Uruguay’s ability to punch above its weight and continue producing an obscene number of top footballers is well documented. In recent years this trend hasn’t slowed up, with good performances at the last three additions of the U20 World Cup. What’s more, the 2017 crop won the Sudamericano for the first time in 36 years and the likes of Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur have already made the jump to the senior team.

The stability at national team level under Oscar Tabarez has been instrumental at forming a strong bond between the young players and the senior team, creating an early and lasting connection to their impressive footballing history, before economic realities see them move abroad at an increasingly young age.

And it doesn’t look like the well of talent is going to dry up any time soon. Nacional U20s recently won the U20 Libertadores but, for the purposes of the list, standout players like Thiago Vecino, Guillermo May and Brian Ocampo (all born ’99) just miss the cut, as does Defensor Sporting’s exciting Juan Manuel Boselli.

Nevertheless, there is still plenty of exciting prospects in the class of 2000 and below is a selection of some of the most exciting Uruguayan talents born after the millennium.

Juan Manuel Sanabria

The versatile midfielder is yet to make his debut for Nacional but has already agreed to join Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. Monitored by Europe’s elite for some time, Sanabria also had a 10-day trial with Liverpool in 2015 and was one of the standout players for the Uruguay U17s at last years Sudamericano.

The accolades have continued to pour in after he was an ever-present in Nacionals U20 Copa Libertadores win this February. With his wand of a left foot, Sanabria tends to feature on the wing where he can utilise his excellent acceleration, close control and crossing.

However, despite his slight frame, he doesnt mind get stuck in and making challenges. Coupled with his impressive passing range, this allows Sanabria to also operate comfortably in a more withdrawn central midfield role.