Footballers who were ball boys, from Man City star Phil Foden to Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi

EVERY kid dreams of watching a game close to the action and being just yards away from their heroes.

So these lads must’ve been delighted to have been ball boys for their local clubs and witnessed the pro’s skills in close quarters.

But, going one better is actually being the star on the pitch – which these former ball boys achieved.

Here are the ball boys who became footballers.

PHIL FODEN

As Stevan Jovetic celebrates scoring for Manchester City against Swansea, a boy in the background looks on.

And it’s fair to say he hasn’t changed one bit!

It is, of course, Phil Foden – who shared the image on social media next to a photo of him scoring against Liverpool.

He captioned the snap: “How it started… how it’s going.”

Phil Foden is instantly recognisable as a ball boy from 2014Credit: AFP – Getty

CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI

Every now and again a ball boy becomes a star of the show.

And that’s exactly what happened to a 13-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi when Samuel Eto’o scored the third goal of his hat-trick against Manchester United in 2014.

The Cameroon star celebrated his strike with a smiling Hudson-Odoi as they held each other’s hands.

A 14-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi is overjoyed by Samuel Eto’o scoringCredit: Getty Images – Getty

WESLEY SNEIJDER

The mercurial Dutch playmaker joined Ajax as a youth in 1991 – four years before they won the Champions League.

It was a team that boasted the best players of their generation, including the likes of Clarence Seedorf, Marc Overmars, Edgar Davids and Patrick Kluivert.

The old head keeping the youngsters on the right path was the experienced Frank Rijkaard, who Sneijder grabbed a snap with when he was on ball boy duty.

Frank Rijkaard obliges Wesley Sneijder with a photo ahead of an Ajax game

CARLOS TEVEZ

Tevez is instantly recognisable as a young lad in this brilliant photo with Boca Junior legends Juan Roman Riquelme.

He came through the ranks of the Argentinian club before making his debut aged just 16.

Carlos would return to La Bombonera in his elderly years and become a cult hero, just like Riquelme and the club’s greatest icon Diego Maradona.

A young Tevez poses with Juan Roman Riquleme before ball boy duty at Boca

BERNARDO SILVA

Before he became a Manchester City star, Portuguese international Bernardo Silva had Benfica in his blood.

He was a graduate from their famed academy, where the likes of Ederson and Renato Sanches played at around the same time.

And before that, in 2008, he was reportedly a ball boy in a Europa League tie against Napoli.

Bernardo Silva had Benfica in his blood and was reportedly a ball boy for a 2008 Europa League tie against Napoli

DONNY VAN DE BEEK

At Ajax, being a ball boy is all part of the graduation progress and designed to teach you responsibilty.

You also get to meet your heroes, as a keen Donny van de Beek was happy to share on social media in this throwback snap.

And Luiz Suarez was happy to oblige for the quick photo with the aspiring youngster.

At Ajax being a ball boy is part of your graduation from the youth team, as Donny van de Beek discovered

MATTHIJS DE LIGT

Like van de Beek, de Ligt rose through the ranks at Ajax to become a superstar at Juventus.

And he also got his obligatory snap with Luis Suarez before a game for the Dutch giants.

The pair could even face off against each other in this season’s Champions League.

Matthijs de Ligt poses with Luis Suarez before an Ajax game

BRAHIM DIAZ

The Real Madrid forward was a ball boy at Malaga in 2012, where he can be seen in the background watching Santi Cazorla and Isco celebrating a goal.

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Fast forward seven years, he joins Real Madrid, and then teams up with the man he saw shining on the Costa del Sol.

Diaz even provided the Spanish international with an assist for a goal against Huesca, prompting Isco to share the below image to his followers with the caption: “You make me old”.

For the record, there’s only seven years between them.

A young Brahim Diaz looks on as Isco and Santi Cazorla celebrate a Malaga goal in 2012Credit: AFP – Getty

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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk