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Top 21 players in Europe, aged 21 and under

Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images

They are the future -- and in some cases the present -- of football on the European stage. The 21 players listed below, about to embark on 2016-17 seasons in England, Germany, Italy, Spain or Portugal, represent the game's top tier on the continent where the sport's passions run deepest. A look at the top figures in the youth movement, aged 21 or under: