The Hunt for the Next Lamine Yamal (2026)

They are teenagers and the future of football. SVT chronicles the talent search, a process in which the majority of children are rejected. During the World Cup, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal is one of the tournament's major stars. Meanwhile, an intensive effort is underway to nurture the next generation of stars. At Benfica, players as young as five are scouted. Denmark was an early adopter of viewing academy players as commodities. In the UK, the situation ended so tragically for two young boys that they took their own lives. At home, an intense debate is raging, with the push for early elite-level development dividing the football community.