"They were dubbed "The Billion Generation." A group of attacking talent, and three youngsters in particular, who came up through the ranks at Palmeiras in Brazil and were destined for great things. But where? The terminology is important. This group of players -- Endrick, Luis Guilherme and Estêvão -- was not named after the senior titles they were going to win for the São Paulo-based club. It was assumed that they would not linger long enough to bring in much silverware."
"It seemed like madness almost a decade ago when Real Madrid announced they would be spending around £40 million on a 16-year-old winger from Rio giants Flamengo. They would have to wait until he was 18 to take Vinícius, and at the time the deal was struck, he had not even played a senior game. But what looked like insanity in 2016 was soon coming across as a masterstroke."
"Vinícius was the decisive figure as Real Madrid added to their UEFA Champions League triumphs, and in hindsight, it came across as if the Spanish club had picked up one of the most exciting players in the world for a bargain price. The major European clubs already wanted to get their hands on South American acquisitions as early as possible, because adaptation would be easier if they could mold them from the start. The success of Real's Vinícius deal persuaded them that they were correct."
A trio of Palmeiras attackers — Endrick, Luis Guilherme and Estêvão — became known as "The Billion Generation" because the club expected to sell them to major European teams for roughly one billion reais. That valuation reflects a market trend of moving South America's brightest prospects early to Europe. Real Madrid's purchase of Vinícius Júnior as a teenager for around £40 million set a precedent by showing early recruitment can yield elite, decisive performers. European clubs now prioritise acquiring and shaping young South American talent to ease adaptation and maximise future sporting and financial returns.
Read at ESPN.com
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