ASTANA – Seventeen-year-old forward Dastan Satpayev of Almaty’s FC Kairat has been recognized among the world’s 60 best young football talents by The Guardian, which praised the Kazakh player for his maturity, technical skill, and decisive performances in European competitions.
Dastan Satpayev. Photo credit: Satpayev’s personal archive.
“Satpayev is the brightest star at Kairat, the Kazakh team who qualified for the league stage of this season’s Champions League. Expectations have been high since he made his debut in the Kazakhstan top division in May 2024, three months before his 16th birthday – and he has delivered when it mattered most,” reads the article.
According to The Guardian, Satpayev scored against Olimpija Ljubljana in the first qualifying round, then netted in the comeback win over KuPS Kuopio, and was given the responsibility to take the last-minute penalty against Slovan Bratislava when Kairat won 1-0. He was suspended for the second leg in the triumph at Celtic, but is now one of the youngest stars in the tournament.
Chelsea must be delighted they signed Satpayev in January for 4 million euros ($4.6 million), because his value is expected to rise significantly. He combines speed and sound technical skills with decision-making way beyond his age, and hopes to make his mark in the Premier League when he arrives at Stamford Bridge in August 2026.
