at their academy days offers a different challenge—a chance to test your memory and instincts.
Some may still carry that signature smirk or steely gaze that has become their trademark, while others look so innocent and unrecognisable that they might leave you second-guessing your every thought.
Think you can tell who that wide-eyed kid in the slightly too-big boots is? Perhaps it’s a midfielder maestro whose passes now split defenses with surgical precision. Or maybe it’s a teenage striker who would one day send crowds into raptures with last-minute goals.
Here’s your chance to connect these unpolished gems with the stars they’ve become today. From small-scale academies to enormous Premier League stadiums, we’ve picked 10 unrecognisable stars to test your knowledge.
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United will kick off the new Premier League season against Fulham
The player above began his career at Bournemouth before joining Southampton’s academy
ANSWER: Adam Lallana
Adam Lallana began his youth career at Bournemouth before joining Southampton’s academy at the age of 12. He progressed through their system and became part of the club’s remarkable ascent from League One to the Premier League.
Lallana made his senior debut for Southampton in 2006, helping the club rise from League One to the Premier League by 2012. Known for his technical ability and creativity in midfield, he earned a big move to Liverpool in 2014.
With Liverpool, Lallana won the UEFA Champions League (2019) and Premier League (2020). He also played a pivotal role in England’s qualification for the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
In total, Lallana earned 34 caps for England between 2013 and 2018, scoring three goals and representing the nation in the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016. However, his domestic career is not yet over.
He is back playing at Southampton at the age of 36 after a signing a one-year deal with the Saint in June 2024.
The player above began his journey at Alemannia Mariadorf before joining Bayer Leverkusen
ANSWER: Kai Havertz
Kai Havertz began his footballing journey at Alemannia Mariadorf before joining Bayer Leverkusen’s academy at the age of 11. He rose through the youth ranks after being earmarked as one to watch.
Havertz made his Bundesliga debut for Bayer Leverkusen in 2016 at just 17 years old. His performances for Leverkusen earned him a move to Chelsea in 2020. One of his most notable career highlights came when he scored the winning goal in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final, helping Chelsea secure the title. However, his time at Stamford Bridge was largely viewed as a failure.
He later moved to Arsenal in the summer of 2023 – helping Mikel Arteta’s side challenge for the Premier League title. He will be hoping the Gunners can get it over the line during the 2024-2025 campaign after narrowly missing out last season.
Havertz has also been a regular for the German national team since his debut in 2018, representing Germany in major tournaments like the 2020 Euros and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The star striker pictured above began his youth career at English side Sheffield United
ANSWER: Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Dominic Calvert-Lewin began his youth career at Sheffield United, where he progressed through the academy system before signing a scholarship with the academy when he was sixteen. He spent the majority of his time playing as a box-to-box midfielder before making his senior debut.
Calvert-Lewin moved to Everton in 2016 and became a key figure at the club. Known for his aerial ability and powerful finishing, he emerged as one of the Premier League’s top strikers, notably scoring 16 league goals in the 2020-21 season. He also scored the winning goal for England in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup final.
Calvert-Lewin has earned several caps for the England senior team and was included in the squad for Euro 2020, where England finished as runners-up. However, he is known for being somewhat injury prone as had been subjected to limited his playing time in recent seasons.
The player pictured above started his football career at the Tooting & Mitcham United
ANSWER: Michail Antonio
Michail Antonio was born in Wandsworth and started his football career at the Tooting & Mitcham United youth academy in South London at the age of 12 before signing for Reading as a teenager.
However, prior to joining Reading, Antonio was invited for a trial by Tottenham at the age of 14, though, his mother rejected the opportunity on his behalf. Shortly after he did go on trail with Brentford and Queens Park Rangers but failed to impress.
Antonio worked his way through the lower leagues with loan spells at clubs like Cheltenham Town, Colchester United, and Sheffield Wednesday before making a name for himself at Nottingham Forest.
In 2015, he signed for West Ham United, where he became a versatile and dynamic forward. In 2021, Antonio became West Ham’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.
After initially being capped by England in 2016 but not playing, Antonio switched allegiance to Jamaica in 2021 and has since become a key player for the national team.
The player pictured above began his footballing journey Southampton academy
ANSWER: Tyrone Mings
Tyrone Mings began his footballing journey Southampton academy but was axed after the youth budget was cut. As a result, he joined Millfield school on a football scholarship before going on trial at Eastleigh. He failed to get a contract and decided to sign for non-league side Yate Town.
He went on to join Ipswich Town before moving to Bournemouth in 2015. However, he struggled with injuries while playing for the Cherries. In 2019, he joined Aston Villa and became a crucial figure in their defence. Known for his leadership and composure on the ball, Mings helped Aston Villa gain promotion back to the Premier League in 2019 and captained the side after Jack Grealish’s departure to Manchester City.
But, on 27 July 2022, it was announced that Steven Gerrard had made the decision to remove the captaincy from Mings for the upcoming season, instead naming John McGinn as the new captain. The former Liverpool star felt the decision would allow Mings to focus on his own performance without the added pressure of being captain.
Mings earned his first England cap in 2019 and was a member of the squad that reached the Euro 2020 final. He started the opening group match of the tournament, helping England keep a clean sheet in a 1–0 win against Croatia. He also made the starting XI against Scotland and came off the bench against the Czech Republic.
The player (right) pictured above is a product of Manchester City’s youth academy
ANSWER: Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer is a product of Manchester City’s youth academy, having joined the club as a young boy despite being a Manchester United fan. He captained the U18 side during the 2019-2020 season and impressed throughout his time in the youth system.
However, he did face concerns from the age of 14 as many felt is physique was too slight for professional football, especially for the Premier League. As a result, his academy coaches wanted to release him. What a mistake that would have been.
Palmer made his senior debut for Manchester City in September 2020 and began to emerge as one of the club’s most promising young talents. His versatility as an attacking midfielder or winger, combined with his technical skill, has made him a rising star. He also played a part in City’s treble-winning campaign during the 2022-23 season, before moving to Chelsea in 2023 – signing a seven-year contract.
Palmer has been involved in England’s youth setup, playing a key role in the U21 side that won the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. He also played a role in England’s Euro 2024 campaign, scoring the final before the Three Lions lost to Spain.
The player pictured above started his youth career at Arsenal but was released at the age of 13
ANSWER: Eberechi Eze
Ebere Eze started his youth career at Arsenal but was released at the age of 13. He later joined the academies of Fulham and Reading before finally settling at Queens Park Rangers.
Eze broke into QPR’s first team in 2017, making his debut in an FA Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers, featuring for 18 minutes before being injured and replaced by Yeni Ngbakoto.
His performances at QPR caught the eye of several Premier League clubs. In 2020, he signed for Crystal Palace, where he has become a standout player that is highly sought after.
Eze received his first senior England call-up in 2023, having previously played for England U21s. However, injuries delayed his debut at the senior level. Nevertheless, he was selected for England’s Euro 2024 campaign.
The player pictured above began his career at Fulham’s academy before making history
ANSWER: Harvey Elliott
Harvey Elliott began his career at Fulham’s academy before becoming the youngest player to ever feature in the Premier League at 16 years and 30 days old after coming on as a 88th-minute substitute for Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa in the club’s 1–0 away defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2019.
Elliott moved to Liverpool in July 2019 and impressed while on loan at Blackburn Rovers during the 2020-21 season. Upon returning to Liverpool, he became an important part of the squad. He was part of the Liverpool squad that won the FA Cup and EFL Cup in 2022.
Elliott has represented England at various youth levels but has yet to make his senior debut.
The player pictured above began his footballing journey at Coventry City’s academy
ANSWER: James Maddison
James Maddison began his footballing journey at Coventry City’s academy and made his professional debut for the club in 2014 before moving to Norwich City and later joining Leicester City in 2018 on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee thought to be around £20 million..
At Leicester, he became a key creative force, known for his vision, set-piece ability, and goals from midfield. His performances in his debut campaign saw him awarded Leicester City’s Young Player of the Season.
He helped Leicester win the FA Cup in 2021 and was named the Foxes’ Player of the Season for the 2021-2022 campaign – scoring 18 goals in all competitions and registering 12 assists.
In 2023, Maddison moved to Tottenham Hotspur, where he quickly became an influential player. On 12 August, Maddison was appointed as vice-captain alongside Cristian Romero, with Son Heung-min as club captain.
Internationally, Maddison made his senior debut for England in 2019 and was part of the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup following a three-year absence from the Three Lions squad.
The player above joined the Ajax academy at the age of nine and rose through the ranks
ANSWER: Matthijs de Ligt
Matthijs de Ligt joined the Ajax academy at the age of nine and rose through the ranks to become one of the most highly-rated defenders in Europe despite his first coach claiming he was ‘too slow and out of shape’.
De Ligt made his senior debut for Ajax in 2016 and captained the team to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2019 at just 19 years old. His standout performances earned him a move to Juventus in the same year. After winning multiple trophies in Italy, including the Serie A title, he moved to Bayern Munich in 2022.
Internationally, De Ligt has been a regular for the Dutch national team since making his debut in 2017. He has represented the Netherlands in major tournaments, including the 2020 Euros, the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the 2024 Euros. However, he did not feature in any matches throughout the tournament this summer.
