Netherlands forward Xavi Simons may only be 21, but for many football fans he's been a noticeable player for the better part of a decade - largely thanks to his social media presence as a viral internet sensation.
At just 14-years-old, Simons had racked up one million followers on Instagram, with a dedicated social media team looking after his account so that he could focus on his football. The Dutchman amassed those followers from the age of seven, when he signed for Barcelona's La Masia academy.
While in Catalonia, Simons would post videos of his mind-boggling skills and leadership skills, which eventually saw him go viral and see him become the latest wonderkid of his generation. Nike duly signed him as a 13-year-old, hoping his stature on the internet would help promote the brand even further.
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Others soon followed suit: the late Mino Raiola's agency in 2017, when he was still only 14. "He's a great footballer and he has a great future," Raiola said.
Such was his influence, it seemed a path to the Barcelona first team had already been mapped out for Simons. PSG, though, had other ideas. The French side signed Simons, offering him a contract that was reportedly worth €1m a year, despite him being just 16 at the time of his signing.
Things didn't exactly go to plan for the forward, however. Regular first team minutes became hard to come by and, as he sought assurances over his future, PSV came calling. Back in his homecountry, Simons thrived, scoring 22 goals in 48 games in all competitions during the 2022/23 season.
Fortunately for PSG, they had inserted a €6m buy-back clause in the former internet sensation's contract, which they duly activiated after one season before then proceeding to loan him out to RB Leipzig.
A fruitful 2023/24 campaign earned Simons a call-up to Ronald Koeman's Netherlands squad for Euro 2024, and he repaid that faith with some stellar performances. His semi-final finish against England highlighted his outstanding ability, while his three assists earlier in the tournament suggest that Simons might just be living up to his wonderkid status.
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