This was more than a teenager winning praise because of his youth. This was an international footballer dominating a contest with such ease that to make allowances for his age would have been to ignore his class and superiority.
For during Wales’ 4-1 victory over Republic of Ireland on Thursday night, Ethan Ampadu was simply better than everyone else.
That the Chelsea talent remains just 17, however, is a cause for genuine excitement.
Ampadu played in the centre of midfield against Ireland. It is a position from which he was able to disrupt the opposition but also launch offensives of his own, assisting the third goal for Aaron Ramsey after barging Jon Walters out of possession and charging forward before rolling in his team-mate.
He was even barking orders to captain and centre-back Ashley Williams in an attempt to organise those behind him, not that they were troubled much with Ampadu as protection.
His performance triggered an explosion of approval inside the Cardiff City Stadium and beyond. The home crowd sang his name and rose to their feet when he was withdrawn, job done, midway through the second half.
One Chelsea supporter on social media described Ampadu as ‘Jorginho and N’Golo Kante rolled into one’, while Wales boss Ryan Giggs said he would go on to become ‘an immense player’. On the evidence of this, he already is.
It is perhaps for good reason that Chelsea did not allow him to leave on loan in the summer. Derby management duo Frank Lampard and Jody Morris clearly knew what ability resided in the youngster when making an approach, only for Maurizio Sarri to block the move.
Derby assistant Morris was youth coach at Chelsea when Ampadu put in another eye-catching performance during a Checkatrade Trophy match in October 2016. He was not playing for Chelsea, however, but for Exeter City against the Blues’ Under 21s.
The League Two side won 3-2 and Ampadu was the best player on the park, persuading Chelsea to return with an offer for the boy who had become the youngest player in Exeter’s history when making his debut aged 15 years, 10 months and 26 days in August 2016.
The clubs could not agree a compensation fee and it took a tribunal to determine that Chelsea should pay up to £2.5million.
Exeter chairman Julian Tagg expressed his ‘disappointment for football’ that a club should nurture a young player only to have him snatched from them for a sum short of his value. A sell-on clause of 20 per cent is perhaps the route by which Exeter will finally land the monies they deserve.
And, have no doubt, Ampadu will one day be worth tens of millions if he continues to develop at the same rate of his recent progression. It again throws up the question of whether Chelsea is the best place for such talent to prosper, but exposure on the international stage will do much to convince those at his club that he is ready for senior football in the Premier League, where he appeared once last season.
To that end, his decision to choose Wales over England, Ireland and Ghana could prove a wise one. Thursday was his third cap but his first in a competitive fixture and so ended any debate over his allegiance.
Ampadu’s dad, Kwame, played for Ireland Under 21s alongside Roy Keane but the Exeter-born starlet was always set on Wales, the country of his mother, and former boss Chris Coleman made the savvy move of inviting him to train with the likes of Gareth Bale before Euro 2016.
Kwame, who played for Swansea and West Brom, is now a coach in Arsenal’s academy but his son believes Stamford Bridge is where he can thrive.
And you cannot fault his decision-making so far, be that on the pitch or off it.
SGTSingam
8
Yupp, this boy is future David Luiz