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Sports Reporter

A UK-based teenage footballer with Zimbabwean roots, Leon Chiwome, has been named among the crop of promising future stars after featuring on the list of Guardian’s Next Generation 2022.

At 16 years, Chiwome, who plays for the Wolverhampton Wanderers Under-18 side, is regarded as one of the 20 brightest prospects in English football.

Chiwome has attracted attention from the British daily newspaper following his quick rise from non-professional teams such as Sussex Schools FA and Alford F.C, before signing for his first professional club – League two side, AFC Wimbledon in 2021.

The forward has had a brilliant outing in the last few months when he joined Wolves from AFC Wimbledon and scoring on his Under-18s debut. He also made a cameo off the bench in the Under-21s EFL trophy victory against Shrewsbury Town at the end of August.

The Guardian’s Next Generation every year features the 20 most promising youth in England, one at each Premier League club born between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006, an age band known as first time scholars.

The teenage forward is born to a Zimbabwean father and a British mother, making him eligible for both England and Zimbabwe at international level.