First things first, one has to recognize that this column’s originator, the great Jack Hallinan, has moved on to greener pastures after graduating this May. So in celebration of a storied Daily Trojan career, the youth footballing spotlight he so masterfully crafted goes on — at least for one more edition.

Just as the spring let up and the summer approached, the football season came to a close. In its wake, this year leaves a myriad of up-and-coming ballers that promise to take over the sport in coming years, if they haven’t already.

Myles Lewis-Skelly

If I had a nickel for every time in the past six years an Arsenal academy graduate broke out into stardom from full back, I’d have two. But that’s about where the comparisons with fellow Gunner Bukayo Saka stop, and where Myles Lewis-Skelly makes a name for himself.

The 18-year-old is truly a player of his time, charging forward and carrying the ball into midfield from left-back with the ease and swagger of a much older player. On the ball, his 0.98 successful take-ons per 90 and 98.56 progressive carrying yards per 90 show that he pushes the tempo at an exemplary rate, sitting at the 81st and 74th percentiles respectively for players in his position.

He’s also a player who passes the eye test when it matters. He scored his first Arsenal goal in the club’s 5-1 statement win against Manchester City in February, and his Champions League quarterfinal performances against Real Madrid were so good that the Spaniards are now rumored to be interested in the England international’s signature.

But Arsenal would be remiss not to keep around the teenager who was good enough to displace Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney from the starting spot.

Dean Huijsen

Incoming Real Madrid signing Dean Huijsen also had a breakout Premier League campaign in defense. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches, the Spaniard is a presence in the air as much as he is a capable ball-playing center back, averaging nearly five progressive passes per 90.

After featuring in only 14 matches over two years in Serie A, Huijsen flourished in his first campaign with Bournemouth and caught the eye of two particularly important countrymen of his: National Team Coach Luis de la Fuente and longtime Madridista President Florentino Pérez.

The £50-million price tag even seems like a bargain for a 20-year-old who already possesses qualities other more experienced players might not have, and in the words of Spain teammate David Raya, “has zero fucks given.”

Rayan Cherki

In a Spain-France matchup that was supposed to be centered around two Ballon d’Or hopefuls, a different winger stole the limelight despite his side’s defeat. Olympique Lyon’s Rayan Cherki has been in the scouting reports of many a Football Manager player for years, but he’s finally getting his rightful recognition from the rest of the soccer world. A goal and an assist in less than 30 minutes of play were enough to get some buzz around his name in the highest strata of the sport.

Cherki was joint-top of Ligue 1’s assist providers this season, but his stellar performances may take his game to higher ground, with Manchester City securing his signature. He is next in a decently long line, though, of wingers at the Etihad. It will be interesting to see his playtime in competition with Phil Foden, Omar Marmoush, Jérémy Doku and Jack Grealish.

Half of PSG’s squad

Paris Saint-Germain are finally champions of Europe. All it took was to build an actual team. Long gone are the days of getting the biggest names to wear their shirts just for the sake of it. Manager Luis Enrique’s free-flowing, silky-smooth attacking side has struck gold — and it’s all got to do with his young stars.

Don’t get me wrong, PSG’s squad is an amazing mix of experience and talent. But in the spirit of looking towards the future, it would be a disservice not to talk particularly about young stars Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola, alongside previous “Rising Ballers” subject João Neves.

The former two, a pair of inspired wingers who have combined for 36 goal contributions in Ligue 1 alone, have been terrorizing France and Europe’s defenses all year. Doué in particular has been in the headlines after his masterful Champions League final performance, bringing “o jogo bonito” back to the limelight with a willingness to go at defenders without hesitation — and having fun while doing it.

Lamine Yamal

Everyone knows who he is already. He’s not a hidden gem. But it’s a crime he hasn’t been featured in this column already. The thing is, he’s not really a rising baller so much as he is the best player in the world. At 17 years old. If there is one thing I can predict with absolute certainty about next year — or the next decade — it is that Lamine Yamal will change this sport forever.

Fabián Gutiérrez is a junior writing about the top wunderkinds in men’s and women’s soccer in the column, “Rising Ballers.” He is a sports editor at the Daily Trojan.