The footballing world has been lucky in recent years, with so many top players performing at their peak for so long. There are many nominees on this year's FIFPRO Men's World 11 shortlist with multiple acknowledgments under their belt. But at some point, the next generation has to come through.
For some, such as Phil Foden, a first time nomination has perhaps come a little late. But for the majority of the six first-time nominees, everything seems to be coming together at exactly the right time, with many years of promise to come.
No nominee is guaranteed a spot among the final 11 winners, of course (the 2024 winners will be revealed next week). But a glance at the ages here, ranging from 17-24, suggests that the select group might be award contenders for the foreseeable future.
GOAL looks at the first-time nominees for the FIFPRO Men's World 11, how they got here, and why there could be further nominations in their future.