As an annual tradition, UEFA has tapped into a pan-European network of reporters, correspondents and editors to forecast which up-and-coming footballers will take the stage by storm this year.

The essential criterion for selecting the next generation of Haalands, Musialas, Rodrygos and Bellinghams is to be no older than 21 at the start of the year, and from the list of the 40 potential stars listed on UEFA's website, in no particular order, here are the few who are tipped to gain notoriety and take the football world by storm.

First on the list is our own Arda Güler, the prodigious 17-year-old donning the blue and yellow colors of Türkiye's Spor Toto Süper Lig giants, Fenerbahçe.

Dubbed the "Turkish Messi" for his mesmerizing dribbling prowess and penetrating passing, he achieved the prestigious honor of becoming the youngest goalscorer in Süper Lig history last season.

This term, he has dazzled in the UEFA Europa League and become the youngest player to represent Türkiye since 2008, cementing his place as a rising star in the beautiful game.

At just 21 years of age, Liel Abada has already made a name for himself in the footballing world.

His incisive passing and confident finishing have been rewarded with the 2021/22 Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year award in his first season after transferring from Maccabi Petah Tikva.

This season, the Celtics Israeli midfielder has already scored an impressive double figure in goals for both his club and international teams.

This impressive feat just goes to show that a young champion like Abada can be counted on when it matters the most.

To nestle slightly away from the middle of the park, French prodigious goalie Lucas Chevalier, contracted to LOSC Lille, impressed on loan at Valenciennes last season and has taken his chance with both hands at LOSC this term, most notably when he starred and saved a penalty kick in the fiercely contested derby against Lens in only his second game in front of his adoring home supporters.

France is teeming with creamy talent, as evidenced by the emergence of 18-year-old Mohamed-Ali Cho, who recently signed a professional contract with La Liga's Real Sociedad and became the second-youngest player in France's history (trailing only Eduardo Camavinga).

Quickly ascending to a first-team regular at Angers, Cho has proven to be a masterful ball carrier, comfortable on both flanks, and is now making waves at Real Sociedad following his summer transfer.

Molde should be hailed as a veritable factory of exciting young strikers, having recently produced the lethal goal machine that is Ivorian David Datro Fofana – who notched an impressive 15 goals in 24 games as his team marched to victory in the Norwegian title.

This outstanding form earned him his first two caps for the Ivory Coast in November, before a move to Chelsea.

It's worth noting that Manchester City's Erling Haaland is another product of this prolific factory.

Argentina's Alejandro Garnacho, whose dazzling dribbling and incomparable flair has earned him comparisons to the illustrious Cristiano Ronaldo, has broken through the ranks of Manchester United's star-studded squad.

With magnificent goals in both the Premier League and Europa League, it appears that Garnacho is only just beginning to make his mark.

At 21 years old, Portuguese center-back Goncalo Inacio played an integral role as Sporting CP ended their 19 years of waiting to clinch the Liga title in 2020/21.

Since then, his career has only flourished; with over 60 league appearances for the club and a first international cap in sight.

Inaki Pena's precocious younger brother Nico has been creating waves of excitement in the footballing world, with his prodigious ability to stretch the defense wide and open up attacking avenues.

This season, he has firmly established himself as an Athletic Bilbao starter, notching up a number of goals and assists on his way to earning a place in Spain's World Cup squad.

Gonçalo Ramos has been nothing short of sensational this season, showcasing his prowess at pressing and holdup play, as well as his knack for finding the back of the net with ease.

With a plethora of goals in the Champions League and Liga, as well as being prolific at U21 and UEFA Youth League level, it's no surprise that the Benfica forward scored a hat-trick on his first Portugal start at the World Cup, making him the youngest player to bag a treble in the competition since 1962.

Rare-talented curly-haired Dutchman Xavi Simmons, with his impressive goal-scoring prowess, has made an impressive splash after he moved away from Barcelona and Paris which certainly paid off.

After a sensational first season at PSV, in which he had scored 10 goals by mid-October, he was awarded a call-up to the Dutch national side for the World Cup, no less.