ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s football scene is experiencing an unprecedented moment of global recognition as 17-year-old forward Dastan Satpayev was named among the top five best young players globally by the platform Score 90, while Italian powerhouse Inter Milan highlighted the remarkable performance of Kairat goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov in a new social media feature.
Score 90 magazine listed Dastan Satpayev among world’s brightest young footballers. Photo credit: inter.it
Together, these moments signal a growing international interest in Kazakh football and underscore the country’s expanding footprint in major European competitions.
Score 90, one of world football’s most-followed analytical platforms, included Satpayev in its highly anticipated ranking of the best players born in 2008. The list places him alongside emerging stars from Bayern Munich, PSG, Liverpool, and Atalanta, making Satpayev the only Central Asian footballer to break into the elite five.
Complementing Satpayev’s achievement, FC Internazionale Milano has again turned its attention to its recent Champions League match against Kairat, publishing a new Instagram post highlighting Anarbekov’s standout saves.
Although Inter won the match 2:1, the club’s continued interest weeks later suggests that the Italian side sees significant potential in Kairat’s players.
With Satpayev entering the global spotlight and Anarbekov earning praise from one of Europe’s biggest clubs, Kazakh players are increasingly demonstrating they can compete on the highest stages.
In the Champions League group stage standings, Kairat currently ranks 35th, while Inter ranks 4th. Yet beyond the numbers, these individual performances and international endorsements reflect a deeper shift as Kazakhstan is becoming a source of fresh, exciting football talent that the world is starting to notice.
