Here's what happened to the 20 players MATCH magazine tipped for stardom in 2002

First published in 1979, MATCH has been a source of football knowledge, quizzes, interviews and more for British youngsters for decades. The magazine for the football-crazy rose to fame in the mid-1990s, becoming the best-selling publication of its kind in Britain, and continues to be produced today. In 2002, the publication compiled a list of its top 20 young talents who were just beginning to make their mark in the Premier League - players that MATCH predicted would become global superstars. From two members of Arsenal's Invincibles to one of the top flight's all-time leading scorers , Mirror Football revisits MATCH's '20 Premiership Wonderkids who are red-hot prospects' and examines what these once-tipped future stars achieved in their careers. Kicking off MATCH's list at No. 20 was then-Newcastle prodigy Michael Chopra . The young Magpie was trying to carve out a career for himself at St. James's Park, but he never quite managed to secure a regular spot. Instead, Chopra found success with Cardiff , earning two PFA Team of the Year honours, as well as enjoying a fruitful spell with Ipswich Town before his career began to wind down. After initially retiring in 2016, he returned to play for local team West Allotment Celtic in 2022. Coming in at No. 19 was young Aston Villa defender Liam Ridgewell . The former West Ham youth player showed potential as a centre-back at Villa Park, making numerous appearances before moving permanently to Birmingham City in 2007. There he blossomed into a key player and helped his team secure a League Cup victory in 2011. After a couple of seasons with West Brom , he moved to the MLS with the Portland Timbers. Now 40, Ridgewell is a coach at the club, having retired in 2020. At No. 18 was Australian Luke Wilkshire , who never quite made it as a defensive prospect at Middlesbrough. He found relative success with Bristol City and later Dynamo Moscow before retiring in 2018. The right-back earned 80 caps for Australia . Arsenal 's Invincible youngster Jeremie Aliadiere was ranked No. 17 . The Frenchman joined the Gunners at 16 and gradually made his way into the first team under Arsene Wenger , earning two Premier League medals and an FA Cup along the way. After several loan spells, the striker eventually left Arsenal, signing for Middlesbrough in a £2.5million deal. His time on Teesside wasn't successful, and after stints in France and Qatar , he retired in 2018. Englishman Chris Shuker was listed at No. 16 . He showed promise at Manchester City , but the nimble midfielder never really took off in sky blue. He left in 2004 and had a successful career across the EFL with teams like Barnsley, Tranmere, and Port Vale before becoming a coach. Birmingham City's promising talent, Darren Carter , landed at No. 15 . The midfielder had a commendable career with the Blues, Preston North End and West Brom, among others, featuring in over 300 Premier League and EFL matches. He ended his career on a consistent note with Solihull Moors before hanging up his boots in 2021. Former England star Kieran Richardson was ranked at No. 14 . The versatile player, who honed his skills at Manchester United's academy, enjoyed the prime of his career at Sunderland , where he was known for his tenacity and stamina. After earning eight caps for the Three Lions and playing for Fulham , Aston Villa, and Cardiff City, he retired in 2017. Chelsea's Portuguese prodigy, Filipe Oliveira , came in at No. 13 . The right-sided midfielder struggled to find a permanent home during his career. After leaving Stamford Bridge in 2006 with limited game time, he played in Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Cyprus, and Romania before calling it a day. Hopes were high for Hugo Viana , another Portuguese star who joined Newcastle for £8.5m in 2002 and was placed at No. 12 on the list. However, the midfield maestro's career didn't pan out as expected. After stints with Valencia and Braga, the former Young European Footballer of the Year retired in 2016 at the age of 33. He has remained involved in football and currently serves as the director of football at Manchester City. Striker Milan Baros , listed at No. 11, joined Liverpool as one of Europe's most promising talents. Although the Czech star didn't quite fulfil his potential at Merseyside, he played a part in the Reds' historic 2005 Champions League victory. He left that summer for £6.5m to join Aston Villa, where goals were hard to come by. Baros retired in 2020 at the age of 38 after a stint back in his home country. At No. 10 , striker Stefan Moore seemed destined for a top-flight career at Aston Villa. However, by his mid-twenties, he was playing non-league football. Moore found success with teams like Halesown Town and St Neots Town, and his semi-professional career ended in 2018. Irish defender John O'Shea , tipped as a success story at No. 9 , wasn't always the first name on the team sheet for Manchester United during his early years. Nevertheless, O'Shea made nearly 400 appearances for the Red Devils over more than a decade. With 14 winners' medals - including five league titles and a Champions League - to his name, he transitioned into coaching in 2020 as one of Ireland's most decorated players ever. Argentinian striker Vicente Vuoso , who was ranked at No. 8 , never actually played a league match for City despite being signed from Independiente in 2002. After just a year in English football, Vuoso moved to Mexico with Santos Laguna and spent over a decade playing for various clubs in Liga MX. He gained Mexican citizenship and earned 15 caps for the country before retiring in 2017. Carlton Cole , who was with Chelsea at the time, was listed at No. 7 . Although he didn't find success with the Blues, his move to West Ham in 2006 marked the start of a career that made him a Hammers icon. Cole made 293 appearances for the club, scoring 68 goals and earning seven England caps. After leaving West Ham in 2015, he had brief stints with Celtic as well as American and Indonesian teams before retiring in 2018. Coming in at No. 6 is another Englishman, Jermaine Pennant . The gifted but troubled former Arsenal winger was perhaps more famous for his off-field behaviour than his performances on the pitch. His high-profile transfer to Liverpool in 2006 showcased some of his best football, but he gradually fell out of favour and moved between clubs. A notable period with Stoke City offered a glimmer of hope, but Pennant eventually hung up his boots in 2017, last playing for non-league side Billericay Town. Sunderland's youth product, Grant Leadbitter , was highly rated at No. 5 . Although he never reached the top echelons of football, he had a solid career in the North East. The tough-tackling midfielder made nearly 250 appearances for Middlesbrough and over 200 for Sunderland, with a notable spell at Ipswich Town. He ended his playing career on a high note, returning to the Stadium of Light in 2019 and winning the EFL trophy in 2021 before hanging up his boots and becoming a coach with the Black Cats. Coming in at No. 4 was West Brom's young midfielder Adam Chambers . Despite being tipped for greatness, Chambers struggled to secure a regular first-team spot at the Hawthorns and moved to Leyton Orient in 2006. He played almost 200 matches there before joining Walsall in 2011, where he became a stalwart, making over 300 appearances before retiring in 2019. Starting the podium positions at No. 3 was Arsenal defender Kolo Toure . The Ivorian was a key player in the Gunners' Invincibles season, often stepping in for veteran Martin Keown alongside Sol Campbell. He departed the Emirates when he moved to Manchester City in 2009, where he later played alongside his brother Yaya. He also had stints at Liverpool and Celtic before retiring in 2017. Irish former wonderkid Thomas Butler ranks at No. 2 on the list. Despite showing promise as a young winger, he didn't quite live up to expectations. After making his debut for Sunderland, Butler had limited playing time with the Black Cats and left the club in 2004. He later found more game time at Hartlepool United and Swansea City before injuries prematurely ended his career. The player who tops the list at No. 1 needs no introduction. Wayne Rooney , once one of the most promising talents in English football with Everton , went on to achieve remarkable success at Manchester United. With five Premier League titles, a Champions League and FA Cup, 559 appearances and 253 goals under his belt, Rooney later returned to Goodison Park. He went on to play for D.C. United and Derby County before ending his illustrious career, which included being capped 120 times by England, in 2021 to become a manager. His most recent ill-fated role was at the helm of Plymouth Argyle. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.