Bulgaria’s Valeri Bojinov, 18, is among the brightest talents of the next generation of world football stars, according to an analysis of US FOXSports. Photo by uslecce.it
Leading US sport media Foxsports.com have included Bulgaria's Valeri Bojinov in their annual list of the brightest future stars in world football.
"Today's players are fitter, quicker, and stronger than ever before. What's more, there is every indication that the next generation of young guns will be even better," according to the analysis.
It points out that Bojinov, aged 18, has contributed to gaining Italian Lecce Serie A respectability.
The young striker joined the Italians at the age of 13, and made his Serie A debut before turning 16.
His top-scoring performance this season gained him the nickname "the Bulgarian Wayne Rooney."
Other bright juniors listed by FOXSports include Javier Mascherano (River Plate), Obafemi Martins (Inter Milan), Nigel De Jong (Ajax), Igor Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow), Rio Antonio Mavuba (Bordeaux) and Mourad Meghni (Bologna).